OB, PLAIN TEACHING. 



223 



uses are infinite. In the arts of 

 peace, as well as of war, in ar- 

 chitecture, tillage, and manufac- 

 tures, the ash objects to no busi- 

 ness. Ash wood is remarkable 

 for burning readily when recently 

 taken from the tree. It throws 

 out a great deal of sap while 

 burning, and its bright flame is 

 to be attributed to the quantity 

 of hydrogen generated during 

 combustion. 



603. 



The ash generally carries its principal stem 

 higher than the oak, and rises in an easy flowing 

 line. But its chief beauty consists in the light- 

 ness of its whole appearance, 1. Its branches 

 at first keep close to the trunk, and form acute 

 angles with it ; but as they begin to lengthen 

 they generally take an easy sweep, and the 

 looseness of the leaves corresponding with the 

 lightness of the spray, the whole forma an ele- 

 gant depending foliage. Nothing can have a 

 better effect than an old ash hanging from the 

 corners of a wood, and bringing off the heavi- 

 ness of the other foliage with its loose pendent 

 branches. 



The leaves of the common ash, 

 2, are compound, the leaflets ob- 

 long lanceolate, in pairs, gene- 

 rally in five pairs, but sometimes 

 six. The flowers are produced 

 in loose spikes from the sides of 

 the branches. On some there 

 are only female flowers ; on others 

 male ones ; on others hermaphro- 



dites ; while on others the flowers 

 are found in two of these states, 

 or in all of them. The flowers 

 appear before the leaves. The 

 bark is ash-coloured when old, 

 and dark grey when young. 



G04. 



Ash-wood is in much use by the coachmaker, 



the wheelwright, and the manufacturers of 

 agricultural implements. It is highly valuable 

 for kitchen tables, as it may be scoured better 

 than any other wood, and is not so liable to run 

 in splinters into the fingers. For the same 

 reason it was much used formerly in staircases. 

 Milk pails, in many parts of England, are made 

 of thki boards sawed lengthwise, rolled into 

 hollow cylinders. The roots and the knotty 

 parts of the trunk are much demanded by 

 cabinet-makers, on account of the curious dark 

 figures caused by their veins. The wood is the 

 best fuel for smoke-drying herrings; it makes 

 excellent oars, blocks, and pulleys ; is valuable 

 for walking-sticks at four or five years' growth ; 

 and for spade handles, and other implements, 

 when ten years old ; and it is adapted for many 

 miscellaneous uses, such as hop-poles, crate-wood, 

 handles to brackets, rods for training plants, 

 hurdles, wattling fences, &c. The ashes of the 

 branches and shoots afford a very good potash; 

 the bark is used for tanning nets and calfskins ; 

 the leaves for feeding cattle in autumn.* 



In France, Spain, and some 

 other countries, the ash is no 

 sooner covered with leaves, than 

 they are attacked by a beetle of 

 a beautiful golden green, with 

 black antenna?, which devours 

 them, and greatly disfigures the 



* Loudon's Tjeea and shrubs. 



