CHESTNUT TREE. 95 



Nava. The extraordinary size of these trees may be in 

 some measure owing to the rich soil formed from the 

 ashes of the volcano. Dr. Clarke, in his Travels in Sweden , 

 observes, that some plants will grow and thrive in an ex- 

 traordinary manner, in those parts of the forests where 

 the trees have been consumed by fire. 



Captain Smith, who visited Mount Etna eight or ten 

 years since, says, " That father of the forest, the vene- 

 rable Castagno di cento Cavalli, supposed to be the oldest 

 tree in the world, appears to consist of five large and two 

 smaller trees ; which, from the circumstance of the bark 

 and boughs being all outside, are considered to have been 

 one trunk originally. Some say the two smaller ones 

 are saplings, planted purposely to complete the circle 1 : 

 the peasants strongly affirmed that the roots, having beci^ 

 inspected, were found to be in common, but not having 

 had the means or permission myself of examining further 

 into the fact, I could not form a decided opinion. The 

 largest trunk is thirty-eight feet in circumference, and 

 the circuit of the whole five, measured just above tin- 

 ground, is one hundred and sixty-three feet. It still 

 bears rich foliage, and much small fruit, though the 

 heart of the trunks is decayed, and a public road leads 

 through them. Some other trees of the same species, 

 and of a very large size, are spread over the adjacent 

 grounds V 



There is a great difference in the measurement of 

 Captain Smith and Mr. Brydone's; no less than forty- 

 one feet : yet it is not likely that Mr. Brydone should 

 have been mistaken in his calculation, as his friend 

 Mr. Glover, who was with him, measured it also, and 



* Sicily and its Islands, by Captain Smith, R. N. p. 148. 



