742 



CHERVIL 



flesh is yellowish white and of different flavor. The 

 roots are eaten as carrots are, either boiled or in stews. 

 The one difficulty in the growing of tuberous chervil 

 is the fact that the seeds germinate very tardily, or 

 even not at all, if kept dry over winter. It is cus- 

 tomary, therefore, to sow them in the fall, although 

 they do not germinate until spring. If they are to be 

 reserved for spring-growing, they should be stratified 

 (see Seedage) or kept in sand. In four or five months 

 after germination, the roots are fit to use, although 

 they improve in quality by being left in the ground. 

 The roots keep well in winter. L. H. B. 



CHESS, or CHEAT: Bromus. 



CHESTNUT. Three species of tree or true chestnuts 

 are cultivated in this country for their nuts, the 

 European Castanea sativa, the American Castanea den- 

 tata, the Japanese Castanea crenata. See Castanea. The 

 horticultural characters that distinguish these three 

 types are as follows: 



European chestnuts. Tree large, with a spreading 

 but compact head, stocky, smooth-barked twigs and 

 large glossy buds of a yellowish brown color; leaves 

 oblong-lanceolate, abruptly pointed, with coarse some- 

 times incurved serrations, thick and leathery, generally 

 pubescent beneath when young, but green on both 

 sides when mature. Burs very large, with long branch- 

 ing spines, and a thick velvety lining. Nut larger than 

 American chestnut, sometimes very large, shell dark 

 mahogany-brown, pubescent at tip, thick, tough and 

 leathery; kernel inclosed in a thin tough and astrin- 

 gent skin: quality variable from insipid, astringent to 

 moderately sweet. The leaves remain on the trees until 

 late in autumn, but are more susceptible to the attacks 

 of fungi than the American and Japanese species. At 

 least one variegated and one cut-leaved variety are 

 grown as ornamentals. This species is variously known 

 as European, French, Spanish and Italian chestnut 

 (Castanea sativa), and sweet chestnut of English writers. 

 It is an inhabitant of mountain forests in the temper- 

 ate regions of western Asia, Europe and north Africa, 

 and is esteemed for its nuts in Spain, France and Italy, 

 where they have constituted an important article of 

 food since an early day. Introduced to the United 

 States by Iren6e Dupont, at Wilmington, Delaware, in 

 1803, although recorded by Jefferson, under the desig- 

 nation "French chestnut," as grafted by him on native 

 chestnut near Charlottesville (Monticello), Virginia, 

 in 1773. 



American chestnut (Castanea dentatd). Fig. 911. A 

 tall straight columnar tree, in forests reaching a height 

 of 100 feet and a diameter of 3 to 4 feet; when grown 

 in the open, forming a low round-topped head of 

 slightly pendulous branches. Leaves thinner than in C. 

 sativa, oblong-lanceolate, acute, long-pointed at the 

 apex, coarsely serrate except toward the wedge-shaped 



base, green and 

 glabrous on both 

 surfaces, chang- 

 ing to bright 

 clear yellow 

 later in autumn. 

 The staminate 

 flowers open in 

 June or July 

 after leaves have 

 attained full 

 size, and exhale 

 a sweet, heavy 

 odor, disagree- 

 able to many 

 persons, and 

 sometimes caus- 

 ing symptoms of 

 911. Native wild chestnuts. (X%) hay-fever. The 



CHESTNUT 



two- or three-flowered involucres of pistillate flow- 

 ers are on short stout peduncles at the bases of 

 androgynous aments which bear toward their tips 

 scattered clusters of staminate flowers. Burs smaller 

 and spines sharper than in C. sativa. The nuts, usually 

 two or three, rarely five to seven, are usually broader 

 than long, and much compressed by crowding, although 

 sometimes nearly oblong and approaching cylindrical. 



912. Japanese chestnuts. ( X J^) 



They are of a bright brown color, covered at the apex 

 with thick pale tomentum, which sometimes extends 

 nearly to the base of the nut. The nuts are sweet and 

 agreeable in flavor, the best among chestnuts, and are 

 marketed in large quantities from the forests of the 

 Appalachian region. Occurs in eastern North America, 

 Maine to Georgia, westward to Michigan, Mississippi 

 and Louisiana. Gradually receding from its southern 

 areas from causes not yet understood. A few selected 

 forms have been propagated by grafting. 



Japanese chestnut (C. crenata). Fig. 912. A dwarf- 

 ish close-headed tree of slender growth, said to attain 

 a height of 50 feet in Japan, with small buds: leaves 

 smaller than other chestnuts, lanceolate-oblong, usually 

 pointed, with a truncate or cordate base, finely ser- 

 rated, with shallow sharp - pointed indentations, 

 whitish tomentose beneath, pale green above, less sub- 

 ject to injury by fungi than other species. Burs small, 

 with a thin papery lining and short widely branching 

 spines. Nuts large to very large, glossy, usually three, 

 sometimes five or seven in a bur, usually inferior to 

 the other chestnuts in quality, although good when 

 cooked, and in a few varieties excellent in the fresh 

 state. Many cultural varieties are recognized. Intro- 

 duced to the United States in 1876 by S. B. Parsons, 

 Flushing, New York. 



Aside from these three types, there are certain dwarf 

 and small-fruited castaneas known as chinquapins. 

 The two native chinquapins may be contrasted as 

 follows (page 682) : 



Common or tree chinquapin (C. pumila). Fig. 

 913. A shrub 4 or 5 feet tall, rarely a tree, attaining 

 a height of 50 feet, with slender branchlets marked 

 with numerous minute lenticels, and coated with a 

 pale tomentum, which disappears during the first 

 winter. Leaves oblong, acute and coarsely serrate at 

 apex, bright yellowish green, changing to dull yellow 

 before falling in autumn. Flowers strong-smelling, the 

 catkins of staminate ones appearing with the unfolding 

 leaves in May or June, the spicate androgynous 

 aments later, with pistillate flowers in spiny involucres, 

 producing solitary cylindrical nuts % to 1 inch in 

 length and % inch in diameter, with sweet seeds. This 

 species occurs in dry lands from southern Pennsyl- 

 vania to Florida and Texas, and its nuts, which ripen 

 earlier than the American chestnut, are esteemed for 



