The Trees of Vermont 187 



OLEACEAE 



Wliite Asli 

 Fraxinus americana L. 



Habit. — A large tree 50-75 feet high, with a trunk diameter of 2-3 

 feet; forming an open, pyramidal crown of long, slender, lateral 

 branches and a stout, rather sparse spray. 



Leaves.- — Opposite, pinnately compound, 8-12 inches long. 

 Leaflets usually 7-9, 3-5 inches long, 1-2 inches broad; short-stalked; 

 ovate to oblong-lanceolate ; entire or obscurely serrate ; thick and firm ; 

 glabrous, dark green above, paler beneath. Petioles glabrous, stout, 

 grooved. 



Flowers. — May, before the leaves ; dioecious ; borne in loose 

 panicles on shoots of the previous season ; calyx campanulate, 4-lobed ; 

 corolla ; stamens 2, rarely 3 ; ovary 2-celled. 



Fruit. — August-September, persistent on the branches until mid- 

 winter or the following spring; samaras 1-2 inches long, in crowded, 

 drooping, paniculate clusters 6-8 inches long. 



Winter-buds. — Short, rather obtuse; bud-scales apiculate, keeled, 

 4 pairs, rusty-brown. 



Bark. — Twigs at first dark green, becoming gray or light brown, 

 often covered with a glaucous bloom ; gray, deeply furrowed into firm, 

 narrow, flattened ridges on the trunk. Plate VIIL 



Wood. — Heavy, hard, strong, close-grained, tough, brown, with 

 thick, lighter colored sapwood. Page 225. 



Distribution. — Of common occurrence throughout Vermont. 



Habitat. — Prefers a rich, moist, loamy soil, but grows in any 

 well-drained situation ; common along stream-beds. 



Notes. — The white ash occurs in all parts of Vermont and upon 

 all kinds of soil, but it prefers a rich, moist location. It is an open 

 spreading tree in the field but in the forest it sends up a clean, straight 

 shaft with a very small head. This character helps to make the white 

 ash one of the valuable timber trees of our forests. The wood is 

 strong, tough, elastic, durable and easily worked. It is manufactured 

 into casings, every kind of furniture, agricultural implements and 

 parts of carriages. It is said that in strength and elasticity the white 

 ash timber from Vermont is superior to that from most other sources. 

 The wdiite oak and the hickories are the only native trees which have a 

 higher value for fuel. This ash is recognized by its compound leaves, 

 nearly twelve inches long, with from seven to nine smooth, petioled 

 leaflets. 



