C U P U L I F E R JE. 



209 



Oak-galls have a round globular form, and vary in 

 size from that of a pea to that of a hazel nut. They 

 contain, according to Sir Humphrey Davy, tannin, 

 gallic acid, mucilage, saline, and earthy matter. A 

 remarkable difference exists between the chemical 

 properties of the oak-bark and nut-galls, the latter 

 precipitating tartar emetic and infusion of cinchona, 

 which are not acted on by the former. Water 

 dissolves all the active matter of galls. The solution 

 for medicinal use ought to be prepared by simply 

 infusing the galls in distilled water at the temperature 

 of about 180. In this way we procure all the gallic 

 acid and tannin in solution, without a mixture of 

 extractive, e. 



Galls are used in medicine, both externally and 

 internally, as astringents. They are prescribed in 

 the form of powder, infusion, tincture, or ointment. 

 When adn 'ully, they are often mixed 



with aromatics, so as to render them more agreeable 

 to the stomach. In this way they are used in India 

 for the cure of intermittent fevers. The infusion is 

 employed as a gargle for relaxed sore throats, and as 

 an astringent lotion for ulcers, while the gall ointment 

 is applied as a remedy for piles. The powder, in 

 doses of ten or twenty grains, is perhaps the best 

 form of administering this medicine. Some prepara- 

 tions made from galls are used as styptics, to stop 

 bleeding from wounds, leech-bites, &c. 



Galls are also employed in dyeing, and in the pre- 

 paration of common ink. In allusion to the latter 

 circumstance, it has been well remarked " How 

 infinitely we are indebted to this little creature (the 

 gall-fly), which at once enables us to converse with 

 our absent friends and connexions, be their distance 

 from us ever so great, and supplies the means by 

 which, to use the poet's language, we can 



Give to airy nothing 

 A local habitation and a name ! 



When any salt of iron is added to an infusion of 

 galls, a black colour is immediately produced, and it 

 is upon this principle that ink is manufactured, this 

 valuable liquid being merely a decoction of galls, 

 sulphate of iron or green vitriol, and logwood, with a 

 little gum, which is added to give it a consistence. 



The galls formed on the common oak, qucrcus 

 ccmx, and other species, are small, and smooth and 

 reddish, and arc riot applied to use. 



The next cupuliferous genus to which we shall 

 allude is Castanea, chestnut. 



Castanea vulgaris, or vcscn, formerly Fagus castanea, 

 the sweet, or Spanish chestnut, is a beautiful tree, the 

 trunk of which often acquires a great size. It is 

 stately and majestic, rivalling the oak in magnitude 

 and duration. It is common both in this country 

 and on the continent. Its flowers appear in long 

 spikes about the month of June, and its fruit, 

 which is enveloped in a husk defended by prickles, 

 is ripened in September or October. The nuts which 

 it yields are familiar to every one under the name of 

 chestnuts. The bark of the tree is remarkable for its 

 deep and wide clefts, which seem to have furnished 

 ideas for some of the ornaments in Gothic archi- 

 tecture. The chestnut is not so picturesque as the 

 oak, but it is sometimes introduced into the paintings 

 of the old masters, more particularly those of Salvator 

 Rosa. 



Chestnut trees are remarkable for the age and size 

 which they sometimes attain. At Tortworth, in 



NAT. HIST. VOL. II. 



Gloucestershire, a chestnut tree grew in 1766, which 

 was said to be upwards of one thousand years old. 

 It was fifty-two feet in circumference, and was known 

 to have served for a boundary-mark in the reign of 

 King John, at which time it was five hundred years 

 old. On Mount ^Etna, in what is denominated the 

 third, or woody region, there is a gigantic chestnut 

 tree, known by the name of Castagno de cento cavalli, 

 or chestnut of a hundred horse, because it was said 

 to be capable of sheltering one hundred horses under 

 its boughs, It is believed to be some thousand years 

 old. It seems to consist of five large, and two 

 small trunks, which, in all probability, formed only- 

 one originally, inasmuch as there is no bark on the 

 inside of the trunks, nor on the sides that are opposite 

 to one another. The largest trunk is thirty-eight 

 feet in circumference, and the whole five taken toge- 

 ther measure one hundred and ninety-six feet round. 

 Although the interior is entirely decayed, and there 

 is a wide public road through it, still the tree bears 

 foliage, and even produces fruit. A hut is built 

 within the trunk for the habitation of those who are 

 engaged gathering and preserving the fruit. Several 

 other large chestnut trees grow on the sides of 

 Mount -ZEtna. 



Chestnut wood was formerly in great repute for 

 building. Evelyn mentions, that most of the ancient 

 houses in London were built of it, and that a large 

 forest of chestnuts existed in old times in the neigh- 

 bourhood of that city. The church of St. Nicholas, 

 at Great Yarmouth, erected in the reign of William 

 Rufus, is roofed with chestnut. The wood serves 

 also for various economical purposes. It is used for 

 palisades, and props for vines and hops, as well as for 

 water-works. Pipes bored of it, and lying constantly 

 under ground, are said to be very durable. The 

 Italians make casks and tuns for wine from this 

 wood. 



Chestnuts are mentioned by Virgil and Pliny as 

 excellent articles of food. They are constantly used 

 as such in the south of Europe at this day. Dr. 

 Hooker states, that in some parts of France he has 

 had them served up for breakfast boiled in milk. 

 They are farinaceous, and when boiled have a sweet 

 and agreeable taste. They consist of fecula, gluten, 

 very analogous to that found in grasses, and a saccha- 

 rine principle. They are used for whitening linen 

 cloth, and for making starch. They are much relished 

 by deer and swine. 



There are several varieties of chestnut in cultiva- 

 tion. One of these, with striped leaves, is considered 

 very ornamental. The trees are raised from the 

 nuts, which are carefully selected, and placed in seed- 

 beds in the month of February. In these they are 

 allowed to remain for two years, and are then planted 

 in rows, two or three feet apart, and a foot and a half 

 distant in the rows. In the course of four or five 

 years they may be planted out. This treatment is 

 adopted when it is wished to produce fruit in abun- 

 dance. If, however, the trees are intended for 

 timber, they ought to remain in the spot where the 

 seeds were originally sown, being merely thinned out, 

 and kept free from weeds. Some, however, disap- 

 prove of this method, and think transplanting the 

 best mode of rearing the tree, whether fruit or timber 

 be desired. The chestnut succeeds well in almost 

 any soil, but thrives best in rich loamy land. 



Castanea pumila, the Chinquapin, or dwarf Virgi- 

 nian chestnut, is another species common in the 

 O 



