34 JESCULACEJ3. 



nately wet and dry; it is also used in turnery, for boxes, 

 and several other minor articles, where a soft and easily 

 wrought wood is required. The bark, which is very bitter, 

 has sometimes been substituted for Jesuits' Bark ; it also 

 gives a yellow dye, and is sometimes used in tanning. 

 The nuts, when bruised or reduced to a pulp, possess a 

 detergent quality and act as soap, and in Ireland they 

 are sometimes used for bleaching linen. In Turkey the 

 nuts are ground and mixed with other horse-food, being 

 esteemed of service to horses broken or touched in the 

 wind. 



To attain its greatest dimensions the Horse-chesnut re- 

 quires a deep fine loam in a situation rather protected from 

 winds, as it is liable when young, and where much ex- 

 posed, to be seriously injured by having the side-branches 

 torn from the stem. It is perfectly hardy and remains un- 

 injured by our severest winters ; and indeed the nature of 

 the buds, and the manner in which they are protected by 

 their numerous envelopes and exterior covering of resinous 

 varnish, evidently shows that the species is a native of a 

 country where the winter cold must be very severe. It 

 is propagated by the nuts, which are best sown immedi- 

 ately after being gathered, as they soon lose their vegetative 

 power if allowed to become dry. Loudon recommends 

 planting the nut where the tree is intended to remain, 

 as he says it is likely to attain the largest size in the 

 shortest time, in consequence of thus having the tap root 

 untouched and uninjured. This, we admit, is likely to be 

 the case for a certain number of years, but it may be 

 doubted whether a transplanted tree will not ultimately 

 attain as large a size as one reared in the manner recom- 

 mended. It is a tree of the largest size, attaining, in a 

 favourable situation, a height sometimes as great as ninety 



