CHESTNUT OF ECONOMIC PLANTS. Ill 



Solomon, and up to the present, there is no evidence in proof 

 that the chestnut tree grew in Palestine in early times, it being 

 considered by Bible commentators that the plane tree (Flatanus 

 orientalis), which is common in Palestine, represents the chest- 

 nut tree of Jacob. 



Chestnut, Tahiti {Inocmyus edulis), a large tree, originally 

 placed in the Spurge Laurel family, but by modern botanists 

 considered to belong to the Csesalpiniese section of Leguminosse. 

 It is also called the South Sea Chestnut, being common in the 

 tropical islands of the South Sea. The stem is 60 to 80 feet 

 high, and when young is fluted like a Grecian column, and when 

 old these projections become buttresses extending some distance 

 all round the tree, and gradually lessening upwards to the first 

 branches. It has a thick crown, furnished with simple, oblong, 

 leathery leaves of a dark -green colour. The flowers are incon- 

 spicuous; the fruit, a pod, is flat and kidney -shaped, containing 

 seeds resembling chestnuts in taste. They are much esteemed 

 either baked or boiled, and eaten entire, or grated for making 

 bread and puddings. In the several islands there are at least 

 eisfht different names for it. 



o 



Chestnut, Water, also called Water Caltrops (Trapa Tuctaiis), 

 an aquatic plant belonging to the family Onagrariacese. It is a 

 native of Southern Europe, and has creeping, floating stems, 

 producing hair-like roots, from which rises a cluster of triangular, 

 toothed, floating leaves with swollen foot -stalks which buoy 

 them up. The flowers are small. The lobes of the calyx two 

 or four, increasing in size, and with its tube involving the 

 ovary, which becomes a hard, horned fruit about the size of a 

 chestnut. They contain much farinaceous matter, and form a 

 considerable article of food. In Italy they are known by the 

 name of Jesuit Chestnuts, and in France as Water Chestnuts. 

 In Cashmere the seeds of T. hispinosa form an important article 

 of food to a large population. T. hicornis is also extensively 

 used for food in China under the name of Ling. The stiff, 

 horn-like projections of these fruits convey to the mind the idea 

 of Caltrops. 



