44 LONDON TREES 



Chestnut, Horse 



(AZsculus Hippocastanum) 



THOUGH suited for planting in the more open 

 and airy parts of the Metropolis, yet in very 

 smoky and confined districts the Horse Chestnut 

 cannot be said to succeed in a satisfactory way. There 

 is a well-developed and much admired avenue of the 

 Horse Chestnut in Regent's Park, and who has not 

 heard of the famous avenue of these trees in Bushy 

 Park, which during the flowering period is one of the 

 sights of London ? The Horse Chestnut was intro- 

 duced into this country in the reign of Queen Elizabeth 

 by Tradescant, who cultivated it along with many 

 other plants in his famous garden at Lambeth. As 

 an ornamental tree it has few equals, the exquisite 

 symmetry and beauty of both foliage and flower 

 rendering it peculiarly suitable for landscape effect. 

 It is a tree of quick growth, but as it soon reaches 

 maturity it as soon decays, and the annual growth is 

 remarkable in being produced in about three weeks 

 after the buds have opened ; and as soon as the flowers 

 have fallen, the buds for the following year begin 

 to swell. 



The timber, though of little value for constructive 

 purposes, is, on account of its lightness, largely used 

 in the making of packing-cases, for moulders' patterns, 

 castings, turnery purposes, and for the making of brush 

 backs and cutting boards. The seeds are collected 

 for feeding deer. 



The Horse Chestnut is raised from seed, while 

 the pink-flowering variety is grafted on stocks of the 

 species. About mid-October the chestnuts are ripe, 



