THE HORSE-CHESTNUT 11 



and drooping; but, contrary to the general rule,/ their 

 under surfaces grow faster than the upper, so that 

 they rise and spread out horizontally, ultimately 

 becoming very large, single leaflets sometimes reach- 

 ing a foot in length, and the whole group being nearly 

 two feet across, whilst the leaf-stalk becomes nearly a 

 foot long and half an inch in diameter. 



The glories of spring are but fleeting. By the time 

 the leaves have stretched theraselves to their, full size, 

 they have lost their beauty of colour, and the tree, 

 when not in flower, having no gloss to the surface of 

 the foliage, and being densely covered in, so that no 

 bough is visible, is a dull brownish-green mass in the 

 landscape, destitute of light and shade. In, May, 

 however, ere this dulling is effected, a new beauty is 

 displayed, that of blossom. Then it may truly be 

 said, in ' the words of the authors of the " Forest 

 Minstrel," that the Chestnut is — 



" Glorious array'd ;, 

 For in its honour prodigal nature weaves 



A princely vestment, and profusely showers 

 O'er its green masses of broad palmy leaves 



Ten thousand waxen pyramidal flowers ; 

 And gay and gracefully its head it heaves 



Into the air, and monarch-like it towers. 

 Dimming all other trees." 



Then the larger green p3T:"amid becomes but a 

 background to set off the beauty of the lesser pyra- 

 mids of snowy white, lined with gold, and just dashed 

 -with rosy red, whose beauty, when viewed from a dis- 

 tance, is only excelled by their perfection when closely 

 scrutinised. We have in England so few trees with 

 conspicuous blossoms that we are the more impressed 



