358 THE VEGETABLE WORLD. 
having heard its history related by the savants of the hamlet. (Plate 
XI.) This tree is called the ‘ Chestnut of a Hundred Horses’ in con- 
sequence of the vast extent of ground it covers. They tell me that 
Jean of Aragon, while journeying from Spain to Naples, stopped 
in Sicily and visited Mount Etna, accompanied by all the noblesse of 
Catania on horseback. A storm came on, and the Queen and her 
cortege took shelter under this tree, whose vast foliage served to pro- 
tect her and all these cavaliers from the rain. It is true that out of the 
hamlet the tradition of the Queen’s visit is looked upon as fabulous; 
bat however that may be, the tree itself seems very capable of doing 
the office assigned to it. 
“This tree with its vaunted diameter is entirely hollow. It is 
supported chiefly by its bark, having lost its interior entirely by 
age; but is not the less crowned with verdure. The people of the 
country have erected a house here, with a sort of furnace for drying 
the chestnuts and other fruits which they wish to preserve. They 
are even so indifferent to the preservation of this wonderful natural 
curiosity that they do not hesitate to cut off branches to burn in 
the furnace. . 
‘‘Some persons think that this mass of vegetation is formed of 
many trees which have united their trunks ; but a careful examma- 
tion disposes of this notion. They are deceived. All the parts which 
have been destroyed by time or the hand of man have a 
belonged to a single trunk. I have measured them carefully pel 
found the one trunk as I have said, 160 feet in circumference. 
We should be inclined to adopt the opinion here hinted, that = 
this monster tree was the union of several, but M. Houel’s sketch - 
and description seem conclusive; and his opinion is further _ 
firmed by the fact that many chestnuts in the neighbourhood 
Mount Etna are 12 yards in diameter, while one actually measures 
83 feet. : 7 
Now, what age can be assigned to the Mount Etna Chesnu 
It is difficult to say. If we are to suppose that each yor its se ) ' 
centric layers have only beena line in thickness, this Moe i 
tree would be not less than three thousand six hundred and ese 
years old. 
At Neuve Calle, on the G Lake, there exists another Chesnu® : 
of gigantic proportions. 
