v.] ELM. CHESTNUT. 105 



{Castanea vulgaris. Fig. 63) also has alternate leaves 

 in a plane parallel to that of the branch, and with in- 

 ternodes of very nearly the same length as the Beech. 

 That is true ; but, on the other hand, the terminal 

 branches of the Spanish Chestnut are stouter in pro- 

 portion. Thus, immediately below the sixth leaf, the 

 Chestnut stalk may be 'i 5 of an inch in thickness, that 



Fig. 62.— Elm, 



of the Beech not much more than half as much. 

 Consequently, the Chestnut could, of course supposing 

 the strength of the wood to be equal, bear a greater 

 weight of leaf; but, the width of the leaf being de- 

 termined by the distance between the internodes, the 

 leaf is, so to say, compelled to draw itself out. In 

 Fig. 64 1 have endeavoured to illustrate this by placing 

 a spray of Beech over one of Spanish Chestnut. 



