!^«K|^-^ -€>-#^-sl^- 





; -e> -e^<n^-^ -e> -6^fe=-<j?s,>- 



WHITE ASH {Fraxinus americana L.) 



THE white ash is found throughout the State, but 

 grows to best advantage in the rich moist soils 

 of mountain coves and river bottomlands. It reaches 

 an average height of 50 to 80 feet and a diameter of 

 2 to 3 feet, though much larger trees are found in 

 virgin forest. The bark varies in color from a light 

 gray to a gray -brown. The rather narrow ridges are 



WHITE ASH 

 Twig, one-haU natural Bize. Leaf, one-third natural size. 



separated with marked regularity by deep, diamond- 

 shaped Assures. 



The leaves of the white ash are from 8 to 12 inches 

 long and have from 5 to 9 plainly stalked, sharp- 

 pointed leaflets, dark green and smooth above, pale 

 green beneath. The ashes form the only group of 

 trees in ea tern America that have opposite, com- 

 pound leaves with 5 or more leaflets. This fact in 

 itself provides a ready means of identifying the 

 group. The flowers are of two kinds on different 

 trees, the male in dense reddish purple clusters and 

 the female in more open bunches. The fruit of the 

 ash is winged, 1 to li/^ inches long, resembling the 

 blade of a canoe paddle in outline, with the seed at 

 the handle end. The fruits mature in late summer 

 and are distributed effectively by the winds. 



The wood of the white ash is extremely valuable 

 on account of its toughness and elasticity. It is 

 preferred to all other native woods for small tool 

 handles, such athletic implements as rackets, bats 

 and oars, and agricultural implements. It is also 

 used extensively for furniture and interior finish. 



75 



