48 ON THE OLD AND REMAKKABLE 



were probably the early pioneer trees introduced into this country 

 by the monks of the Middle Ages, and their ages may generally 

 be determined by the date and era of the religious houses around 

 which they still flourish, in some cases in pristine luxuriance, 

 wliile the monks who introduced them and fostered them with 

 care, are themselves banished from the land, and their hierarchy 

 — sad contrast — levelled in the dust. 



Since its introduction into this country, the Spanish chestnut 

 {C. vesca) has proved itself in many ways, in different sites, and 

 soils, and exposures, as a very suitable tree for the climate of 

 Britain. It is impossible for any one who looks calmly at the 

 facts as they exist, to agree with Loudon who, in his most 

 laborious and incomparable work, the " Arboretum et Fruites- 

 cetum Britannicum" (vol. iii, p. 1984), states " that the Spanish 

 chestnut never attains a height or diameter of head equal to the 

 British oak;" and it " differs," says he, " essentially from that tree 

 in its timber not increasing in value as it increases in age."' 

 Probably the latter statement of Loudon is true ; because, form- 

 ing its heartwood so rapidly as the chestnut does, it begins 

 sooner to decay in the centre, and is likewise very apt to " star " 

 and " ringshake " when of large dimensions ; but that it does 

 not equal the oak in height and spread of branches is incon- 

 sistent with many of the examples of old chestnuts we are able 

 to give in this paper. This tendency to " ringshaking," or separa- 

 tion and decay of the internal layers, necessitates the tree being- 

 felled at a comparatively early age to obtain timber of value. 

 The tree should be cut about fifty years of age, when it will still 

 be found unaffected, and the wood is useful even at a much 

 earlier age for constructive purposes. When cut as thinnings 

 from woods it is useful for gate and other posts, railings, spars, 

 roofing, and for piles for river banks, and many other purposes, 

 for which wood of no great size is adapted, and it is quite as 

 durable as any home-grown timber, while it is superior to most 

 varieties generally used. As underwood, the stools from felled 

 trees rapidly shoot up, and form a valuable coppice crop, which 

 in many districts is very remunerative from their rapid growth 

 and use as hop-poles and for fishing nets. 



In mixed plantations, where oak is destined to be the ultimate 

 crop, Spanish chestnut is a valuable tree to plant largely, for, 

 independently of the value of young chestnut trees at an early 

 age for so many purposes, rendering them useful as a profitable 

 intermediate crop, its stiff, erect, and unbending character of habit, 

 with tapering head, void of dense ramifications, combine to make 

 this tree a very suitable companion, and one least of all calculated 

 to intrude upon and choke or injure young oaks by being planted 

 amongst them. 



The Spanish chestnut furnishes \qvj good charcoal, but is 



