ASH. 93 



for pullies, the boatsman for oars, the fisher- 

 man for tanning his nets and drying his her- 

 rings. The wheelwright employs it usefully, 

 and the coach-maker profitably, whilst the 

 cabinet-maker palms it upon us as green 

 ebony, and much have we in youth enjoyed 

 the crack and fly of this sweet fuel on the 

 farmer's hearth at harvest-home. 



The ashes of this wood afford very good 

 potash, and the bark is used in tanning calf- 

 skins. 



We have no objection to those who collect 

 ash-leaves drinking the infusion themselves ; 

 but such as vend it as pure souchong we 

 wish the utmost rigour of the offended law 

 to visit. 



The ash-keys were formerly gathered in 

 the green state, and pickled with salt and vi- 

 negar, and served to table for sauce. 



The chemical writers who have noticed the 

 ash, tell us that the leaves of this tree yield a 

 great many acid liquors, a little urinous spirit, 

 no concreted volatile salt, a great deal of oil 

 and earth, and a moderate quantity of fixed 

 salt, by which the natural salt of this plant 

 seems to resemble that called by Angelus 

 Sala, oxysal diaphoreticum ; but in the ash it 

 is joined with a great deal of sulphur and 



