6 THE ASH. 



The sapling of the ash has a simple line of stem, and the soft 

 colour ot its smooth, round branches, few in number thoutih they 

 are, makes it attractive in appearance. When full grown the boughs 

 form long sweeping curves, and are seen in clear outline, between 

 regular leaf-patterns, against the skv. At this stage the lower boughs 

 become pendent and bear clusters ot delicate foliage. The whole tree 

 gives one an impression ot excjuisite poise. 



With old age the boughs become stiff and lose their grace ; the 

 twigs are stunted, knotted and clumsy ; the leaves come in closer tufts 

 and the foliage patterns are spoilt, while the loss ot a single branch 

 is enough to destroy the perfect proportion of earlier days. 



RAMIFICATION. 



The lines formed by the stem and branches of an ash are fine 

 in their simplicity. At no great distance from the ground the main 

 stem, hitherto evenly rounded, divides into two. One of 

 these subordinate stems becomes of so much more import- 

 ance than the other that it has all the effect of being a 

 prolongation, in a slightly divergent direction, of the main 

 stem, while its fellow appears to be no more than a lateral 

 bough springing from it. These two stems diverge at 



..^.^-.»l- - rathci' ninrc than half a right angle, and continue upwards, 



•'—•• at an even thickness, until, in their turn, they divide into 



two, a main bough and a subordinate. All the new 

 branches are formed on the same simple plan, and the 

 long double curves which result from it are one of the chief 

 features f)f the tree ; the subordinate branches ot'tcn fall away, which increases 

 the apparent length (jf the main branch. The lower boughs become pendent 

 and give off lesser sheets, which grow in an upright direction, and in 



