Handbook of Trees of thiu jS[oetiiek.\ States and Canada. 135 



When glowing in tlie forests the Chestnut 

 tree attains the heiglit of 100 ft. with straiglit 

 columnar trunk ;i or 4 ft. in diameter vested 

 in a grayish bro« n shallow lidged bark. It 

 is in the open lieUls, liowevrr, tliat it shows 

 best its noble form and [iropoi tions. Theie it 

 develops a very large broad or rounded brad 

 sometimes eoveriiig an area 100 ft. across with 

 massive branches and short sturdy trunk 

 sometimes 8, ID or iwcn 12 ft. in thickness. 

 Its long handsome kvncs always gi\c il a 

 peculiar charm, but its beauty is greatly en- 

 hanced in early summer wlii'n it puts out its 

 great clusters of fragrant golden catkins. 

 These are succeeded in a few \vceks by its 

 hardly less conspicMcuis |iale grcoi clusters of 

 fruit, the precious nature of which is indicated 

 by the forbidding barrh-adc of sharp S[>ines 

 whicli effectually protects it until ripe, and 

 then, opening, cast it out to be eagerly coveted 

 by both man and beast. 



Chestnut wood, a cu. ft. of whicli when aliso- 

 lutely dry weighs '2S.07 lbs., is very duralile 

 in contact with the soil and makes useful 

 lumber for many purposes. It is also rich in 

 tannin, which is extracted and used for tan- 

 ning purposes. - 



Leaves ohlon£;-]anceobatc. 6-0 in. Ions:, cuncate. 

 ronndi^d or olUiise at basr. pubescent at tirsf. 

 :;lahrflus liotli sidps and riim at maturity, darli 

 -,'ic'pn atiove, paler hencatll ; pcMoles short, sloiit. 

 imhendoiis. /■7«»Tr.s ,■ i .liulc-.tn tv I : slaminalc 

 ampnts numerous. ."Mi in, Innu' witli srnut tomen- 

 tnsi^ sti^ms : androgynous arncrils li^ij--"' in. lone 

 Fruit nut 9i-l in. lonj;;. much compressed and 2-."', 

 together in eacli involucre whieli is gloliose. ahont 

 2 in. in diameter, densely eocered wifb pi'iekle^ 



1. SyQ C'astanta vesca yar. Americana MIchs. 



■i. .A. W . II, 40. 



'i. For genus see p. A'M). 



