FOA'£ST TREES. 



191 



haunts in rocky valleys, it is often a mere shrub, the stem being only a 

 few inches in diameter, it can hardly be said to rise to the dignity of a 

 tree in its growth. 



The Highland peasants know the Mountain Ash only by the more 

 familiar name of Rowan-tree, to them it seems endeared by some 

 tender home associations, bringing back to them the remembrance of 

 mountain streams and lonely valleys; nor have their poets been silent in 

 their songs to the Rowan-tree. Who has not known and heard that 

 sweet, simple lyric of the Baroness Nairne : — 



" O Rowan-tree, O Rowan-tree." 



Whose eyes did not fill a"^ they listened to words so touching, because 

 so natural, for it is such songs that take us back to the home scenes of 

 our childhood, and awaken memories of the long, long, by-gone years, 

 when young hearts were as gay, and hopes as bright, as the berries that 

 they strung for necklaces, and felt as proud of their ornaments as a 

 court lady of her diamonds and her rubies. 



In Ireland the Mountain Ash is called the Bour-tree. 



White Ash. — Fraxiniis Americana, (L.) 



The largest and most valuable of our native trees of the Ash family, 

 common to our forests, is the White Ash, which usually is a tall stately 

 tree of regular and upright growth, well known by its light grey bark, 

 deeply divided into lozenge-like sections, and pinnated foliage, smooth 

 and shining leaflets from five to fifteen; flowers in clustered racemes with 

 keyed, winged, fruit. The wood is very white and light when dry, splitting 

 readily. It is much used for the handles of agricultural tools, such as 

 hay-rakes, hoes, forks, &c. The wood is much valued for its toughness 

 and elasticity and is in great request by the waggon and carriage makers, 

 for the spokes of wheels and shafts. The White Ash is a capital burning 

 wood, easily ignited, and giving out a bright flame and good heat. In its 

 native woods it attains to one hundred feet ; it is often found from twenty- 

 six to thirty-six inches in diameter : the size varying very little from the 

 root to the first- branches. While the White Ash is chiefly confined to 

 the forest, being rarely seen in any open situation, the Black Ash — 

 Fraxinus samhucifolia, (Lam.) — is found on river banks and seems rather 

 to affect a damp soil, wet woods and swamps ; it is of smoother, darker 

 bark and foliage than the White Ash. The younger saplings are used for 

 hoops, and the inner bark for basket work. The knots and roots of the 

 Black Ash are beautifully veined and grained, and are used for inlaying 

 and other ornamental works. Besides the White and Black Ash,, the 



