TREE PRODUCTS 145 



virgin, and because there is no present possibility 

 of competition outside the tropics. 



It remains to be said that there are a few other 

 trees and shrubs of our own latitude that may 

 advantageously command the attention of the 

 plant developer for the improvement of quantity 

 or quality of their products. 



It seems not unlikely that the horse chestnut, 

 or buckeye, could be so educated as to become a 

 profitable starch producer. At present this tree 

 produces an abundant crop of nuts, but these are 

 worthless because they contain a bitter principle 

 that makes them inedible. Yet the nut of the 

 buckeye is very starchy and if the bitter principle 

 could be eliminated without too much expense 

 there is no reason why it should not prove both 

 wholesome and nutritious. The Indians grind 

 the nuts to make meal. When this is soaked 

 in water the poisonous principle is partially re- 

 moved, and the residue is cooked and eaten. 



I have experimented somewhat in testing the 

 tremendously productive western buckeye as to 

 its possibilities of improvement. As long ago as 

 1877 I began work on this tree, and continued 

 the experiments in a small way for a number of 

 years. It was observed that there was great 

 variation as to productiveness of trees, as to size 

 of nuts, and also as to bitterness of the nuts them- 



