338 DECIDUOUS TREES. 



a rare tree as late as a century ago in most parts of Europe, 

 though now so universally planted that no tree is more common 

 in avenues and parks. Parkinson, in 1629, says : " Our Christian 

 world had first a knowledge of it from Constantinople." To 

 know that a tree so hardy and well adapted to our country was 

 originally from a region where the winters are milder than our 

 own, is a pleasant encouragement to the introduction and acclima- 

 tion of new discoveries from semi-tropical regions. 



The horse-chestnut, when young, is a tree of formal and un- 

 interesting outline ; but as it increases in age its dense foliage 

 breaks into fine masses, and grows more and more beautiful until 

 it becomes a grand old tree. It has an erect trunk, an ovate form 

 when young, and squarish oval at maturity, — the height of the head 

 usually exceeding its breadth. 



Each leaf is composed of five or seven leaflets, which radiate 

 from the petiole like parts of a fan. In color they are among the 

 purest of greens, without gloss. The growth of the leaves is very 

 rapid, both shoots and leaves being sometimes perfected in three 

 weeks after the bursting of the bud. Thus the horse-chestnut, 

 though it does not begin to burst its buds earlier than many other 

 trees, is in magnificent foliage while they are yet in embryo de- 

 velopment. Following immediately this splendid bursting into 

 leaf, its blossoms glow in great spikes like giant hyacinths set in 

 the green young foliage, and lifted upon a tree stem to form a 

 colossal bouquet. In May and June, in leaf and blossom, no hardy 

 tree equals it in beauty. In autumn, however, it drops its leaves 

 early, and is entirely disrobed when many other trees are putting 

 on their most gorgeous colors. The maples and some other trees 

 are much finer at the season's close, but in its flowering season the 

 horse-chestnut is incomparably superior to all its rivals. 



The horse-chestnut should never be crowded. It is one of the 

 most perfect of single lawn trees after the first ten or fifteen years' 

 growth. If a yard is large enough to accommodate but one full 

 tree, it should have few rivals for the place. 



For an avenue of street trees it has no superior ; but, like the 

 sugar maple, it makes a very dark shadow, and should not be 

 planted closely in rows, nor very near to the windows of a resi- 



