PRACTICAL ARBORICULTURE 403 
with mud, and if not too close and dense, permits a bluegrass sod to form, and so 
the woodland is utilized for pasturage. 
The enormous quantity of edible nuts produced affords considerable food for 
swine and fowls, while squirrels scatter the nuts broadly, and consequently many 
Beech seedlings appear, nearly all of which, however, are quickly destroyed by 
stock. 
The wood is very inferior for most purposes, yet it is utilized to some extent 
as lumber and for fuel. 
The grain of the beech often grows in spiral manner, making a complete cir- 
cuit of the trunk in a few feet. 
It is usually cross-grained and tough, difficult to split, and for this reason it 
is valued for making shoe lasts, plane stocks, small tool handles, and many articles 
which are usually kept dry. 
Recently the Beech has been quarter sawed, making a very handsome lum- 
ber, which is greatly esteemed for inside finish. 
The lumber must be carefully handled while drying, as it is inclined to warp 
and twist. If exposed to the weather beech quickly decays, while in some situa- 
tions it is inclined to dry rot. 
Hillsides with steep slopes in Southern Indiana have been held firmly, with- 
out washing, the surface soil remaining deep, rich and mellow, affording good 
woods pasture for many years past, by leaving the original beech woods, but 
within three years after clearing away these trees, their roots had entirely decayed 
and the land completely denuded of soil, leaving only the hard, stiff clay and lime- 
stone rocks from which the water flows rapidly, without penetrating the earth, 
and when cultivation was attempted, the surface soon washed into gullies and 
was unproductive. 
Where such timber is standing on rough lands it is far better to plant other 
and more valuable trees among the beech woods, allowing the old trees to remain 
as a protection to the young growth until they are capable of caring for them- 
selves and taking the place of the former woods. 
THE AMERICAN SWEET CHESTNUT. 
Castanea Americana. 
This valuable timber and nut tree is not appreciated as it should be in the re- 
gion of its abundance. In but few localities of the Western States has it been 
placed by Nature, yet it has been planted by man quite extensively and it has gen- 
erally adapted itself to the new conditions and grown well. 
The mountain regions from Tennessee to Virginia, and higher lands of New 
York and New Jersey, seem to be the places of its greatest abundance. 
The Chestnut is of rapid growth, spreading, if allowed ample room, but 
straight and upright in dense woods, making a very large tree. Splitting into rails 
easily, from its straight, even grain, this is a favorite wood for building the old 
rail fences, and besides it is easily chopped and worked. 
When not in contact with the earth. it is remarkably durable, and is, as well, 
the common fence post in many localities, lasting as such a long time, although 
bv no means as durable as Locust. 
