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PEACTICAL FORESTRY. 



Several ornamental varieties of the American Ash have been 

 propagated by our nurserymen, and among them the Aucuba- 

 leaved, Walnut-leaved, and Cloth-like-leaved are perhaps the 

 best. 



FOREIGN SPECIES AND VARIETIES. 



The foreign species and varieties of the Ash, are so very 

 numerous that my limited space will not admit of mentioning 

 only a few of the most distinct and desirable. The common 

 European Ash (Fraxinus excelsior), has been cultivated so many 

 centuries, and so extensively that it has yielded a very large 

 number of interesting varieties, that have been perpetuated by 

 the usual methods of budding and grafting F. ex. var. pendula 

 (Weeping Ash) should be grafted high in order to allow of the 

 branches descending a considerable distance before touching 

 the ground. F. ex. aurea pendula, similar to the last, but with 

 golden yellow bark. F. ex. var. aurea, is of upright growth, 

 but with golden bark. F. ex. salicifoUa (Willow-leaved Ash). 

 Leaves narrow, resembling the Willow, and there is another 

 closely allied variety, known as F. scolopendrifolia which has 

 long, drooping, grass-like foliage. F. var. monopliylla has 

 single, entire-leaves, instead of pinnate foilage, which is the 

 usual form of the Ash leaf. The Flowering Ash {F. Ormis) of 

 Europe is a handsome tree, with large clusters of white 

 flowers. Hardy, and should be more frequently planted in the 

 gardens and parks of this country. The varieties of Ash are not 

 always constant, and often require pruning away of branches 

 which revert to the original type. This is especially the case 

 with the Weeping, and Variegated-leavcd varieties. Some- 

 times branches of the Weeping Ash assume an erect habit, and 

 if not removed, will seriously interfere with the growth of the 

 pendulous ones. In fact, these trees are all more or less in- 

 clined to sport," and as an instance of the sudden and wide 

 departure from the normal form, I will call the readers at- 

 tention to the Romilly Ash, shown in figure 37, copied from 

 *'The Garden," Eng. This handsome Weeping Ash tree is grow- 

 ing at Remilly, not far from Metz, France, and has been 

 named by Mr. Carriere, Fraxinus pendida remilly ensis. This 

 tree is about sixty-five high, with a stem nearly six feet in 

 circumference. The leaflets are broad, and very much like 

 those of the common Weeping Ash. A few years ago three 

 shoots started from the pendulous branches as shown at A,B,C, 



