104 FAMILIAR TREES AND THEIR LEAVES. 



Chestnut. 



Castaiiea sativa. 

 Castanea detitata. 



The chestnut is so familiar to every 

 one who lives in or near one of our 

 great cities, in whose vicinity it is 

 pretty sure to be planted, that a description of the 

 tree seems wholly unnecessary for its identification. 

 Yet there are a few interesting facts about the 

 luxuriant chestnut which we would do well to re- 

 member. 



It is certainly a most extraordinary, rapid-growing 

 tree, which in giving is only rivaled by the sugar 

 maple. At five years of age it will actually bear 

 fruit ; in fifteen years' time it is valuable as timber, 

 and if cut down then its shoots, which grow even 



more rapidly than seedlings, de- 

 velop into fine trees within an- 

 other ten years. An orchard of 

 chestnuts will bring its owner 

 larger returns than many an ap- 

 ple orchard of the same size. 

 The fruit is brought into our 

 cities in autumn by thousands of 

 bushels, and sold at retail in the 

 stores and on the corners of busy streets at the rate 

 of about six dollars per bushel. Indeed, the Italian 

 who sells his tiny measure of roasted chestnuts for 

 five cents brings the average nearer eight dollars 

 per bushel. In Iowa certain orchards planted eight- 



Chestnut Fruit. 



