THE MOUNTAIN ASH. 



565 



leaflets, which are all smooth and in colour a dark green on the 

 upper surface and grey-green on the under. 



Though the leaflets have no foot-stalks of their own, they often 

 lie close together without overlapping. The portions of the leaf-blade 

 on either side the mid-rib in each leaflet do not exactly correspond ; 

 only the margin of the lower portion extends as far as the mid- 

 rib which supports all the leaflets ; the other edge never meets this 

 common mid-rib, but, at some little distance away from it, curves 

 round and joins its own mid-rib. In the space thus gained the 

 blade of the leaflet immediately above it can comfortably lie. In 

 this respect the leaf differs from that of the ash, which in many 

 ways it nearly resembles ; the leaflets also are less pointed, more 

 deeply serrated, and darker in hue. 



The mid-ribs of the leaflets are pale green and slightly downy, 

 each with a tuft of brown hair at its point of junction with the 

 main rib. The petiole at its base, where it is swollen, is coloured 

 a rich crimson, which changes to brownish-red near the leaflets. 



LEAF OF SEEDLING. 



The fern-like leaf of the seedling is inter- 

 esting as an example of the difference in form 

 shown by the early leaves and those that follow 

 after. 



THE ROWAN — Pyrus aucuparia (also called 



Fowler's Service Tree and Quick-Beam). 



The Rowan grows to a height of 40 or 50 feet, the smooth 



trunk of silver-grey is well-defined throughout its height, and is 



marked with horizontal cuts. When young the tree grows rapidly, 



and forms a bushy head. The branches incline upwards, making 



rather a smal 



anine with the triinl 



