38 



rows of pasture lands. Growing in tlie fences 

 of arable fields, it has the objection of being 

 injurious to the crops in its vicinity — in faft, 

 more so than nearly any other tree. 



The small purple-black flowers show them- 

 selves late in April ; they are generally of both 

 sexes, but sometimes of one sex only. The seeds, 

 or "keys" as they are termed, hang in dense 

 clusters. The leaves, consisting of from four to 

 seven pairs of leaflets, appear a few weeks after 

 the flowers. Their late arrival is followed by an 

 early fall. As a writer remarks, therefore, " ash 

 " trees should be sparingly planted around a 

 " gentleman's residence, to avoid giving it a cold 

 " and late appearance, at a season when all 

 " nature should smile." 



An ash tree as a rule grows to from forty to 

 sixty feet high. The smooth greenish bark of 

 youth becomes grey and fissured with age. It 

 is from the grey hoariness of its bark that the 

 ash is supposed to derive its name. It lives for 

 several centuries, but is most profitably felled at 

 from sixty to eighty years old. It is very hardy, 

 not being particular as to soil. Standing alone, it 

 forms a wide head, with large downward-spreading 

 branches. Apart from the value of its timber, in 

 midsummer the ash, with its easy graceful out- 

 line, and light feathery leaves, is a very decorative 

 tree. 



