ASHES. 285 



Distribution. From the shores of Lake Champlain west to 

 the valley of the Saskatchewan and eastern range of the Rocky 

 Mountains and south to Florida, Texas and Arizona. In 

 Minnesota one of the most common trees along water courses 

 in the western part of the state. It is probable that about all 

 the Ash in western Minnesota and the Dakotas is Green Ash 

 or a hopeless mixture of it with Red Ash. 



Propagation. The Green Ash grows readily from seeds 

 as described under genus. 



Propertiesof wood. Hard, strong, brittle and rather coarse 

 grained; it is brown, with thicker, lighter colored sap wood. 

 Specific gravity is 0.7117; weight of a cubic foot 44.35 pounds. 



Uses. The Green Ash is one of the hardiest trees known 

 and is very valuable for windbreaks and ornamental plantings 

 on the prairies of Minnesota and the Dakotas; and through- 

 out this section should often take the place of the Cotton wood. 

 Its great hardiness against cold and drouth, its easy propa- 

 gation from seed and its rapid growth make it especially fitted 

 for general planting. The wood is used for the same pur- 

 poses as White Ash but is of inferior quality. 



Fraxinus nigra. ( F. sambucifolia. ) Black Ash. 

 Swamp Ash. Hoop Ash. 



Flowers dioecious or polygamous without calyx. Leaflets 7 

 to 11, oblong-lanceolate, taper-pointed; the lateral sessile. 

 It naturally inhabits cold, wet swamps and the low banks of 

 streams and lakes. Generally a small slender tree. The 

 bruised foliage exhales the odor of Elder. 



Distribution. Cold swamps and low banks of streams 

 from Newfoundland to Manitoba and south to Virginia and 

 Arkansas. In Minnesota frequent throughout the state. 



Propagation. As described under genus except that seeds 

 of this are diff erent from those of other native species in not 

 growing the first season after planting, but must be kept 

 stratified for one year. 



Properties of wood. The Black Ash is heavy, rather soft, 

 not strong, tough, coarse grained, durable in contact with 

 the soil and easily separated into thin layers. It is dark 

 brown with thin light brown or often nearly white sapwood. 



