1884.] BEAUTIES OF BBITISH TBEES. 259 



' The Mountain Aah 

 No eye can overlook, when, 'mid a grove 

 Of yet unfaded trees, she lifts her head, 

 Deck'd with autumnal berries that outshine 



Spring's richest blossoms.' 



The poet here notices the fact, an important one from the point of 

 view of tliose planting for picturesque effects in form and colour, 

 that the berries of the Mountain Ash turn colour whilst most of our 

 forest trees still retain their foliage in its summer green. Their hue 

 is not the blood red of the Guelder- liose, or the crimson often seen 

 in the haws of the Whitethorn, but a less common tint containing 

 a considerable admixture of yellow, a scarlet sometimes matched in 

 the hips of the liose. If permitted to do so, the berries will stay on 

 the tree until the leaves have changed colour and fallen ; but, though 

 the not unwholsome acid fruits, formerly distilled, are now unmolested 

 by man, they are peculiar favourites with the birds. Hence it is that 

 the tree obtains its specific name, ' Aucuparla' and the English name 

 of Powlers' Service-tree, since the berries were formerly used as a lure 

 by bird-catchers (Latino aiiccps). The name 'Service,' which has 

 nothino- to do with the ordinary use of that word, will have to be 

 explained presently. The flesh of the fruit is a bright orange-yellow, 

 as may often be seen in the many wounds the beaks of innumerable 

 finches and thrushes will make in the riddled clusters, and the core 

 is so hard as to connect the species with the jMedlar and the 

 Hawthorn, 



The leaves, in turning, most frequently become yellowish, and 

 decay on the tree to an unornamental brown ; but in exceptional 

 situations, or in very favourable autumns, perhaps mostly when the 

 end of September and the beginning of October are unusually dry, 

 they, too, become red, and then, as a poetess has said : 



' The scarlet Rowan seems to mock 



The red sea-coral ; l)erries, leaves, and all, 



Light swinging from the moist green shining rock, 



Which beds the foaming torrent's turbid fall.' 



The writer has here happily suggested an appropriate situation for 

 the tree. Its light and graceful habit should be sufficiently free from 

 other trees to be well seen ; indeed, hardy as it is for any exposure, 

 its outline of branch and leaf will show well against the sky, whilst 

 the grey bark will contrast well with the lush green growth by tho 

 stream, or with the changing tints of moorland, bracken and 

 heather. The gay verdure of the young leaves and the creamy 

 clusters of blossoms, or the bright autumn fruit, will equally well con- 

 trast with the severity of bare stone in the browns or greys of the 



