93 



HORSE-CHESNUT. ^ESCULUS. 



Natural order, Trihilata. A genus of the Heptandria 

 Monogynia class. 



THE generic name of this tree is derived from esca, 

 food. It had the old names Hippocastanum and Casta- 

 nea equina, from the similitude of the fruit to that of the 

 chesnut, and from its being given to horses. The class 

 and order of the tree being as widely different from the 

 Castanea chesnut, Linnseus altered the old title to that 

 of Esculus. 



The Horse-chesnut was first brought from the northern 

 parts of Asia into Europe about the year 1550, accord- 

 ing to Martin's edition of Miller, and was sent to Vienna 

 about the year 1558; but of this statement we are doubt- 

 ful, as it was certainly not introduced into French Flan- 

 ders before the year 1576, when C. Clusius, a celebrated 

 botanist of Arras, received it from the Imperial Ambas- 

 sador at the Porte, together with a considerable variety of 

 trees new to Europe ; but the horse-chesnut and the 

 cherry-laurel were the only two he succeeded in rearing. 



When planted in well-chosen situations, this tree is 

 one of the greatest ornaments to our parks or extensive 

 grounds, particularly during the month of May, when 

 its bold and elegant spiral blossoms are conspicuous at a 

 distance and pleasing on approach : but the large digitated 

 leaves form a heavy foliage, that requires to be relieved 

 by the birch, the ash, the elm, or the poplar. It tells 



