THE ASH. 19 



roots a great way near the fur face ; which 

 quality, together with the deftruclive pro- 

 perty of its drippings, renders it injurious 

 to herbage, and ftill more to corn. When 

 growing near water it fometimes hangs 

 down its boughs like the weeping willow. 

 No tree is fo often met with in ruins and 

 upon antient walls, probably on account of 

 the readinefs with which its winged feeds 

 are borne by the wind. It infinuates its 

 roots far into the crevices of thcfe old 

 buildings, and thereby becomes an invtru- 

 ment of the deftruclion of what affords it 

 fupport. In like manner it fattens upon 

 loofe flaty rocks, and decorates them with 

 its verdure. It is one of the latefl 

 trees in coming into leaf, and lofes its 

 leaves early in autumn. The bunches of 

 long fkinny feeds, called keys, on the fer- 

 tile trees, have a fingular appearance. It 

 is obferved that while fome am- trees bear 

 great quantities of keys yearly, others feem 

 never to bear any. The former, however, 

 are naked of leaves and unfightly ; 

 whereas the latter abound in foliage ; and 

 are pleafing objects. The bark is fmooth 

 c 2 and 



