Handbook of Trees or the jSTorthern States axd Canada. 135 



When growing in the forests the Chestnut 

 tree attains the height of 100 ft. with straight 

 columnar trunk 3 or 4 ft. iti diameter vested 

 in a grayish brown slia I low-ridged bark. It 

 is in the open fields, however, tliat it shows 

 best its noble form and proportions. Tliere it 

 develops a very large broad or rounded head 

 sometimes covering an area 100 ft. across with 

 massive branches and sliort sturdy trunk 

 sometimes 8, 10 or even 12 ft. in thickness. 

 Its long handsome leaves iilways give it a 

 peculiar charm. l)ut its beauty is greatly en- 

 hanced in early sununer wlieii it puts out its 

 great clusters of fragrant golden catkins. 

 Tiiese are succeeded in a few weeks by its 

 hardly less conspicuous pale green clusters of 

 fruit, the precious nature of which is indicated 

 by the forbidding barricade of sharp spines 

 which effectually protects it until ripe, and 

 then, opening, cast it out to be eagerly coveted 

 by both man and beast. 



Chestnut wood, a cu. ft. of which when abso- 

 lutely dry weighs 28.07 lbs., is very durable 

 in contact with the soil and makes useful 

 lumber for many purposes. It is also rich in 

 tannin, which is e.vtracted and used for tan- 

 ning purposes. 2 



Leaves oblong-lanceolate. G-0 in. Ion?, cuneate, 

 roundPd or olituse at base, pubescent at first. 

 glabrous both sides and firm at maturity, diuk 

 green above, paler beneath ; petioles short, stout. 

 puberuloLis. Floirers: ( .lune-.Tuly) : staminate 

 aments numerous, S-O in. long with stout tomen- 

 toRp stems: androsynous amonts 2V>-^> in lonor. 

 Fruit nut %-l in. long, much compipssed and 2-.] 

 together in each invohuTp which is globose, about 

 2 in. in diameter, densely covered with prickles.' 



1. Syn. Castanea vesca var. Americana Michx. 



2. A. W., II, 40. 



o. For genus see p. 4.j0. 



