HORSE CHESTNUT. . 349 



imperfect pistils, and only those near the base of the branches 

 of the inflorescence perfect and fertile; calyx tubular, five-lobed, 

 often oblique or swollen at the base; petals four or five; more 

 or less unequal with claws; stamens five to eight; ovary three- 

 celled with two ovules in each cell. Fruit a roundish leathery 

 pod, three-celled and three-seeded or usually by suppression one 

 or two-celled and one or two-seeded, the remnants of the 

 abortive cells and seeds commonly visible in the ripened pods, 

 seeds one to one and one-half inches broad, with a hard chestnut 

 brown coat; embryo filling the seed; cotyledons very thick and 

 fleshy. The large seeds of both species contain a large amount 

 of starch, but present with it is a bitter principle,^esculine, which 

 renders them unfit for food for man, although they are some- 

 times fed to sheep, goats and swine. This bitter principle may 

 be removed by repeated washings in pure water, and were it 

 not for the cost of the operation the nuts could be made a 

 valuable food for man. 



Propagation. Both species here described are easily propa- 

 gated by seeds, which should generally be sown in autumn, 

 for they soon lose their vitality; also, by layers made in spring 

 or fall. The varieties may be grown by grafting. - 



hippocastanum. Horse Chestnut. 



Leaves made up of five to seven (generally seven) leaflets. 

 Inflorescence large and conspicuous. Petals five, spreading, 

 white, spotted with purple and yellow. A large tree, with round 

 top, large sticky buds and very dense foliage. 



Distribution. Europe and Asia. 



Propagation. Described under genus. 



Properties of wood. Light, soft, easily worked, light-colored, 

 not durable in contact with the soil. 



Uses. The Horse Chestnut is used in the Eastern and 

 Central states as a shade tree. It is not sufficiently hardy for 

 general planting in this state, and should never be used except 

 in very favorable locations in southern Minnesota. The bark 

 has been used in tanning and as a substitute for cinchona in 

 the treatment of fevers and in homeopathic remedies. 



