CHAP. XLII. ROSA CEH, PY RUS. 917 
Ocean ; and from the cold mountainous woody regions of the north, to the 
alpine parts of Caucasus and Mount Libanus. In the former situation it is 
a low shrubby bush, and in the latter a handsome tree of the third rank. It is 
found in Japan, and probably, also, in other islands of the Indian Ocean. In 
Britain, it is common in woods and hedges, in mountainous, but rather moist 
situations, in every part of the island, and also in Ireland. In France, Ger- 
many, and Switzerland, it is wild in all the woods, as well as in the higher 
and colder regions of the mountains of Spain and Italy. The soil in which 
it thrives best, though moist, is not boggy, but rather loamy or light. The 
situation is generally more or less exposed; for, if crowded by other trees, its 
trunk, like that of other species of Pyrus, in similar situations, never attains 
a large size. The largest trees of this species in Britain are those in the 
Western Highlands, and on the west coast of Scotland; from which it may 
be inferred, that it prefers a moist climate to one that is dry. Withering 
justly observes that it will not attain a large size, unless it grows in a fertile 
soil. The tree was known to the Greeks and Romans; and Virgil was aware 
that it might be grafted on the pear. It is mentioned under the name of 
Sérbus sylvéstris by Matthiolus, and other eminent writers on plants, down 
to the time of Gerard; who, like Pliny, considered it as a species of ash. 
Properties and Uses. The wood, when dry, weighs 51 1b. 12 02. per cubic 
foot. It is homogeneous, fine-grained, hard, capable of being stained any 
colour, and of takinga high polish ; and it is applied to all the various uses of 
P. A’ria and P. torminalis, when it can be obtained of adequate dimensions. In 
Britain, the tree forms excellent coppice wood, the shoots being well adapted 
for poles, and for making excellent hoops ; and the bark being in demand by 
tanners. As it will grow in the most exposed situations, and rapidly, when 
young, it forms an admirable nurse tree to the oak, and other slow-growing 
species ; and, being a tree of absolute habits ; that is, incapable of being drawn 
up above a certain height by culture, it has this great advantage, that, after 
having done its duty as a nurse, instead of growing up with the other trees, 
and choking them, it quietly submits to be over-topped, and destroyed by 
the shade and drip of those which it was planted to shelter and protect. 
It may be mentioned, as somewhat singular, that the alpine laburnum 
though naturally a much lower tree than the mountain ash, will, when drawn 
up in woods, attain twice the height of the latter tree. The fruit of the 
mountain ash is greedily devoured by birds; and, in various parts of the 
north of Europe, these berries are dried and ground into flour, and used 
as a substitute for the flour made of wheat, in times of great scarcity. In 
Livonia, Sweden, and Kamtschatka, the berries of the mountain ash are 
eaten, when ripe, as fruit; and a very good spirit is distilled from them. 
Evelyn says that “ale and beer brewed with these berries, being ripe, is an 
incomparable drink, familiar in Wales.” They form, he says, a tempting 
bait for the thrushes ; so that, “ as long as they last in your woods, you will 
be sure of their company.” “ Besides the use of it for the husbandman’s 
tools, goods, &c., the wheelwright commends it for being all heart; our 
fletchers (archers) commend it for bows, next to yew, which we ought not to 
pass over, for the glory of our once English ancestors. In a statute of Henry 
VIII. you have it mentioned; and there is no churchyard in Wales with- 
out a mountain ash tree planted in it, as the yew trees are in the church- 
yards in England. So, in a certain day in the year, every body in Wales 
religiously wears a cross made of the wood; and the tree is, by some authors 
called Fraxinus cambro-britannice.” (Hunter's Evelyn., vol. i.p. 218.) In 
Germany, the fowlers bait springes, or nooses of hair, with the berries of this 
tree, which they hang in the woods to entice the redwings and fieldfares. In- 
fused in water, the berries make an acid drink, somewhat resembling perry, 
which is much used in Wales by the poor, who call it diod-graviole, or 
ciavol drink. In the Isle of Java, the juice of these berries is used as an 
acid for punch. (See Martyn’s Miller.) As an ornamental tree, the mountain 
ash-is well adapted for small gardens; and it is also deserving of a place in 
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