The Ashes 



135 



It is a tall, slender tree, from 60 to 70 ft. in height, with a narrow crown of 

 upright branches. The diameter of the trunk is small for a tree of its height, and 

 the taper is very slight. 



The bark is thinner than that of the white ash and not so deeply furrowed. 

 It is soft and scaly, i.e., it crumbles somewhat when the surface is rubbed with the 

 palm of the hand, and a distinct mark is left where the rubbing was done. That 

 of the white ash is harder and the mark is not so apparent. 



The twigs are coarse, smooth, and, as with all other ashes, come out in pairs 

 from the opposite sides of the branch. They are not pinched or flattened at the 

 bud as are those of the white ash. The upper margin of the leaf-scars is somewhat 

 raised or extended to partly cover the winter bud. 



The winter buds are very dark, almost black. They are narrower and more 

 pointed than those of the white ash. The leaves, like those of all our ashes, are 

 compound, i.e., they are formed of numerous smaller leaves. They are com- 



posed of from seven to eleven leaflets. The leaflets themselves, except the end 

 one, are stemless and their margins only slightly toothed. 



The fruit is a winged seed from I to 1 J^ in. long. The seed is somewhat flat- 

 tened in cross-section and almost entirely surrounded by the wing. The ends cf 

 the wings are squarish and usually notched. 



