642 



ARBOTIETUM ET FRUTICETUM BRITANNICUM. 



whatever, in cultivation in Britisli plantations, is more injurious to plants 

 growing undei it, from its numerous fibrous roots, which, rising close to the 

 surface, exhaust the soil, and prevent the vegetation of almost every other 

 plant, except those that have also fibrous roots. It always grows best in good, 

 somewhat calcareous soil ; which, though not boggy, is generally adjoining 

 water. The most profitable age for felling the ash appears to be from 80 to 

 100 years, but it will continue pushing from stools or from pollards, for above 

 100 years. The timber of the ash is very elastic ; so much so, that a joist 

 of this timber will bear more before it breaks than one of that of any other 

 tree indigenous to Europe. It weighs, per cubic foot, 64 lb. 9 oz. when green, 

 and 49 lb. 8 oz. when dry. The value of the timber is increased by the rapi- 

 dity of its growth ; and, as in the case of the sweet chestnut, the wood of 

 young trees is more esteemed than that of old ones. Since the use of iron 

 became so general in the manufacture of instruments and machines, the value 

 of the ash is somewhat diminished, at least in Britain ; it still, however, ranks 

 next in value to that of the oak, and is held even to surpass it for some pur- 

 poses. It is much in use by the coachmaker, the wheelwright, and the manu- 

 facturer of agricultural implements. It is highly valued for kitchen tables and 

 steps of stairs, as it may be scoured better than any other wood, and is not 

 so liable to run splinters into the scourer's fingers. Young ash is particularly 

 valuable for hop-poles, hoops, crates, handles to baskets, rods for training plants, 

 forming bowers, for light hurdles, and for wattling fences ; and also for walk- 

 ingsticks. The species is always propagated by seeds, and the varieties by 

 grafting. The samaras, or keys, are generally ripe in October ; when they 

 should be gathered, and taken to the rotting-ground, where they should be 

 mixed with light sandy earth, and laid in a heap of a flat form, not more than 

 10 in. thick, in order to prevent them from heating. Here they should be 

 turned over several times in the course of the winter ; and in February they 

 may be removed, freed from the sand by sifting, and sown in beds in any mid- i 

 dling soil. The richness or quality of the soil is of little consequence ; but it 1 

 should be well broken by the rake, and the situation should be open, to pre- 

 vent the plants from being drawn up too slender. The seeds may be deposited ' 

 at the distance of half an inch every way, and covered a quarter of an inch , 

 with soil. Sown in February they will come up in May or June. i 



1 2. F. (e.) heterophy'lla Vahl. The various-leaved Ash. 



Identification. Vahl Enum., 1. j). 53. ; Don's Mill 



Sijmmipnes. F. simplicifblia JVtlld. Sp. 4. p. 1098. 



" plici'ffilia Hort. ; F. excelsior /3 diversi. 



folia Ait. ; F. excelsior var. e Lam. 



Diet. 2. p. 554. ; F. excelsior /S hetero- 



ph^lla Dec. ; F. integrit"61ia and diver- 



sifolia Hort. 

 Engravirtjis. Eng. Bot., t. 2470. ; the 



plate of this tree in Arb. Brit., 1st 



edit., vol. vi. ; and our ^. 1219. 



Spec. Chnr., i^~c. Leaves simple 

 or trifoliate, dentately ser- 

 rated. Samara oblong-lance- 

 olate, 1 in. long, obtuse and 

 emarginate at the apex. 

 Leaves usually simple, but 

 sometimes with 3 or 5 leaflets 

 3 4 in. long, ovate, sub- 

 cordate, or acuminate at the 

 base and apex. Branches 

 dotted. Buds black. (Z)o?;'s 

 Mill.^ A tree, attaining nearly 

 the same dimensions as the 

 common ash, and without 

 doubt only a variety of it. 



4. p. 54. 

 ; F. monophflla De^. Arb. 1. 



p. 102. ; F. siin- 



