264 ASH-TREE. 
ferent names, according to its purity, rather than from 
any essential difference in the article itself. The best 
Ca'labrian manna is imported in oblong, light, and 
crumbly flakes or pieces of whitish or pale yellow 
colour, and somewhat transparent appearance. The in- 
ferior sorts are moist, unctuous, and of darker colour. 
Manna is a mild and agreeable laxative medicine, 
particularly with the addition of a little cinnamon water, 
or other warm aromatic : and it is useful in asthmatic 
complaints, as well as in inflammatory affections of the 
breast. It is sometimes counterfeited by a composition 
of sugar and honej, mixed with a small portion of 
scammony. 
The miraculous substance mentioned in the Old 
Testament by the name of manna, cannot, of course, 
be considered to have any alliance whatever with the 
manna thus produced. This remark would not have 
been made, did not young persons sometimes incon- 
siderately confound the two substances. 
276. The ASH-TREE (Fraxinus excelsior, Fig. 7Q) is a 
well-known British tree, with ivinged leaves ; the leaflets in four or 
five pairs, with an odd one, serrated , and without footstalks ; and 
the flowers without petals. 
Of late years this valuable tree has been much 
planted in seveml parts of England. It is of hardy 
nature, and thrives even in barren soils. If planted in 
moist situations, the roots, spreading wide in every 
direction near the surface, have a tendency to render 
the ground dry and firm. The timber, which has the 
rare advantage of being nearly as good when young as 
when old, is white, and so hard and tough as generally 
to be esteemed next in value to oak. It is much used 
by coach-makers, wheel-wrights, and cart-wrights ; and 
is made into ploughs, axle-trees, felloes of wheels, 
harrows, ladders, and other implements of husbandry. 
It is likewise used by ship-builders for various purposes, 
and by coopers for the hoops of tubs and barrels. 
Where, by frequent cutting, the wood has become 
