AILANTHUS. 



TEREBINTACE^. FOLYGAMIA MONffiCIA. 



From the Amboyna name, aylanto, which signifies the tree of 

 heaven. French, langit. 



THE Ailanthus grows forty or fifty feet high, with a 

 straight trunk, covered with a gray bark ; the leaves are 

 large and smooth ; the blossoms are numerous, but not 

 of a pleasant odour. This is a quick-growing tree in 

 our climate, is handsome, and very proper for ornamental 

 plantations. The wood is hard, heavy, glossy, and sus- 

 ceptible of a very fine polish. From the bark, when 

 wounded, flows a resinous juice, which hardens in a few 

 days. 



The Ailanthus is a native of China, and was first 

 raised in England by Mr. Miller, and Philip Carteret 

 Webb, Esq., about the year 1751. It does not produce 

 fruit in this country. 



This tree was formerly considered as a species of Rhus, 

 and " is memorable among us,"" observes Mr. Martyn, 

 " for the dispute it occasioned between Mr. Ellis and 

 Mr. Miller, which is recorded in the Philosophical 

 Transactions. The latter contended that it was the Fasi- 

 no-ki tree, or spurious Varnish-tree of the Japanese ; but 

 it is clear that he was mistaken, for the leaves of that 

 tree are entire, and have none of the singular glands 

 which are found in this; nor does the Ailanthus yield 

 any juice." 



In the last remark, Mr. Martyn himself appears mis- 

 taken; since it seems, and by his own account, that the 

 bark when wounded does yield a juice, more or less. 



