306 BRITISH FOREST TREES 



attention, they are generally trimmed and transplanted again 

 in the fourth to fifth year, and finally planted out in the 

 seventh to ninth year in the case of the large-leaved 

 species, and tenth to twelfth year for the smaller-leaved. 

 In the production of good two-inch transplants for avenue 

 and ornamental purposes, ten to fifteen years are necessary, 

 according to the species chosen and the preference accorded 

 to layering or growth from seed. 



3. THE HORSE CHESTNUT (^ESCULUS HIPPOCAS- 

 TANUM, L.). 



Distribution. The horse chestnut is indigenous to the 

 mountains of northern Greece, Thessaly, and Epirus, where 

 it ascends to 3,300 feet, and eastwards to Persia, Afghanistan, 

 and Upper India. It was introduced into Italy (1569) and 

 Austria (1576) in the sixteenth century, and into France 

 (1615) and England (1629) in the seventeenth century 

 according to Hess, 1 although Loudon states that it was 

 introduced only in the eighteenth century into Britain. 



Tree-form and Root-system. Its growth is quick, but the 

 bole remains short though cylindrical, and soon begins to 

 ramify and break into branches supporting an expansive, 

 somewhat rounded, oval crown bearing heavy dense foliage. 

 The stems are almost always tortuous in growth, the 

 tortuosity having invariably a plus motion. In the open the 

 trees are, during their bare winter condition, easily recognis- 

 able from the ends of the branches being curved upwards 

 like the arms of a candelabra. The root-system is well 

 developed, moderately deep, on the whole heart-shaped, and 

 sufficiently strong to offer very considerable resistance to 



1 Hess, Die Eigenschaften und das forstliche Verhaltcn deriuichtigern 

 in Deutschland vorkommeiiden Holzarten, 1883, p. 108. 



