STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



159 



California Chinquapin Chestnut — (^Castanea chrysopliylla — Dong.) 



This very ornamental ever- 

 green chestnut is found from 

 Montere}^ to the northern limits 

 of the State, into Oregon. Its 

 variable size, within narrow lim- 

 its, is quite remarkable. A few 

 miles west of San Francisco, near 

 Point Eeyes. and along the coast 

 above, it attains to eighty or one 

 hundred and twenty -live feet in 

 height, and is an exceedingly 

 beautiful tree. The trim trunk is 

 one to two or three feet in diam- 

 eter, Avith grayish green bark. 

 The dense wealth of foliage, dark 

 green above and golden yellow 

 beneath, laden with blossoms in 

 autumn, presents as charming 

 contrasts to the woodland scenery 

 of the Pacific as the silvery clouds 

 of hickory and aspen foliage in 

 the rolling breeze that chariots rv izl 'r~:^- 

 the summer showers of the East. 

 It rarel}^ (or never?) ripens its 

 fruit where our cold summer fogs 

 reach it; but a few miles distant, 

 easterly, on the dry, gravelly 

 hills back of Oakland, we find it 



both 



blossoming 



and fruitiuii' 



abundantly at the same time, al- 

 though there only a tiny shrub 

 two or three feet high. Trees in 

 most climates are wont to observe 

 a certai n size and symmetry pecu- 

 liar to each species, and reasona- 

 bly consistent with general rules 

 and observations; but the vegetable kingdom of California is often most 

 amazing in its sports, from gigantic development to the little lilliputian 

 that hides humbly beneath the rose. We heartiljM-ecommend this tree, 

 as well worthy of culture for its native beauty; but the European and 

 Japanese chestnuts will supersede it for purposes of fruit. 



Barberry, or False Oregon Grape — (Berben's nervosa — Pursh.) (3/a- 



honia glumacea.^ 



A low sub-shrub, the stem scared}' rising a few inches above the 

 ground, and its base clothed with dry, chaflFy, rudimentary leaf scales; 

 found in pinej' woods along the coast northward into Oregon. The leaves 

 are one to two feet long; the opposite wing-like leaflets rigid, leathery, 

 and strongly nerved; margin sharp, spiny toothed ; flower stems sim- 

 ple, six to eight inches long; berries deep blue, in clusters, somewhat 

 resembling frost grapes — lience the misnomer; flavor strongly acid, but 

 eatable, and makes fine pics, tarts, etc. ; a refreshing promoter of the 



