Castanea 853 



which prevents their being cut into small scantlings. Mr. Weale tells me that it is 

 used extensively in London for making coffins instead of oak. For making hoops, 

 poles of chestnut are considered the best ; and the wood is also largely used for 

 making wine casks in France and Spain. 



A section from the butt of a chestnut tree, said to be two hundred years old, was 

 shown by the Marquis of Exeter at the Forestry Exhibition of the Royal Agri- 

 cultural Society at Lincoln in 1907. This tree measured 7 feet in diameter at the 

 butt and was fairly sound and free from shakes. I am informed by Mr. Danson 

 that this tree was grown on a clay soil overlying ironstone, with a north-west 

 exposure, about 230 feet above sea level. 



At Shobdon Court, Herefordshire, the seat of Lord Bateman, I saw the trunk 

 of a large chestnut, measuring 19^ feet in girth, lying on the ground. It was quite 

 sound, with the exception of two small ring-shakes, and by counting the rings I 

 found that it was 207 years old. 



Such poles as are too thick for hop-poles make, on account of their durability, 

 one of the best forms of park fencing that I know, of which many instances are 

 quoted by Loudon. It is said that a park fence, erected in 1772 by Mr, Windham 

 of Felbrigg, of oak and chestnut thinnings, was taken down in 1792, when the 

 chestnut was found as sound as when put down, while the oak was so much wasted 

 at the ground level that it could not be used again without support. 



The Earl of Ducie exhibited at the Stroud show of the Gloucestershire Agricul- 

 tural Society in June 1907 specimens of fencing posts made from chestnut, planted 

 by himself in 1855, and cut in 1885, which had been in use for twenty-two years, and 

 were still quite sound. 



The walking- and umbrella-sticks, which are known in the trade as "Congo 

 sticks," are saplings of the chestnut, which are easily manipulated when growing, 

 the knots or markings for which these sticks are valued being produced by lacerating 

 the bark through to the wood. They were formerly obtained from the north of 

 France, but are now almost exclusively produced near Carlstadt in Croatia.^ 



The fruit of the chestnut is so well known that I need say little about it, and 

 though in the colder parts of England it is often so small as to be of little use for 

 human food, it is eaten by pheasants and deer. The large chestnuts eaten at dessert 

 are imported, and are known under the name of "marrons" in France where they 

 are preserved in sugar and form a very favourite sweetmeat.^ 



being equal, and probably superior to that of any wood (presumably he meant English wood) except oak. He spoke of a large 

 bridge having been built about 1858 of chestnut timber, over the river Wye at Hoarwithy near Hereford. The bridge after nineteen 

 years was taken down in a crippled condition, which he attributed partly to the design of the bridge, and partly to the decay 

 of the timber at the numerous joints where water could lodge. Yet the great bulk of the wood was perfectly sound ; and 

 seemed to show that for ordinary work not subject to damp, the timber may be very useful. Although he could not admit its 

 occurrence in ancient roofs, it might be very suitably used in preference to deal or pitch pine ; and in church furniture it 

 would probably, in course of time, take a colour which would be far better than that of the stained woods now so much used. 



' Kew Bulletin, 1899, p. 53. 



2 In some parts of Spain and Italy, and in the south of France, chestnuts are ground into flour ; and in the form of 

 cakes, soup, and porridge, form a considerable part of the food of the poorer classes during winter. Specimens of chestnut 

 flour and cakes are exhibited in the museum at Kew ; and in Kew Bulletin, 1890, p. 173. an analysis of the flour is given by 

 Professor Church, who considers that it is easily digestible and probably useful as food for children. Further interesting 

 particulars concerning the use of the chestnut are given in Reports on the CulHvation of the Spanish Chestnut (India Office, 

 12th March 1892). 



