THE HORSE-CHESTNUT. 479 



a short, rather abrupt acumination, deeply serrate, often reflexed 

 at the margin, green above, lighter below. They are from two 

 to five inches long and one third less in breadth. Petiole rather 

 short, margined above. The calyx is somewhat bell-shaped, 

 with 5 yellowish-green segments ; the corolla 5 greenish-yellow 

 petals, expanding, somewhat fringed on the edge. The flowers 

 are in terminal panicles, with small leaves at the base of the 

 lower branches. The fruit is of an irregular globular shape, 

 supported by the 5, rounded, thin segments of the persistent 

 calyx, and surmounted by a short, capitate stigma, and con- 

 taining an orange-colored pulp, and 2 to 6 seeds surrounded by 

 a pulpy aril. When mature, the 3 orange-colored valves open 

 and disclose this as a scarlet berry. The leaves turn early to a 

 yellow. Climbing upon a chestnut, early in autumn, its orange- 

 scarlet clusters of shining berries, and its yellow leaves, contrast 

 finely with the bright deep green trunk and leaves of the tree. 

 It forms a beautiful covering for walls or trellis work, and 

 should be cultivated for its picturesque effect. It may be prop- 

 agated by seeds or by layers. 



THE HORSE-CHESTNUT. 



To this place belongs the Horse-Chestntjt Teee Family, 

 Hippocastandcece, D C, of which a detailed account is not given 

 here, as no plants belonging to it are indigenous to Massachu- 

 setts. It is a small family, consisting of one species, the culti- 

 vated Horse-Chestnut, which is a native of northern and cen- 

 tral India, and five or six others, (twenty, according to Spach, 

 Hist. Nat., Vol. Ill, 16.) which are natives of the temperate 

 regions of this country. They are magnificent trees or beauti- 

 ful shrubs, distinguished for their showy, pyramidal flowers 

 and chestnut-like fruit; and extremely easy of cultivation. 

 The cultivated tree, JE'scnlus hippocdsianum, was introduced 

 into the gardens of France in 1615 from Constantinople. It is 

 sometimes a tree of eighty feet in height and three or four in 

 diameter. The wood is of little value ; the bark abounds in 



