60 THE ASH, 



Against this accident, to which they were continually 

 liable, our provident forefathers always kept a shrew-ash 

 at hand, which, when once medicated, would maintain its 

 virtues for ever. A shrew-ash was made thus : Into the 

 body of the tree a deep hole was bored with an auger, and 

 a poor devoted shrew-mouse was thrust in alive, and 

 plugged in, no doubt with several incantations long since 

 forgotten. As the ceremonies necessary for such a con- 

 secration are no longer understood, all succession is at an 

 end, and no such tree is known to exist in the manor or 

 hundred." 



Lightfoot says that, in many parts of the Highlands of 

 Scotland, at the birth of a child the nurse puts one end 

 of a great stick of this tree into the fire, and while it is 

 burning receives into a spoon the sap or juice which oozes 

 out at the other end, and administers this as the first 

 spoonful of food to the new-born infant. 



The English name of this tree is derived from the 

 Saxon MM. The common opinion, that it is so called 

 from the colour of its bark closely resembling that of 

 wood- ashes is incorrect. 



The Ash is indigenous throughout the greater part of 

 Europe, 1 the north of Africa, and some parts of Asia. 

 It rises freely from seed, and in favourable situations it 

 grows rapidly. Its roots are remarkable for their tendency 

 to take a horizontal direction, and, being abundantly fur- 

 nished with fibres which approach closely to the surface, 

 effectually check the growth of almost all other vegeta- 

 tion. Hence has originated the erroneous notion that the 



1 Professor Jameson is disposed to think that in Scotland the 

 Ash is not indigenous : " Tho Ash and the Beech have a place in 

 the Flora Scotica of Lightfoot and Hooker, and they have long 

 ornamented our woods and plantations. But there is great reason 

 to doubt their being truly indigenous to Ibis country, or having 

 formed any part of the ancient forests. No traces of them occur 

 in our peat-mosses ; yet Ash-seeds and Beech-mast would in all 

 probability bave proved as indestructible as Hazel-nuts or Fir- 

 cones, which are abundant in many peat-mosses." Note in Jame- 

 son's Journal. 



