170 CONVERSATIONS ON THE 



growing trees in the worldj and for this 

 reason, as well as for its beauty, and the 

 sweetness of its perfume, it is a great favour 

 ite. But, besides these good qualities, the 

 wood is valuable : it is of a reddish colour, 

 quite strong enough to be used in building, 

 and lasts very well : it is good, too, for fuel : 

 I have heard that an ointment is made from 

 the leaves, that is excellent for curing certam 

 diseases of the skin, but I never saw it tried 

 myself And now, boys, for the nuts. 



" I suppose you think there is hardly any 

 thing I can tell you about a chestnut more 

 than you know already ; and I dare say you 

 have managed to make yourselves pretty 

 familiar with at least the eatable part of it. 

 But we will try if we cannot find something 

 new to say on the subject." 



" I dare say you can. Uncle Philip ; all I 

 know about it is, that the nuts are very good 

 to eat, and that the trees are split up into 

 rails for the fences : oh, yes, 1 do know one 

 thing more; and that is, that the wood 

 crackles and snaps very much when it is 

 burning." 



" Well, in the first place, then, I will tell 

 you that the chestnut is a very large tree ; 



