74 



in Canada, e. g., in the grounds of G. H. Corsan, Islington, Ont. 

 The tree is reported to be fairly hardy at the Arnold Arboretum, 

 Jamaica Plains, Mass., and should be sufficiently hardy for southern 

 Ontario. It is believed that the Chinese walnut will prove to be har- 

 dier than the English walnut and it may have an important place 

 amongst the trees in the northern part of the United States and in 

 Southern Canada. The nuts are quite large and have a shell which is 

 thicker than the English walnut but not nearly as thick or hard as 

 the native black walnut. The kernel generally has a fine flavour, 

 being almost as good as the English walnut. Nuts of this species 

 have been planted at the Ontario Agricultural College, Guelph, and 

 at the Experiment Station, Vineland, Ont., and it is expected that 

 trees will be hardy enough for our climate and produce nuts which 

 will be as good as the Persian walnut. 



The Sweet Chestnut (Castanea dentata) 



The sweet chestnut is found growing naturally on sandy ridges 

 in that part of Ontario extending from Toronto to Sarnia and south- 

 ward to Lake Erie. At the Central Experimental Farm, Ottawa, 

 there is a fair sized tree and near Newcastle there are a few fine 

 specimens. 



It grows to a large size, sometimes reaching a height of one 

 hundred feet and a diameter of five feet at the base. When grown 

 in the open it forms several heavy branches and makes a broad 

 rounded crown, but when grown in a dense stand it makes a tall, 

 straight tree. 



The native chestnut is subject to a fatal disease called chestnut 

 bark disease. This disease is not known to occur in Ontario, but 

 there is no assurance that it will not appear and, therefore, the plant- 

 ing of this tree is attended with some risk. 



A dwarf type of chestnut has been reported from east of 

 Ottawa in the Ottawa valley. The tree is about fifteen feet tall and 

 produces a small burr containing only one nut. I have not seen this 

 tree so cannot vouch for the accuracy of the above statement. 



Exotic Species of Chestnuts. 



Inasmuch as very few of the Chinese, Japanese and European 

 chestnuts have been planted in Ontario very little can be said regard- 

 ing their behaviour. Dr. Sargeant reports the Chinese chestnut 

 (Castanea MoUissima) as being hardy at the Arnold Arboretum and 

 therefore it should be adapted to southern Ontario. The Japanese 

 chestnut is also quite hardy but is susceptible to chestnut bark 

 disease. A few Japanese chestnut trees are growing near Fonthill. 

 Ontario, and have borne some good crops. The tree is a small, 

 spreading grower, comes into bearing fairly early and bears quite 

 heavily. 



