304 LI, OLElNEiE. [Fraxinuii 



rapidly. According to Nordlinger (Die technischen Eigenshaften der Holzer. 

 520), the specific gravity is between 0.57 and 0.94. Tredgold (Priaciples of Car- 

 pentry) gives 0.690 to 0.811, or 43.] to 50.7 lb. per cub. ft., but I have seen 

 pieces of English Ash weighing as much as 55 lb. The wood is highly prized 

 on account of its toughness and elasticity, it takes a beautiful polish, and is 

 largely used for wheel work, oars, handles of tools, and furniture. 



The Ash in Europe requires much light, but grows with great rapidity when 

 young, and with its powerful terminal shoots pierces readily through thickets ^ 

 the Beech, with which it is often associated. In this respect it somewhat re- 

 sembles the Teak, which, though it requires ranch Hght, will yet hold its own in 

 a mixed forest, because the leaders of the young trees are able to pierce through 

 thickets of Bamboos and other trees. Pure Ash;forests are unsatisfactory, because 

 the foliage of the older tree is light and does not cover the ground sufficiently ; 

 but, mixed with Beech, the tree grows well, and the stems attain great height 

 and girth. In certain localities, and under certain circumstances, the Ash keeps 

 ahead of the Beech to an advanced age, and in such places the green heads of 

 the tree stand out from the mass of the more yellowish-green foliage of the 

 Beech ; in other places, the Beech is said to overtake the Ash when older. The 

 study of this tree in the forests of Europe has a particular interest for Indian 

 foresters, owing to the similarity of its growth to the Teak. The Beech forests 

 of Buckinghamshire, the mixed forests {Beech, Wych or Mountain^elm, Ash, 

 Sycamore, and Acer platanoides) of Lauterberg on the Harz, and the forests on 

 the Eauhe Alp near Urach in Wurtemberg, are very instructive for the study 

 of this interesting tree. 



The Ash coppices well. The finest planted coppice-woods of Kent, for the 

 production of hop-poles and hoops, consist of Ash and Sweet Chestnut. It is 

 for farther inquiry whether the Himalayan tree here described possesses the 

 numerous excellent qualities of the European Ash. 



3. F. Moorcroftiana, Wall — Syn. F. zanthoxyloides, Wall. ; DC. Prodr. 

 viii. 275. Vern. Shang, Afg. ; Hanuz, nuch, shilli, chuj, siju, chum, thum, 

 sandal, shangal, Imtru, Pb. ; Auga, gaha, N.W.P. 



A large shrub, or smaU tree, with compressed branchlets. Leaves approx- 

 imate at the ends of branchlets, often very unequal in size on the same 

 tree ; leaflets opposite, 3-5 pair, 1-2 in. long, obtusely dentate, sessile or 

 subsessUe, the terminal narro-wed into a marginate petiolule ; common 

 petiole narrow-winged. Flowers appearing before the leaves, in compaciij 

 rounded, short lateral panicles with hirsute bracts. Calyx rusty pilose 

 outside, cleft to one-fourth into 4 broad, rounded teeth. Petals 4, linear- 

 oblong, connate in pairs at the base. Anthers subsessile, large, erect. 

 Fruit on filiform pedicels, drooping, in numerous short umbeUiform 

 fascicles below the leaves. Samara linear-spathulate, 1-1^ in. long, seed- 

 part thick, ribbed and furrowed, supported by the persistent calyx, top 

 acute, with the base of the persistent style. Seed 1, compressed, linear, 

 -with longitudinal ridges and furrows. 



Afghanistan and Beluchistan. Trans-Indus territory on eastern flank of Suli- 

 man range. N.W. Himalaya, mainly in the inner more arid districts, Jhelam 

 basin (3500-5000 ft.), Chenab, very abundant in places (3000-9000 ft.), Kuna- 

 war and Piti (5000-8000 ft.), Kamaon (9000 ft.) Often gregarious, on bare arid 

 slopes. PI. April ; fruit ripens June- Aug. Growth slow, 20 rings per in. of 

 radius. 



Attains at times 25 ft., with a short erect tnmk 5-6 ft. girth, and stiff diver- 



