A form of white ash with reddish-purple fruit is found from Steuben to
Clark County. This form is the prevailing type of white ash in Wayne
County in the vicinity of Centerville. It has been described by Fernald
as forma =iodocarpa=.[69]
The wood is heavy, hard, strong, elastic, sap wood white and the heart
wood light brown. It is one of the most valuable of Indiana woods, and
is used by almost all wood using industries. Its principal uses include
handles, butter tubs, car and vehicle stock, automobiles and implements.
The white ash has been under cultivation at the Clark County State
Forest for fifteen years, and the present indications are that it is one
of the very best species to use for forest planting. It is hardy; grows
in nearly all kinds of soil, although it prefers a moist, rich soil;
transplants successfully; grows rapidly; bears pruning well; erect in
habit of growth, and so far in our area forest plantings have not been
destroyed by injurious insects. However, in some parts of the State,
where trees have grown in the cities, some have been killed by scale
insects. Aside from this the white ash would be an excellent tree for
roadside planting, because it comes into leaf late, and never produces a
dense shade.
At present seed collectors are not able to separate the species of ash,
and as a consequence white ash seedlings bought from a nursery are not
always true to name. For this reason it is suggested that to obtain
seedlings true to name that seed be collected and planted from a tree
true to name. The seed should be planted in a sandy soil in rows, about
25 seeds to the foot, and covered about an inch deep with earth. The
trees should be planted 4 × 4 ft. to 8 × 8 ft. apart.
=2. Fraxinus biltmoreàna= Beadle. Biltmore Ash. Plate 125. Large forest
trees, resembling the white ash. Young trees acquire the furrowed bark
character earlier than the white ash, furrows of the bark of mature
trees are usually deeper, and the ridges correspondingly farther apart;
twigs are robust like the white ash and always velvety pubescent except
in age when they may become smooth; leaves generally 2-3.5 dm. long,
rachis pubescent; leaflets 5-11, usually 7-9, generally 5-14 cm. long,
on stalks generally 0.3-1 cm. long, the terminal one on a stalk 2-4
times as long, leaflets broadly ovate to narrow ovate, or oblong to
narrow oblong, narrowed, rounded, or oblique at the base, short or long
acuminate at apex, sometimes merely acute, margins generally entire,
sometimes with a few short teeth toward the apex, dark green and smooth
above, glaucous and more or less pubescent beneath; fruit similar to the
preceding species.
[Illustration: Plate 125.