SPEAT. 151 



not divide, like that of the Oak, from the ex- 

 tremity of the last year's shoot, but springs from 

 the sides of it. Two shoots spring out opposite 

 to each other, and each pair in a contrary 

 direction. Barely, however, both the shoots of 

 either side come to maturity ; one of them is 

 commonly lost as the tree increases, or at least 

 makes no appearance in comparison with the 

 other, which takes the lead. So that, notwith- 

 standing this natural regularity of growth (so 

 injurious to the beauty of the Spruce Fir and 

 some other trees), the Ash never contracts the 

 least disgusting formality from it. It may even 

 receive great picturesque beauty, for sometimes 

 the whole branch is lost as far as one of the 

 lateral shoots, and this occasions a kind of 

 rectangular junction, which forms a beautiful 

 contrast with the other spray, and gives an 

 elegant mode of hanging to the tree. This 

 points out another difference between the spray 

 of the Oak and that of the Ash. The spray of 

 the Oak seldom shoots from the undersides of the 

 branches ; and it is this chiefly which keeps the 

 branches in a horizontal form. But the spray 



