FLORA AND SYLVA. 



wind that comes from the Atlantic is, of 

 course, a south-west wind. You will see 

 the Oaks, when exposed to this wind, 

 sheared up on the south-west side of 

 them as completely as if shaven with a 

 pair of shears. The head of the tree re- 

 sembles the top of a broad quickset 

 hedge, which is kept sheared up in a 

 sloping form on one side only . . . and 

 at the same time the everlasting flinch- 

 ing of the tree and the continuance of 

 the weight on one side, while it is kept 

 shaven on the other, makes the trunk 

 of the tree lean away from the south- 

 west. Close by the side of an Oak like 

 this you will see an Ash of equal size 

 and height standing as upright as if in 

 the most sheltered valleys, and I have 

 looked with the most scrutinizing eye 

 without ever having been able to dis- 

 cover that any of the shoots pointing to 

 the south-west had received the smallest 

 injury." The rotations that suit the Ash 

 are those of 7 o to 9 o years . Often planted 

 as a wood by itself, it is still oftener 

 planted with Oak, Elm, and sometimes 

 also with Hornbeam and Sycamore. 



Wood. — The wood of the Ash is 

 very elastic, and a post made of it will 

 bear a greater strain than the wood of 

 any other tree. Its value is enhanced by 

 the rapidity of its growth, and, as in the 

 case of the Sweet Chestnut, the wood 

 of young trees is more valuable than 

 when mature. Its texture is compact 

 and porous, and where the growth has 

 been free the compact part of the an- 

 nual layers is greater than the porous, 

 and the timber tougher as well as more 

 elastic and durable. Less rigid and last- 

 ing than the Oak, it is tougher than that 



of any other forest timber, and hence 

 its universal use in all those parts of im- 

 plements which are liable to sudden 

 shock, such as the circumference, teeth, 

 and spokes of wheels, beams of ploughs, 

 and for many agricultural implements. 

 It is good for kitchen tables, scouring 

 better than any other wood and being 

 less liable to splinter. Milk pails are 

 made of thin boards of Ash sawn length- 

 wise out of the tree and rolled into a 

 hollowcylinder to be fitted with a bot- 

 tom. The roots and the knotty parts of 

 the stem are valued by cabinet makers 

 for the sake of the curious dark veining, 

 which gives a peculiar effect when po- 

 lished. Though susceptible of a high 

 polish and not often liable to become 

 warped orworm-eaten,itisnot satisfac- 

 tory for the making of large furniture, 

 the wood cracking in the dry hot air of 

 houses. As fuel it is excellent, burning 

 even when newly cut, giving out very 

 little smoke, and the best of woods for 

 smoke-drying fish. It is excellent for 

 oars, blocks, and pulleys, and is much 

 used by boat-builders. Few trees be- 

 come useful so soon, it being fit for 

 walking-sticks at four or five years' 

 growth, and for spade-handles and other 

 implements at nine or ten years. It is 

 used largely for hop-poles, hoops, crates, 

 basket-handles, rods for forming bowers 

 or training plants, and for making light 

 hurdles and wattled fences. For poles, 

 the under-woods are cut over every 

 twelve or fourteen years, according to 

 the nature of the soil ; for other uses 

 they are cut at from five to seven years. 

 The best time to cut Ash is from No- 

 vember to February, as if cut when the 



