COMPOSITION OF FRUIT TREES 59 



The percentage compositiou of the fruit (nut) is 

 the following : — 



Moisture . . . . 8-00 



OU 65-60 



Albuminoids 15 'SI 



Non-nitrogenous matter . . 7 "39 



Ash 3-70 



The chestnut is not altogether a common tree 

 in Britain, but is plentiful in Italy, Spain and 

 France. In many districts of Spain and Italy, 

 it takes the place of oats, rye, and rice. Chestnut 

 groves are abundant in all the mountain districts, 

 and the season of chestnut gathering is the 

 harvest festival of these countries. 



The leaves of the chestnut contain tannin, 

 and a fluid extract of the leaves is official in the 

 " United States Pharmacopoeia." 



Currants {Ribes nigrum et rubrum et album, 

 Natural Order, Grossulariacese) prefer a deep rich 

 loam. Eed and white currants bear fruit at the 

 base of the previous year's shoots, also on old 

 spurs ; black currants bear fruit along the entire 

 length of the previous year's shoots. 



The ashes of the wood and fruit contain in 100 

 parts : — 



