of three or four pairs of leaflets and an odd one, on a round footstalk, which is channelled above and swollen at the base and at the articulations of the leaflets. The leaflets are three to six inches long and one to one and a half wide, on very short, compressed, downy footstalks, generally ovate-lanceshaped, acute or rounded at base, tapering to a long point, entire or obscurely toothed above, entire below, the upper surface smooth or somewhat hairy, the under surface paler and somewhat downy. The buds are rounded, almost concealed by the leaf-stalk, downy and of a dark rusty brown. In autumn, the leaves become russet. The fruit remains after the leaves have fallen, and, on the male trees, as is common on the other ashes, are unsightly excrescences from the sterile blossoms. Sp. 3. THE BLACK Ash. F. sambùcifolia. Willdenow. Figured in Michaux, Sylva, III, Plate 122. The black ash is the slenderest deciduous tree, of any considerable magnitude, to be found in the forest, often attaining the height of seventy or eighty feet with a diameter scarcely over a foot. It is almost confined to swamps or the muddy banks of rivers, where the ground is saturated with moisture through the greater part of the year. In such situations, it often throws up its arrowy shaft almost without a limb, until its top reaches the sunshine, among the tall hemlocks, spruces, hacmatacks, birches and maples. Yet, when planted on an open plain, where the soil is rich and not too dry, it spreads abroad its limbs and forms an ample, round head. It is easily distinguished from the other ashes by its sessile, serrate leaves, and its dark blue or black buds, and not by the color of the bark, in which there is not a striking difference. The trunk is of a dark granite gray, the bark rough, with small, superficial, vertical rugosities, which appearance continues in very old trees. The young shoots, which are very stout, are of a yellowish ashy gray, dotted with lighter dots, and next year becoming of a clear gray, somewhat darker on the older branches; on these, the dots have the appearance of large warts. The semicircular leaf-scars are large and conspicuous on the smaller branches. The leaves, which come out late and fall early, are of a yellowish green, twelve or fourteen inches long, opposite, compound, with two to five pairs of leaflets, usually four pairs, and an odd one, on a leafstalk, which is large at the base, somewhat flattened below the leaflets, and flattened or channelled above with a sharp-edged channel. The lateral leaflets are sessile, narrow, ovate-lance-shaped or oblong, rounded at base, gradually tapering to a long point, serrate, smooth but impressed at the veins above, paler and hairy along the lower part of the mid-rib beneath. The terminal one is regularly lance-shaped, on a short footstalk. The buds are short and round, terminating in a point, and of a deep blue or black color. The flower branches are opposite, single or in threes, in the axils of the last year's leaves. They are from three to six inches long, dividing irregularly, and not much branched. The flowers differ from those of the other ashes in the absence of a calyx. The keys are a little more than an inch long, elliptic, obtuse or slightly notched at the end, which is sometimes surmounted by the style, compressed and winged throughout. They are mature in September or October. In autumn, the leaves become russet. The wood of the black ash is remarkable for its toughness. On this account, it was preferred to every other, by the Indians, for the manufacture of baskets, and is still used for that purpose in preference to every kind of wood, except that of the trunk of a young white oak. When it is to be divided, it is beaten with mallets until the fibres are somewhat loosened, and it may be then separated into thin, uniform ribbons of any required dimensions. It is also somewhat used and was formerly much more so, for chair-bottoms and grain-riddles, and for hoops. Its sap, procured by exposing a green branch to the fire, is a popular application for ear-ache. Of the other ashes that would flourish in our climate, the most valuable, doubtless, is the common European Ash, F. excelsior. This has been introduced and found to grow as readily and as vigorously as any of the native species. It is considered, in England, as among the noblest and most beautiful of the forest trees, and next to the oak in the value of its timber. In the neighborhood of London, the plants, at two years from the seed, may be procured at 3s. per 1000; transplanted plants, one foot or more in height, at 10s., about $225 per 1000. Some of the many varieties, particularly the weeping ash, are prized for their beauty. The green ash may, hereafter, be found in Massachusetts, as it occurs in Canada. There are many other ash trees, probably thirty, but these are the best. FAMILY XVI. THE HOLLY FAMILY. AQUIFOLIACEÆ. DE CANDOLle. This consists of evergreen or deciduous shrubs or trees, with alternate or opposite leaves, which are often smooth and coriaceous, and small, solitary or fascicled perfect flowers, or flowers wanting stamens or pistil, growing from the axils of the leaves. The calyx and corolla are imbricate in the bud before opening. The calyx has four or six divisions. The corolla four to six lobes, united at their base, and there are as many stamens, inserted into it and alternate with its lobes. The ovary has two, six, or eight cells, with a pendulous ovule in each. The fruit is fleshy, and opens not spontaneously, with from two to six stones, each containing a pendulous seed. The plants of this family are found in various parts of the world; three genera only in New England. Several of them have valuable properties. The bark and leaves of the European holly have been found efficacious in intermittent fevers. The famous Jesuits' tea of Paraguay is made of the leaves of another species of holly. Five millions of pounds are annually produced in that country. An inferior tea is made from another species in Brazil. The aborigines of the Southern States made great use of the infusion of a species of holly as a purifier of the system, and of that made from another plant of this family as an agreeable stimulant. The properties of a species of winter berry will be spoken of hereafter. Many of the species are favorites with the gardener, for their brilliant, evergreen foliage. XVI. 1. THE HOLLY. ILEX. L. The hollies are evergreen shrubs or small trees, with leaves usually coriaceous, and often bordered with thorny teeth, and white, axillary flowers, commonly perfect, but often with the fertile and sterile on different plants. They are distinguished by their four-celled ovary, with four sessile stigmas, and their berry-like drupe, with four, one-seeded nuts. The hollies are found in North and tropical America, in the warmer parts of Asia, and a single species in central and northwestern Europe. Their wood is remarkable for its hardness, whiteness, and closeness of grain, and for its susceptibility of receiving color and polish. There are about forty species in the genus. THE AMERICAN HOLLY. I. opàca. Aiton. Figured in Michaux, Sylva, II, Plate 84. The American holly is a handsome, low tree, with nearly horizontal branches, and thorny, evergreen leaves. The erect trunk is clothed with a smooth bark, of an ashy gray, resembling that of the beech, but some what lighter. On the older trees, it is usually overspread with grayish parmelias and lecanoras, and other bluish, whitish, and gray lichens. The recent shoots are of a yellowish or olive gray, with a slight, downy powder, afterwards becoming of a clear gray. It is found growing in company with the red maple, the tupelo, the yellow birch, the black oak, and the cedar. Leaves on short footstalks, evergreen, oval-oblong or elliptic, acute at both ends or somewhat angled at base, with several large teeth ending in stiff spines, leathery, smooth and shining above, paler or greenish yellow, with bright green veins, beneath. At their base, when recent, a pair of awl-shaped, brown stipules may be seen. The perfect or fertile flowers are solitary, at the base of the recent shoots, on stems half an inch long, beneath the base of which are a lanceolate, membranous, brown, fugacious scale, and two minute, pointed, more permanent ones at its sides; and above the middle are two appressed, minute, pointed, green scales. The calyx has four triangular, pointed, ciliate teeth. The corolla, four oblong, roundish, white segments, with greenish veins. The stamens are four, from the base of the corolla, between its segments, and two thirds as long. The ovary is large, egg-shaped, green, crowded with a sessile stigma, with four rounded angles. The berries are scarlet, contain four stony seeds or nuts, and remain on the tree into the winter. It flowers in June. This tree is found plentifully at Quincy, at Cohasset, and especially at New Bedford, and on Naushon Island. It has considerable beauty, and is particularly valuable for retaining its bright green leaves through the year, and for the beauty of its scarlet berries. The leaves are seldom touched by an insect. On these accounts, it deserves cultivation as an ornamental tree. It has great resemblance to the European holly, which makes the most durable hedge of any plant whatever, and one which is kept in repair, when once established, at the least expense. The objection to it is the slowness of its growth. Our tree is commonly found on a rather dry, sandy, or rocky soil, but will grow on almost any. The European is found to do best on a rich, sandy loam, in an open forest of oak. seeds or by plants taken from the woods. It is propagated by germinate for more than a year after sowing; they are, therefore, kept in moist earth for a year after gathering, after which they are sown at the depth of a quarter of an inch, in fine soil. The surface should be protected from heat and drought, by a covering of half-rotten leaves or litter. When transplanted, they should still be protected, for a while, from the heat of the The best time for transplanting is early in spring, before the plant has begun to shoot. sun. The wood of the holly is compact and of a beautifully close grain and satiny texture. The sap-wood is white, the heartwood brown. Both are very hard, when seasoned, and susceptible of a brilliant polish, in their natural state, and when colored; and are used in as great quantities as can be procured, by turners, by screw-makers, by whip-makers for the handles of whips, by engravers, and by cabinet-makers for inlaid work. For these various uses, the wood is brought into Boston, in |