208 LANDSCAPE GARDENING. 



are generally considered the same species. Varieties have 

 been produced in Europe, which far surpass our common 

 chestnuts of the woods in size, though not in delicacy and 

 richness of flavor. Those cultivated for the table in 

 France, are known by the name of marrons. These 

 improved sorts of the Spanish chestnut bear fruit nearly 

 as large as that of the Horse-chestnut, inferior in 

 sweetness, when raw, to our wild species, but delicious 

 when roasted. The Spanish chestnut thrives well, and 

 forms a large tree, south of the Highlands of the Hudson, 

 but is rather tender north of this neighborhood. A tree 

 in the grounds at Presque Isle, the seat of William 

 Denning, Esq., Dutchess Co., is now 40 feet high. They 

 may be procured from the nurseries, and we can hardly 

 recommend to our planters more acceptable additions to 

 our nut-bearing forest trees. 



The Chinquapin, or Dwarf chestnut {C. pumila), is 

 a curious low bush, from four to six feet high. The leaves 

 are nearly the size of the ordinary chestnut, or rather 

 smaller, and the fruit about two-thirds as large. It is indi- 

 genous to all the states south of Pennsylvania, and is often 

 found in great abundance. It is a curious little tree, or 

 more properly a shrub, and merits a place in the garden ; 

 or it may be advantageously planted for underwood in 

 a group of large trees. 



As the chestnut, like the oak, forms strong tap-roots, it is 

 removed with some difficulty. The finest trees are pro- 

 duced from the nut, and their growth is much more rapid 

 when young, than that of the transplanted tree. It prefers 

 a deep sandy loam, rather moist than dry ; and will not, 

 like many forest trees, accommodate itself to wet and low 

 situations. 



