THE ASH. 65 



distance from the parent tree. How wise a provision this is, 

 is very conspicuous in the case of the Ash ; for, as we have 

 seen above, the roots of this tree naturally extend horizon- 

 tally so near the surface as to exhaust the soil, and conse- 

 quently to render it unfit for the nourishment of seedlings 

 of the same species. So firmly indeed are the keys attached 

 to the twig, that not only may the tree be discriminated in 

 winter by its bunches of brown seeds, but it is far from 

 unusual to see the ragged remnants of the previous year 

 mixed up with the fresh flowers and foliage. 



It has been observed already, that the season at which 

 the Ash sheds its leaves varies considerably in different 

 individuals. It is worthy of remark, that individual trees 

 also vary greatly in the quantity of seeds produced, and 

 that those which bear but few seeds compensate for their 

 sterility by a greater profusion of foliage, which they also 

 retain until a much later period in the year. This phe- 

 nomenon may be explained on the ground, that when there 

 is an abundant produce of seed, the tree reserves its ener- 

 gies in order to mature them, consequently the foliage is 

 thrown off early in the autumn : but when there is no 

 such demand for the nourishment of seed, the tree ex- 

 pends all its vigour on the leaves, which are consequently 

 numerous, and so healthy as to be little affected by the 

 early frosts of autumn. ^ 



By the facility -of transit which its winged appendage 

 affords to the seed of the Ash, we are to account for the 

 appearance of trees in the very strange situations in which 

 they are sometimes found, springing, for instance, from 

 church towers, ruins, and crags inaccessible to man. Dr. 

 Plott, in his " N'atural History of Oxfordshire," mentions a 

 singular instance of this vegetable waywardness : " An 



1 My readers, if they have had any experience in gardening, must 

 be well aware that this law applies to most, if not all, plants that 

 come under their care. A healthy state of foliage is indispensable 

 to the production of perfect flowers and fruit ; anything more than 

 this has a contrary effect ; a superabundance of leaves being usually 

 attended by a defective produce of both flowers and fruit. 



