NUTS 



37 



enormous proportion of oil. Tliis, altiiough of use as food, 

 renders nuts more difficult of digestion than grains, and 

 causes them to spoil with keeping after a comparatively 

 short time. 



Fig. 24. — Che.?tniit (Castanea ."^atira, lic-c-rh Family, Fngacetp). A leaf^' 

 twig, bearing flower-clusters composed niosth' of yellowish, staminate 

 flowers -n-itii a few greenish pistillate flowers near the base. About 

 one-quarter natural size. (Baillon.) — The plant is one of the largest 

 forest trees of the north temperate zone, sometimes in forests attain- 

 ing a height of 30 m. Bark, on the trunk and older branches, dark, 

 ^■ery hard, and with long deep clefts: when 3"0unger smooth and lighter 

 colored; young twigs deep green, bronzed or purplish brown, covered 

 with whitish dots. Leaves, poli-shed, bright green above, smooth and 

 paler l^elow. 



In spite of their disadvantages, however, chestnuts, wal- 

 nuts, and peanuts form a very important part of tlie food of 

 many Europeans, largely taking the place of cereals. In 

 many tropical regions where cereals do not grow, immense 



