372 SYLVICULTURAL NOTES ON TIMBER TREES 



SPANISH CHESTNUT. 

 Castanea vulgaris Spanish Chestnut. 



The Spanish Chestnut is not a native tree to this 

 country. 



As to Seed. The seed rarely ripens properly in this 

 country ; and home-grown seed should not be used. 



The germinative capacity of the seed is about 60 per 

 cent. ; and I Ib. of seed contains about 112 nuts. 



The timber is of excellent quality, fairly hard, strong, 

 and very durable. It also splits very well. 



The timber is, however, very liable to " cup " or " ring " 

 shakes ; though, if grown on a deep loam with sufficient 

 moisture it is usually quite sound. There is only a small 

 proportion of sapwood ; and the sapwood quickly changes to 

 heartwood. 



Soil and Situation. A deep soil is necessary with a fair 

 amount of moisture. Soils with more than a small amount 

 of lime in them are quite unsuited to its growth ; so also are 

 very wet soils. The tree will grow on dry sandy soils, but 

 the timber is invariably shaky. Very stiff clays are not suit- 

 able for growing mature timber ; but, Chestnut coppice often 

 succeeds well on such land. The tree suffers from severe 

 winter frosts ; and is very susceptible to late spring and early 

 autumn frosts ; and thus, it is very difficult to establish on 

 cold clays or on land subject to late frosts, unless indeed it be 

 used for underplanting. 



A considerable amount of summer heat is necessary, in 

 order that the wood may be properly ripened ; and thus it 

 succeeds far best in the south-west of England, where, on 

 northern aspects, its growth is all that can be desired. 



Elsewhere in this country it often succeeds better on 

 southern aspects, where it obtains the necessary warmth. 



Cultivation, etc. The Spanish Chestnut will bear con- 

 siderable shade until about 25 years of age; afterwards, as 

 maturity is approached, it must be considered as a light- 

 demanding tree. It is usually somewhat slow-growing until 



