150 



THE ASH. 



tree next to the Oak, that every prudent lord of a 

 manor should employ one acre of ground ^^dth Ash 

 to every twenty acres of other land, since in as 

 many years it would be more worth than the land 

 itself." — But, we may add, it should be planted in 

 sheltered situations, where the soil is moderately 

 dry. " Some Ash is curiously cambleted and 

 veined, so differently from other timber, that our 

 skilful cabinet-makers prize it equal with Ebony, 

 and give it the name of green Ebony, which their 

 customers pay well for ; and when our woodmen 

 light upon it, they may make what money they 

 will of it." — Lastly, the white and rotten dotard 

 part composes the ground for our gallants' sweet 

 powder ; and the truncheons make the third sort 

 of most durable coal, and is, of all others, the 

 sweetest of our forest fuelling, and the fittest for 

 ladies' chambers ; it will burn even whilst it is 

 green, and may be reckoned amongst the kinds of 

 wood which burn ^\'ithout smoke."*" 



Phillips, speaking of the value of Ash-timber, 

 says : In remote times, when this island was 

 overrun with woods, timber-trees were princi- 

 pally valued for the food which they yielded 

 to herds of swine ; and thus, by the laws of 

 Howel Dda, the price of an Ash was rated at 

 4d., while an Oak or a Beech was put at 120d. 

 At the present time, Ash-timber meets with as 

 ready a sale, and brings nearly as high a price, as 

 the best Oak ; and although we do not so fre- 

 quently meet with large Ash-trees as we do vdth. 

 large Oaks and Elms, yet it will be seen that the 

 natural size of the tree is nearly the same. But 

 as it grows so much more rapidly than the Oak, 



* Eyelyn's Sylva. 



