322 VEGETABLE SUBSTANCES. 



exceedingly valuable as timber, and highly orna- 

 mental, it is well worthy of cultivation. In this 

 respect its properties are fully noticed in the pre- 

 ceding; part on ' Timber Trees.' The walnuts of 

 commerce are many of them obtained from warmer 

 countries ; but were sufficient attention paid to 

 walnut plantations, an abundant supply might be 

 obtained in all the southern parts of England. In 

 some parts of Scotland walnuts come to maturity, 

 but they are by no means general. In the unripe 

 state, walnuts make an agreeable pickle ; and an in- 

 delible olive dye is obtained from the pericarp of the 

 ripe fruit. The nut of the hickery (Jiiglans allio) is 

 small and of little value ; and though the nut of the 

 black walnut of Virginia {Juglans nigra) is large, 

 the kernel is very small. It is, however, sweet. 



Walnuts or chesnuts may be preserved through 

 the winter, by pitting them in the earth, as is done 

 with potatoes. 



The Chesnut — Castanea vesca. 



The chesnut has a prickly involucre, and the nuts 

 grow in a lengthened cluster, upon twigs. The ker- 

 nel is large, and enveloped in a tough coat of a tint 

 so peculiar, as to give its name to a particular kind 

 of colour. When raw, the chesnut has a slight trace 

 of walnut taste; but it is much inferior. Roasted, it 

 becomes farinaceous, and resembles a mealy potatoe. 

 The chesnut is, indeed, the most farinaceous, and the 

 least oily, of all the nuts ; and therefore, though it 

 may not be so nutritious, it is more easy of digestion. 



In the southern parts of the Continent, chesnuts 

 grow so abundantly as to form a very large portion 

 of the food of the common people, who, besides 

 eating them both raw and roasted, form them into 

 puddings and cakes, and even bread. The chesnut 

 produces abundantly in the warmer parts of England ; 



