THE CHESTNUT. Ill 



in Fig. 35, and this is a characteristic of all the Japan 

 chestnuts; branching and widely separated on a very 

 thin husk. Nuts very large ; shell a light yellowish 

 brown, with a few slight darker streaks from base to 

 apex. Quality excellent for brie of this species. Ripens 

 early, and long before touched by frost. 



ALPHA (Parry). Very similar to the last, but 

 ripens earlier, which would be an advantage in some 

 localities. Tree vigorous and productive. 



BETA (Parry). Bur medium; spines rather long 

 and thin for one of this group, set on a thin husk. Nut 

 large ; shell light brown, smooth, with a slight trace of 

 pubescence near the tip. The leaves are shallow and 

 coarsely serrate, and on some the teeth or serratures are 

 entirely wanting. Eipens a little later than the Alpha, 

 or about the first of October in northern New Jersey. 



EAELY RELIANCE (Parry). Burs medium, with 

 short, almost deflexed spines, on an exceedingly thin 

 husk. Nuts large, more pointed than in the last, and 

 of a lighter color the past season, but this may not be 

 constant, and may be due to the long and severe drouth 

 of the summer of 1894. Usually three nuts in a bur, and 

 sometimes four or five, but I do not consider this in- 

 crease in number a merit in any variety, for where there 

 are more than three they are likely to be of small size 

 and very much deformed. The original tree of the Re- 

 liance is enormously productive, and a regular bearer. 



FELTON. A seedling of the common Japanese 

 chestnut, raised by J. W. Killen, of Felton, Delaware. 



GIANT JAPAN (Parry). Burs large to extra large 

 for a variety of this species, with medium low branching 

 spines on a very thin, parchment-like husk. Nuts extra 

 large, usually only two in a bur, often only one, and 

 about two inches broad, much depressed at the top, with 

 a short point set in an irregular depression or basin. 

 Shell dark mahogany color, more or less ribbed ; kernel 



