1082 



AMERICAN FORESTRY 



iiAKK or Tin; wiiiTi; ash 



The bark is grayisli-ljrown, rather thick upon tlie older trunks, and is 

 shar])]y divided l)y diamond-shaped fissmes into rather flattened ridges 

 whicli are covered iiy thin, close-fitting scales. 



diameter of twu to three feet, but occasional specimens 

 one hundred aiul twenty feet higli and five or six feet in 

 diameter ma\ l)e fnund. 



Tlie greyish-brown bark is divided by deep, (hamond- 

 shaped fissures into narrow, flattened ridges that run 

 lengthwise of the trunk. The surface of the ridges is 

 covered with thin, tightly attached scales. Unlike black 

 ash. which has an elastic, corky bark that ])(jwders easily 

 when rubbed with the hand, white ash bark is linn and 

 does not crumble. lIowe\er, the scales on the ridges 

 gradually wear awa\- so that old trunks often have 

 smoother bark than vnunger trees. 



The buds of white ash are rather large, broad, shiirt 

 and blunt, and of a rusty-brown to dark-lirown culor. .\t 

 the end of the twig is a bud larger than the others, on 

 which it is plainly seen that the buds are covered with 

 scales that stand opposite one another, like the halves of 

 a clam shell, instead (if overlapping as do the scales on 

 the buds of most of our trees. Usually there are two 

 ->li T buds at the base of the terminal bud. All of the 

 ii ds are in pairs, npposite each other on the twig; 



i I 1 crescent-shaped scar appears beneath each 



j j nt wliere the leaf was attacheti. These 



i I '^rge size, raised and very noticeable, 



j I 1750 McCof >vars of other species of ash by 



i I nd heavy, standing opposite 



1 1 'gles to the branch. When 



•..■:.:;:;:!:;!!!:;::;!:!!!::::!:;;!::!;;;;:!:::!!;::::!;:;:;:;:::;";;"!::i:::;;;! .vigs appear clumsy, 



" ^'ery orderly ap- 



igs are grey- 



ish or greenish-brown. They are sometimes covered 

 with a bloom, which, when rubbed off, leaves the bark 

 sliinw showing plainh- the large, pale lenticels, or breath- 

 ing pores of the bark. 



Instead of one large leaf-blade, each leaf consists of 

 live to nine leaflets. The entire leaf is about ten inches 

 Idiig: at the end of the leaf-stem is a single leaflet below 

 ivliich are usually six leaflets, arranged in pairs. The 

 leaflets are three to five inches long, about one and one- 

 half inches broad, and are borne on a stalk one-fourth 

 to three-eighths of an inch in length. This stalk on the 

 leaflet of the white is much longer than on the leaflets 

 of the other species of ash. The leaflets are broadly 

 viillow-shaped. dark green above, light green and often 

 liair\- on the lower surface. By midsummer the down 

 has w(irn from them and they are perfectly smooth. The 

 silver}- cokjr of the lower surface of the leaflet is peculiar 

 til the while ash and gi\es rise to its name. 



The fltiwers appear in May. before the leaves ; the 

 ]Kjllen-producing flowers are in dense, reddish-purple 

 clusters, which turn yellowish in color when the pollen 

 is shedding. The secd-]'roducing flowers are borne in 

 open clusters on se[iarate trees: they are small, viso- 

 shapcd and luirplish. 



Courtesy of the Manual Arts Press 



THE LEAF OF THE WHITE ASH 



The leaves are about ten inches long with five to nine leaflets 

 xvhich are three to five inches long and an inch and a half 

 broad. When full grown they are usually smooth and dark 

 green above and pale below. A few- hairs are sometimes found 

 along the veins on the lower surface. 



