PECULIARITIES OF THE YEAR 1825. 389 



of the stones into the earth beneath, and remained 

 apparently incorporated with the masonry ; the ma- 

 terials of this wall being wanted for an adjoining 

 work, were so pulled out, as to leave the tree with 

 all its roots detached, much as represented, with all 

 its vegetative powers uninjured ; the root B had 

 stretched itself along the top of the wall, but how 

 far it had extended, when in perfection, is uncer- 

 tain, being broken away when I saw it first. The 

 wood of the ash, when burned in a green state, 

 will emit a fragrance like that which proceeds from 

 the violet or mezerion, and this it will diffuse, in 

 particular states of the air, to a considerable dis- 

 tance a property that, I believe, is not observable 

 in any other British wood : it is in the country only 

 that we can be sensible of this, and it is parti- 

 cularly to be perceived in passing through a village 

 when the cottagers are lighting their fires, or by a 

 farm-house, when this wood, fresh cloven, or newly 

 lopped off*, is burning; as the wood dries, this 

 sweet smell is, in great measure, exhaled with the 

 moisture, for in this state we are not sensible of 

 any odour arising from it different from other 

 woods. 



THE YEAR 1825. 



WE are naturally solicitous to look back upon sea- 

 sons remarkable for atmospheric phenomena, and 

 compare their results with those passing before 



