i6 



THE ASH. 



growinjr tmii the twii;, divides near the base into two or tliree thinner 

 ones ; these in their turn sub-divide, droop, and bear, on sides and 

 extremities, the still more slender stalks which carrv tlie fruits. Each 

 truit trrows out on one side into a flat winu" ; and this wino; is the 

 first part to change colour in tlie autumn, when from green it becomes 

 brown. The winged fruits or " kevs " are twisted on their axes like 

 the propeller of a l")oat and the wind carries them spinning through 

 the air to some distance. The bunches of "keys" always remain on 

 the tree late in the vear, and the stalks and even the fruits are often 

 found still in their places the following spring. 



Although the branches can be trimmed to form a kind of fence, 

 the Ash is an unsuitable tree for growth in the hedgerow, as the roots 

 with their numerous fibres are spread horizontally near the surface of 

 the ground. 



BRANCH IN FLOVVKK. 



