lOO SEVENTH REPORT OF THE FOREST, FISH AND GAME COMMISSION. 



glossy dark green color. Burs with thin peppery shell, each normally containing 

 three nuts of medium size and rich brown color. Is very prolific, and, from experi- 

 ments of Hon. Andrew J. Coe, in Connecticut, very hardy. 



Parry. 



One of the best productions of the Parry nurseries. It is the original " Parry's 

 giant," also called " Japan giant." Tree large for a Japanese chestnut, open, 

 spreading, very prolific and an early bearer. Burs very large, containing usually 

 one, sometimes three nuts. Nuts largest known, sometimes two inches across ; 

 ridged ; bright mahogany color, and of fair quality. If exceptionally large nuts are 

 desired this is the variety to plant. 



To attempt a close discrimination based on the general qualities of the Japanese 

 and European varieties of chestnuts is rather difficult because both groups have 

 many good qualities, and each, unfortunately, several bad ones. For each, too, can 

 be found men who earnestly advocate the propagation of their favorite group to the 

 exclusion of the other; hence, to favor one is to produce enmity. The difficulty is 

 that few growers have experimented with more than a few varieties of each group, 

 and they are inclined to make sweeping a.ssertions on a limited experience. 



If the general characteristics of each group, as far as known, be listed and com- 

 pared the balance of favor would give the Japan nuts first place. If, however, the 

 two or three best and most widely grown varieties of each be compared, the imports 

 from the far East are immediately reduced to second place. The experience of 

 practical growers corroborates this view, and men who were once heavy importers 

 of Japanese seedlings are now planting onl)' European trees in their commercial 

 orchards. When the Oriental varieties were first introduced it was thought they 

 would be the money makers in either groves or orchards; but to-day it is hard to 

 find them grown on a large scale. 



As an ornamental tree the Japanese chestnut is of undoubted value because of 

 its freedom from disfiguring fungi and insects, and its large beautiful nuts. From 

 the purely financial standpoint, however, as well as for horticultural reasons, the 

 more enduring, better flavored European varieties are to be recommended for 

 extensive propagation in New York and the Northern States. It is advisable, never- 

 theless, for all growers to experiment to some extent with varieties of uncertain 

 value, so that they may find the ones best suited to their local conditions. 



