164 EDWARD W. BERRY 



one that formerly migrated between Asia and North America at 

 a time when cUmates were more suitable for such a migration 

 than they are at the present time, a time when a land bridge 

 united the two continents across the present Behring Sea region. 



The ashes have handsome, usually compound leaves consisting 

 of a greater or less number of separate leaflets arranged in a pin- 

 nate manner on a central stipe. Their leaves are thus similar 

 to those of the walnuts and hickories, but may readily be dis- 

 tinguished by their opposite arrangement on the branches — the 

 walnut and hickory leaves being arranged in an alternate manner. 



The generic name Fraxinus for the ash genus is derived from 

 the classical name of the European ash, and the common name 

 doubtless refers to the ashy color of its branches. Ash flowers 

 are not conspicuous but the winged fruits, technically known as 

 samaras, are borne in panicles and are familiar to all that tramp 

 the fall woods, each fruit resembling a tiny canoe paddle. 



The wood is tough, straight grained and that of some of the 

 species is a most valuable thiiber. In Britain ash lumber ranks 

 next to that of the oak in importance. In this country ash is 

 one of the leading commercial hardwoods and the annual cut 

 which amounts to about $10,000,000 in value probably exceeds 

 the annual growth increase in the supply, so that soon we will 

 be obliged to bestir ourselves and do intensive cultivation or see 

 the important industries that use ash lumber pinched by scar- 

 city and consequent higher prices or obliged to use inferior 

 substitutes. 



Ash timber has such special uses that it is too valuable to be 

 used for ordinary construction purposes. These uses all depend 

 on its straightness of grain, elasticity, strength, hardness, and the 

 characteristic of wearing smooth with use. Among these special 

 uses the making of handles, which the layman might think unim- 

 portant, utilizes about 22% of the total cut with a value of about 

 $2,000,000 annually. Next in importance has been the use of 

 ash for butter tub staves and other dairy supplies, which con- 

 sumes over 20%, of the annual cut. Vehicle manufacturers take 

 about 15%, while planing mills use large amounts and the 

 manufacturers of boat oars consume about a quarter of a million 

 dollars worth of ash lumber every year. 



