CHESTNUT CULTURE IN THE NORTHEASTERN UNITED STATES. 95 



lies in its root sprouts, which furnisli most excellent "stocks"' upon which to graft 

 the most desirable European varieties. As a shade and timber tree, or source of 

 nuts for home or local consumption, it will always hold an esteemed place with the 

 American farmer ; but the horticulturist or orchardist who wishes to produce nuts 

 on a large scale must turn to the larger, more rapid growing European and Japanese 

 varieties, or greatly improve the native nuts if success is to be assured. 



With commendable and characteristic American energy horticulturists long ago 

 began experiments with imported chestnut seedlings and nuts, so that now, at the 

 time when conditions seem ripe for extensive commercial planting of nut-bearing 

 trees, there will be no need in choosing varieties or in growing scions or seedlings, 

 as the nurserymen have the problem well worked out, and can supply the increasing 

 demand for the best Japanese and European chestnut trees which have been pro- 

 duced up to date. The complete history of the introduction of exotic chestnuts 

 in America is a long one, and can only be briefly summarized here. 



Tl)c ^aropean Cl)estnQts. 



It would be neither safe nor advisable to attempt to give the exact date at which 

 seedlings or nuts of the European chestnut, or " Spanish Chestnut," as it was popu- 

 larly called, were first planted in American soil. Certain it is, however, that the 

 introduction took place nearly a century ago, and that imported trees have been 

 bearing fruit in this country for over fifty years. It was in the region around Phila- 

 delphia, Pa., Wilmington, Del., and Trenton, N. J., that the first general introduc- 

 tion took place, and from here has occurred the eventual dissemination of the 

 different varieties to other parts of the country. 



The initial introduction of foreign nuts was not, as would be expected, the work 

 of horticulturists who wished to propagate them for economic purposes, but the 

 result of efforts made by wealthy individuals to secure rare and interesting trees 

 adapted for planting on their new world estates. To the I'rench " Marrons " is 

 accorded the credit of being among the first to introduce the European chestnut. 

 Irenee Du])ont, the founder of the now famous powder mills bearing his name, was 

 a recipient as early as 1802 of chestnut seed and young trees from France. Most of 

 the seed failed to grow, but records show that a few trees became established in his 

 garden, and flourished for years, no doubt serving as a center of distribution for the 

 surrounding country. 



Although the non-professional tree growers took precedence as to point of time, 

 it was the nurser\-men who inaugurated the first .systematic work of introtlucing and 



