88 



THE ASH-TREE. 



extremity. Technically, this form is called "pinnate" or feather-like. 

 Whether the leaflets be articulated to the main stalk from the first, so 

 as to constitute a truly compound leaf, is not quite clear. When they 

 fall in autumn, the pieces certainly come asunder, just like those of the 

 horse-chesnut and the Virginian-creeper ; it is not unusual, on the 

 other hand, to find young leaves in September, in which all the mem- 

 bers are perfectly conjoined. The analogy of the jessamine, to which 

 the ash-tree is nearly allied, would seem to indicate that they are not 

 truly compound. The foliage is late in coming out, with the excep- 

 tion of the mulberry, perhaps there is no tree in England which is 

 habitually so much behind-hand ; and late as the leaves appear, they 

 are among the soonest to fade in the autumn. At the last-named 

 period the ash assumes none of those brilliant hues which go to make 

 up the grandeur of the woodland sunset. The leaves simply turn to a 



Ash, with ripe fruit. 



dull brownish-green, curling up as if scorched, and generally fall from 

 the tree almost together, so that the branches become denuded in the 

 course of one or two days. There is a useful bit of practical knowledge 

 connected with this tardy appearance and early decay. The expansion 

 of the leaues is a sign that the season is- -sufficiently advanced for 

 greenhouse-plants to be trusted out of doors, the chance of frost being 

 now reduced to a minimum ; and by-and-bye, when the leaves begin 

 to fall, it is a sign that the time is come for the restoration of them to 

 their wonted shelter. So pleasing are the " signs of the times" 

 afforded by plants ; very many of which are almost as trustworthy aa 

 those drawn from astronomy. 



