Of late years this valuable tree has been much planted in several 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 knotty, irregular, and veined, it is in much request for cabinet-work by mechanics on the Continent. The best season for felling ash-trees is from November to February. As fuel, this tree burns better whilst wet and green than other wood. We are informed that, in the northern parts of Lancashire, when grass is scarce, the small farmers frequently cut off the tops of ash-trees to feed their cows with the _leaves_ and tender branches; but these are said to spoil the taste of the milk. Mr. Pennant states that, in the reign of Queen Elizabeth, the inhabitants of Colton and Hawkshead-Fells remonstrated against the number of forges then lately erected in that part of the country, because they consumed the loppings of the trees, which formed the sole winter food for their cattle. The leaves of ash-trees were formerly much used in the adulteration of tea, under the name of _smouch_; but this practice has of late been prohibited by act of parliament. The _bark_ of the ash-tree is employed in the tanning of calf-skins, and sometimes in dyeing black and other colours. The _inner bark_ has been proposed as a substitute for Peruvian bark, in the cure of intermittent fevers. 277. _EBONY is the wood of a species of palm-tree_ (Diospiros ebenum), _which grows in the island of Ceylon, and has smooth, leathery, oblong, and pointed leaves, and rough-haired buds._ The black and valuable substance known to us by the name of ebony, is the centre part only of the trees. The outside wood is white and soft, and either decays soon, or is destroyed by insects, which leave the black part untouched. Ebony is imported into this country from the East Indies. It is exceedingly hard and heavy, admits of being highly polished, and is principally used by cabinet-makers and inlayers for the veneering of cabinets and other ornamental work. The wood of the pear-tree, stained black, is frequently substituted for ebony. The ripe _fruit_ of the ebony tree is eaten by the natives of Ceylon; but it is astringent, and not very palatable. Linnæus was of opinion that ebony was the wood of a shrub (_ebenus cretica_) which grows in the island of Crete, and has silky leaves and rose-coloured flowers.