THE CHESTNUT. 



after, was known by that name as early as the reign of 

 Stephen ; and in the confirmation of a grant made by 

 Henry II. to the monks of FJexeley, " the tithe of Chest- 

 nuts in the Forest of Dean " is secured to the monastery. 



Such are the principal arguments in favour of the 

 opinion that the Chestnut is a native tree. On the other 

 side it is urged, that the name Spanish Chestnut would 

 imply that the tree is of foreign origin. But this argument 

 will not bear examination. There can be no doubt that 

 Chestnuts were imported from Spain at the time when 

 the name was given ; but it does not at all follow that 

 none were produced in England : we are equally justified 

 in inferring that they were so called by merchants, to dis- 

 tinguish them, and recommend them above English Chest- 

 nuts, which are far inferior, just as we call hazel-nuts, 

 imported from the same country, " Spanish nuts/' to dis- 

 tinguish them from those which grow in England. 



In the next place, it is expressly stated by ancient 

 authors that the Chestnut-tree was first introduced from 

 Asia into Europe by the Greeks, and transported thence 

 into Italy by the Eomans. This fact is allowed by the 

 holders of the opposite opinion, who at the same time 

 maintain that the tree might be unknown in continental 

 Europe, and yet be indigenous to Britain, although un- 

 noticed by the invaders of that country. 



The fact that Chestnut timber has been found in ancient 

 buildings in very great quantities would carry great weight, 

 but that it has been recently discovered that the wood 

 supposed to be Chestnut is in reality a kind of Oak, dif- 

 fering from common Oak in those very characters which 

 had been fixed on as distinctive of Chestnut. Besides 

 this, Chestnut timber of large dimensions is, neither in 

 Great Britain nor the south of Europe, found to possess 

 the qualities, strength and durability, which were supposed 

 to have recommended it to the notice of ancient builders. 



Evelyn's quotation from Fitz-Stephen is a very unhappy 

 one, and the citation of the same passage from Evelyn by 



