The Canadian Horticulturist. 433 



The shape of the stone is a very good point of recognition, as some are 

 nearly round and others broad and flat. The taste of the kernel is a reliable 

 index, as some are bitter, and some as sweet as an almond. 



The color is yellow, orange, or a rich cream, with an over-color of red, 

 which sometimes darkens into brown. Many varieties are delicately marked 

 with crimson and purple dots, and small specks. 



The flesh is usually melting, and colored a little deeper orange or yellow 

 than the skin. It is almost free from any inclination to cling, and not red at the 

 stone like the peach. 



The bearing quality of the tree is, through a series of years, a help in mak- 

 ing out its varieties, and so is the style of the tree and twigs, and the color of 

 the bark. What is known as the quality of a fruit is gauged largely by the taste 

 of the eater ; but it ought, however, to give some idea of the variety. The 

 peculiar flavor of Westfield, or an Esopus, is apt to be remembered. — Mr. Van 

 Deman, in Popular Gardening. 



THE JAPANESE CHESTNUT. 



The Japanese Sweet Chestnut is a decided acquisition to our nuts. The 

 nuts are as large or larger than the Spanish and the tree far more hardy. Span- 

 ish chestnuts are barely hardy in Pennsylvania. Seedlings are often partly 

 winter-killed for several winters in succession, but not after they gain a height 

 of 5 or 6 feet and become sturdy The Japanese chestnut is perfectly hardy 

 and seldom injured. The tree, instead 

 of being a large spreading one as are 

 ordinary chestnuts, is a small tree. Add 

 to this that it bears fruit when but 5 or 

 6 years old and but 5 to 7 feet high, and 

 there can be no doubt of its great value. 

 While its very large nuts will insure it a 

 ready sale in market, it resembles the 

 Spanish in this, that in quaHty it is not 

 the equal of our own native species. 

 The nuts are large, of light mahogany 

 color, and, when fresh, with distinct, 

 narrow dark brown stripes passing from Fig. 862.— A Promising and Improved 

 base to point. Nut culture in the United 



States offers much encouragement, as the demand calls for enormous importa- 

 tions, the population is rapidly increasing, while but few plantings of nut trees 

 are believed to be made ; their culture is of the easiest kind and returns certain 

 when a nut grove is once well established. — Farm and Home. 



