Handbook of Trees of the jSToetheen States and Canada. 339 



The Horse-Chestnut has long been one of the 

 most popular shade trees of both Europe and 

 America. Its native home is said to be south- 

 ern Asia, from the Himalaya Mts. to Greece, 

 from whence it was introduced into this coun- 

 try about the middle of the 18th century, and 

 it has become naturalized in many places. It 

 is one of the largest trees of its genus, some- 

 times attaining the height of 75 or 80 ft. with 

 trunk 2 or 3 ft. in diameter. Its formal round 

 pyramidal top is one of the most familiar ob- 

 jects among the trees of the parks and street- 

 sides of all the eastern cities, and few trees 

 equal it in beauty when, in the month of May, 

 its dome of tender green handsome leaves is 

 beset with showy pyramids of white flowers 

 mottled with red. Many garden varieties have 

 appeared; as forms with variegated and lacini- 

 ate leaves, red-tinted and double flowers, etc. 

 It is said that the bitter principle of the fruit 

 can be removed with fresh water and it is then 

 palatable and nutritious. The bark is rich in 

 tannin and is used in medicine. 



The light close-gi'ained wood is suitable for 

 the uses for which the Fetid Buckeye is applied. 

 In Europe it is employed as blind wood in 

 cabinet making, for moulds, etc.i 



Leaves with petioles 4-7 in. long and .'-7 

 (usually 7) sessile obovate leaflet.'?, cuneate at 

 base, abruptly acuminate, irregularly crenate- 

 dentate, rugose, thin and nearly glabrous. FJoirem 

 in pyramidal rather dense tbyrses, white spotted 

 with yellow and purple. Fruit subglobose, 2-H in. 

 in diameter, covered with spines ; seed 1-1 1^ in. 

 long with large hilum.' 



1. A. W., I, 6. 



2. For genus see p. 447. 



