186 THE OLD AXD EEMAEKABLE 



three words signifying separately, a noble animal, an elegant 

 game, and a delicious kernel !" 



Before noticing some of the more remarkable trees, of which 

 details of their measurements and localities are accurately given 

 in the appendix to this chapter, it may be proper to state 

 generally some of the more characteristic features of the horse 

 chestnut, and of its suitability for various soils and situations, 

 and glance briefly at its economic or commercial value as a 

 timber-producing tree in this country. 



The first noticeable feature in the progress and growth of the 

 horse chestnut is its early budding in spring in our northern 

 latitude. Each short stout twig being soon surmounted by its 

 terminal bud in early spring, which swells and strives with active 

 energy to outstrip its lateral fellows in throwing off its win try scales 

 and coating — like a youth at school defiant of his winter top- 

 coat — even so in like manner, imprudent of future chilly and 

 severe weather, does the horse chestnut cast off its gummy cell 

 and envelope at Nature's call, as the increasing warmth of the 

 sun's rays begins to melt away the gum with which the outer 

 scales had been sealed together, thereby causing the expand- 

 ing pressure from within to unfold the delicate young leaves 

 and embryo spiral flower stalks. The horse chestnut, while not 

 fastidious as to soil, succeeds best and grows most rapidly in a 

 rich loam, with a cool subsoil rather damp. That it is a tree of 

 rapid formation of wood may be inferred from the fact, that 

 when it has attained twenty years of age, it is frequently 

 met with from twenty-five to thirty feet in height, and at that 

 age its entire length of annual growth is generally completed for 

 the season within a month from the bursting of the bud in 

 spring on the terminal shoot ; ample time is thus afforded for 

 the mature ripening of the season's growth, and for the formation 

 of the young shoot bud-sheaths for protection from winter ; the 

 summer and autumn nutriment of the tree going entirely to the 

 thickening of branches, and development of woody fibre in the 

 trunk and limbs. From this peculiarity, however, the timber 

 of the horse chestnut is soft and brittle, and of little commercial 

 value for manufacturing or constructive purposes. The principal 

 uses for which its wood can be most advantageously employed, 

 are for water pipes to be kept constantly under ground, for 

 which it is very suitable, or in the manufacture of packing 

 cases, for which it is in large demand in many shipping ports 

 and industrial centres of export fabrics on the Continent. 

 In this country the horse chestnut can hardly be regarded 

 as other than an ornamental park tree, and as such it 

 is perhaps unrivalled for symmetry and efiect when planted 

 singly, or in the formation of a straight avenue line. Noble 

 examples of horse chestnut avenues exist, and are referred to in 

 the appendix. Who has not heard of the famous avenues of 



