THE ASHES : THEIR CHAEACTEKISTICS AND MANAGEMENT. 23 



when the forest is opened up than do ordinary seedlings ; this depends 

 entirely on the relative vigor of their root systems. 



Trees of the green ash group are especially vigorous sprouters. 



SUSCEPTIBILITY TO INJURY. 



STORMS. 



Ash is comparatively windfirm under normal conditions, as it 

 develops a wide-spreading, very fibrous, and tenacious root system. 

 Trees of small diameter, with long, slim, bodies, left exposed to the 

 sweep of storms after removal of the larger trees, are sometimes 

 uprooted by wind before they have a chance to become windfirm. 

 Also trees located in flood areas of streams are liable to be wind 

 thrown when the soil is badly washed away from around their roots. 



The stems of ash trees are strong and elastic and are not subject to 

 windbreak unless infected with heart rot. As the twigs are somewhat 

 brittle, the crowns are sometimes damaged by storms, especially 

 when covered with sleet, but such damage is usually not serious and 

 recovery is rapid. 



FROST. 



The leaders of ash seedlings growing in the open are sometimes cut 

 back by late spring frosts which follow a growing period of several 

 weeks, but after the trees attain a height of 5 or 6 feet this danger 

 disappears. Ash seedlings readily recuperate from frost damage, 

 but often form double leaders as a result of the injury. Seedlings 

 of American ashes seem to be less subject to frost damage in Europe 

 than native European ash, because they leaf out later. There is 

 considerable variation in earliness of leafing among the different 

 species and among seedlings of the same species grown from seed from 

 different localities. This is important in the culture of ash stands 

 on sites subjected to late frosts. Seeds should be collected, if pos- 

 sible, in the same latitude or to the north of where the planting is 

 to be done. 



DROUGHT. 



The ashes, except black, pumpkin, and water ashes, offer good 

 resistance to drought when once well established on fertile soils. 

 This is due to their development of numerous long and fibrous lateral 

 roots. Though their rate of growth is very quickly checked by 

 droughty conditions and their leaves soon wither and fall, they live 

 persistently through successive seasons of drought. On the arid 

 plains of western Kansas and Nebraska green ash survived on aban- 

 doned timber claims where nearly all other species withered and 

 died. Young ash seedlings are quite susceptible to drought, up to 3 

 feet high, but by the time they are 5 feet high they have usually 

 developed sufficient root systems to be fairly drought resistant. 



