COMMON HORSE-CHESNUT. 113 



lupine ;" and, from the manner in which it scatters its flowers on the grass, and 

 the comparative uselessness of its fruit and timber, it is regarded by poets as a 

 symbol of ostentation. 



In Paris, the magnificent trees in the garden at the Luxembourg have been 

 celebrated by Castel. 



"LA de marroiiicrs )ps haiUes avenues 

 S'arrondisseiii en voile, et nous cachent lea nues." 



ISoil, Situation, ^'c. The horse-chesnut requires a deep, free, loamy soil, and 

 will neither attain an ample size, nor flower freely, except in a situation rather 

 sheltered than exposed. It is always propagated by the nut, sown in autumn or 

 spring, and covered with from two to three inches of soil. The cotyledons do 

 not rise to the. surface, as in the oak, the beech, and some other trees. "Some 

 nurserymen," says Loudon, " cause the nuts to germinate before sowing them, 

 in order to have an opportunity of pinching off" the extremity of the radicle ; by 

 which means the plants are prevented from forming a taproot ; or, at least, if a 

 taproot is formed, it is of a much weaker description than it would otherwise be. 

 and the number of lateral fibres is increased ; all of which is favourable for 

 transplanting. When the tree is intended to attain the largest size, in the 

 shortest time, the nut ought to be sown where the tree is finally to remain ; 

 because the use of the taproot is mainly to descend deep into the soil, to secure 

 a supply of water, which, in dry soils and seasons, can never be obtained in 

 sufficient quantities by the lateral roots, which extend themselves near the sur- 

 face ni search of nourishment and air." This is admitted, by Selby, to be the 

 case for a certain number of years, but he doubts whether a transplanted tree 

 will not ultimately attain as large a size as one reared in the manner recom- 

 mended above. He cites an instance of a tree at Twizell, eighteen years planted, 

 which measured, at two feet from the ground, four feet, two inches in circumfer- 

 ence, with a height of thirty-eight feet. 



Insects. The foliage of the iEsculus hippocastanum is rarely eaten by the 

 larvae of insects, except by those of several species of the Geometriae, some of 

 which indiscriminately attack every tree within their reach, and persist in their 

 devastations, unless the qualities of the leaves are disagreeable to them in the 

 extreme. Among the trees, in which the leaves are unpleasant to them, are the 

 Allan tus glandulosa, Catalpa syringaefolia, and Broussonetia papyrifera ( paper 

 mulberry.) 



Properties and Uses. The wood of the horse-chesnut is white and very soft, 

 and according to Loudon, when dry, weighs from thirty-five to thirty-seven 

 pounds to a cubic foot. It is unfit for use where much strength and durability 

 in the open air are required ; nevertheless, there are many purposes for which it 

 is applicable, when sawn into boards; such as for flooring, lining to carts, 

 packing-cases, &c. In France, sabots, or wooden shoes are made from it ; and 

 it is said to be used by carvers, turners, &c. Boutcher says, that it is suitable 

 ibr water-pipes that are to be kept constantly under ground ; and it is also recom- 

 mended for this purpose by Du Hamel. The charcoal made of this species may 

 be used in the manufacture of gunpowder ; and the ashes of every ptwt of the 

 plant, more especially of the fruit, afford potash in considerable quantity. The 

 bark, which is very bitter, is employed for tanning, and also for dyeing yellow; 

 and it has been used medicinally as a substitute for Jesuit's bark. In Turkey, 

 the nuts are ground, and mixed with horse-food, especially when the animals are 

 broken winded ; and in their crude state, they are eaten by goats, sheep, deer, 

 and hogs. They are used in Ireland to whiten linen, and for this purpose are 

 rasped into water, in which they are allowed to macerate for some time. The 

 saponaceous juice, which they contain, is very useful, not only in bleaching, but irt 



15 



