BRITISH FOREST TREES 307 



storms ; at first it develops a strong tap-root, but later on 

 ramifies for the most part laterally. 



In Requirements as to Soil and Situation it is somewhat 

 exacting, as the soil must be good, and the situation level 

 and sheltered, before it can attain the full beauty of its 

 development. It prefers a fairly deep, light, moist soil, 

 and a north-western aspect, when not growing on level 

 ground ; where late frosts are frequent, it seldom sets 

 seed, although otherwise not sensitive to cold. As the 

 rich fall of foliage yields good humus, the horse chest- 

 nut possesses in a very fair degree the quality of conserving 

 and improving the productive capacity of the soil. 



Its Requirements as to Light are on the whole moderate, 

 as might be expected from the density of its foliage; in 

 this respect it may well be graded between the sweet chest- 

 nut and the lime, and classed as a shade-bearing species, 

 though not so in any pronounced degree, like the hornbeam 

 or beech. 



Attainment of Maturity and Reproductive Capacity. As 

 the horse chestnut is chiefly cultivated for ornament and 

 in the full enjoyment of light, air, and warmth, it attains 

 early the power of forming seed, and from about the twentieth 

 year it bears almost regularly every year. It possesses a 

 fair, but not strong power of coppicing, which is confined 

 to the production of shoots from the stool, and does not 

 extend to the formation of stoles or suckers. 



Liability to Suffer from External Dangers. From the 

 isolated position in which the horse chestnut is usually 

 grown, it is somewhat liable to sunburn and frost-cracks in 

 the bole, but is otherwise comparatively insensitive to 

 drought in summer, or to frosts and cold at the other periods 

 of the year. Though here and there thrown by wind during 

 violent storms, it is on the whole able to offer a very 

 considerable resistance, and is by no means apt to become 



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