MOUNTAIN ASH. 329 
winds ; but, wherever it is wanted to attain a large size, it ought to be planted in 
a free soil in a moist climate, or near water, and in a situation that is open and 
dry. Few trees suffer more from extreme heat and drought than the mountain 
ash. 
Propagation and Culture. This species, and most of its varieties may be 
propagated from seeds, which should be gathered as soon as ripe, to prevent their 
being eaten by birds. When gathered, the fruit should be macerated in water 
till the seeds are separated from the pulp, after which, they may be immediately 
sown ; but, as they will remain, in that case, eighteen months in the ground, 
before coming up, the common mode adopted by nurserymen is, to mix the ber- 
ries with light sandy soil, and spread them out in the rotting-ground, in a layer 
ten or twelve inches in thickness ; then to cover this layer with ashes or sand to 
a depth of two or three inches, and allow them to remain in that state for a year. 
They are then separated from the soil by sifting, and sown in beds of light, rich 
soil, being covered to the depth of a quarter of an inch. The seeds should not 
be dropped nearer together than two inches, which will allow the plants to come 
up with sufficient strength, and without the interference of their leaves. They 
may be sown late in autumn or very early in spring, which will cause them to 
come up in the June or July following ; and, by the end of the season, the strong- 
est plants will be eighteen inches high, and fit to separate from the others, and to 
plant out in nursery lines. They will grow rapidly for the first three or four 
years, and in five years will acquire a height of eight or nine feet. At this period 
they will be ready to plant out in the situations where they are permanently to 
remain, after which, they will begin to form their heads, and in ten years more 
will attain the height of twenty feet. Each head will continue to increase slowly, 
though the tree seldom grows higher than twenty-five or thirty feet in a hundred 
years. This tree will not bear lopping, but grass and herbage will grow well 
under its shade.* 
Insects. The trunk and roots of the mountain ash are perforated by several 
species of borers, among which are the larvae of the beetles called Saperda bivit- 
tata and Saperda vesiita, both of which are described in our articles on the com- 
mon apple, and the European lime-tree, under the head of "Insects," and nee' T 
no further notice here. 
Properties and Uses. The wood of the mountain ash, when dry, weighs fifty- 
one pounds to a cubic foot, is homogeneous, fine-grained, hard, capable of being 
stained any colour, and is susceptible of taking a high polish. It is much used 
in Europe in the small manufactures, such as the handles of knives and forks, 
wooden spoons, &c. ; and for musical instruments, and various articles of turnery. 
When of sufficient dimensions, it is also used for axle-trees, naves, and felloes to 
wheels, carpenter and husbandman's tools, cogs to the wheels of machinery, and 
for a variety of other purposes. In Britain, the tree forms excellent coppice- wood, 
the shoots being well adapted for poles, and for making excellent hoops ; and tin- 
bark is used in tanning. In Livonia, Sweden, and Kamtschatka, the berries ot 
this tree are eaten, when ripe, as a fruit, and a very good spirit is distilled from 
them ; and in various other parts of northern Europe, these berries are dried and 
ground into flour, and used as a substitute for the flour made of wheat, in times 
of great scarcity. Infused in water, the berries make an acid drink, somewhat 
resembling perry, which is much used in Wales by the poor, who call it diod-gra- 
viole. In the island of Java, the juice of these berries is used as an acid for 
punch. In Germany, the fowlers bait springes, or nooses of hair with the berries 
of this tree, which they hang in the woods to entice the red-wings and field-fares. 
As an ornamental tree, the mountain ash is well adapted for small gardens, ami 
* See Loudon's Arboretum, pp. 916 et 920. 
42 
