308 BRITISH FOREST TREES 



windfall, whilst snow and ice-accumulations on the branches 

 in winter cause little damage by breakage. 



It suffers comparatively little from the attacks of insect 

 enemies. Melolontha vulgaris and M. hippocastani gnaw the 

 rootlets as grubs, and feed on the leaves as beetles; the 

 larvae of Xyleborus dispar bore into young shoots and 

 transplants, causing sickly growth and often death ; species of 

 Anobium, both as larvae and beetles, work their way into the 

 mature wood ; the caterpillars of Acronycta aceris feed on the 

 foliage, and those of Ztuzera aesculi, after feeding during the 

 late summer and the early autumn of their first year in the 

 cambium, winter in the wood, and feed in it during the 

 second summer. 



The chief fungoid disease to which the horse chestnut is 

 liable is Nectria cinnabarina, the bright red pustules of which 

 break through the buds and the bark of young shoots ; by 

 interfering with the ascent of the sap, in place of allowing it to 

 be employed in the normal development of the buds, it kills 

 young plants outright, and also twigs throughout the crown 

 of the tree. The heart of old trees is somewhat apt to 

 suffer from red-rot, which may be, but is not necessarily, 

 occasioned by species of Polyporus, whilst stag-headedness 

 often occurs as the preliminary to senile atrophy. 



Sylvicultural Treatment of Horse Chestnut. For the form- 

 ation of woodlands this species is seldom of any importance, 

 although its cultivation is easy ; it is, however, one of the 

 chief kinds used in the formation of avenues in towns, 

 besides being extensively employed in the laying out of 

 parks and ornamental woods. Its soft, even-grained timber 

 is not apt to swell or shrink ; but as durability is not one of 

 its strong points, it is not much in demand, although it 

 takes a good polish, and is otherwise in many ways suitable 

 for the requirements of cabinet-makers and similar trades. 

 Like alder and beech, its wood is used to a considerable 



