994 



THE BOOK OF GARDENING. 



Chestnuts (Sweet). 



In the Open. — In a few gentlemen's houses these Chestnuts 

 are Hked for dessert, or by young people, and when the trees 



acquire age they produce immense 

 crops of nuts most years if on good 

 soil, and cattle have access to the 

 land. The droppings of the cattle 

 enrich the soil, and the trees afford 

 good shade, which cattle appreciate in 

 hot weather. However, on poor soil, 

 and also amongst other trees, the 

 Sweet or Spanish Chestnut will thrive 

 and fruit freely without any atten- 

 tion whatever. There are a number 

 of species and varieties, the com- 

 monest sort being Castanea sativa 

 (Fig. 645). Apart from the nuts 

 the tree is remarkably handsome, 

 and worthy of inclusion in parks 



and ornamental grounds. 

 Crabs. 



In the Open. — The Dartmouth 

 Crab is probably the best known of 

 all these very attractive trees. Its 

 large handsome flowers and glowing 

 crimson fruit have made it very 

 popular for ornamental plantations. 

 Though not so well known there 

 are many other varieties equally as 

 beautiful and fruitful, amongst which 

 the following are all excellent : John 

 Downie, Fairy x\pple, Malakovna, 

 Orange Crab, Paul's Imperial, Scarlet Siberian, Yellow Siberian, 

 Transcendent, and the new and lovely weeping variety, Elsie 

 Rathke. All the above are most charming when in full blossom, 

 and the fruit is useful for making jelly or preserves. The trees 

 seem equally at home on most soils, providing they are not water- 

 logged, and it must be a very poor ground indeed that will not 

 grow these subjects more or less well. 



Fig. 645. — Catkin and Fruit 

 OF Spanish Chestnut. 



Currants. 



In the Open.- — Few fruit-bearins; trees or bushes are so 

 accommodating as the Currant, the Black, Red, and White kinds 

 all growing and fruiting well on almost all sorts of soils, and 

 either in the pure air of the country or in the sulphurous 

 atmosphere of towns. 



