460 SELECT VARIETIES OF FRUITS. 



and only useful in coufcctionery or medicine. Its cliief 

 product is the oil of bitter almonds of the druggists, 

 which contains prussic acid. 



Section 19. — Chestnuts. 



The American or ('ommon Chestnut is well known as 

 one of our most beautiful forest-trees. It is seldom 

 grown as a fruit tree, although the fruit is highly es- 

 teemed. It should have a place in all large collections 

 of standard fruit trees. It reproduces itself from seed. 



The Dwarf Chestnut, or Chinquapin, is a small tree, 

 eight or ten feet high, and very prolific, but the nuts are 

 small. It grows spontaneously in Maryland, Virginia, 

 and southward. 



The Spanish Chestnut or Marron. — Tiiis is the large, 

 sweet nut, as large as a horse chestnut, imported from 

 abroad. There are many varieties cultivated in France 

 and England, but that designated by the French as 

 " Marron de Lyon,^' is the best. It is propagated by 

 grafting on the common sorts. It is not rejiroduced 

 truly from seed, but its seedlings produce large and fine 

 fruits. It bears and ripens well as far north as Rochester. 

 It bears the second year from the graft and the fourth 

 from seed. 



Section 20. — Filberts. 



1. Cosford. — This is an improved variety of the Eng- 

 lish hazel-nut, very prolific, nut large, oblong, or. oval; 

 shell thin, and kernel fine flavored. 



2. Cohurj?. — Large and fine, and a most abundant 

 bearer. 



3. Dwarf Prolific. — One of the^-most prolific bearers, 

 nut rather smalx; kernel ffood. 



