228 



FLORA AND SYLVA. 



more like a group of five distinct trees 

 all in partial decay. That it was origin- 

 ally one compact and gigantic mass is 

 partly proved by the fact that on the 

 inner side of the vast segments of trunk, 

 that still in part surround the large open 

 space that was once the core of the tree, 

 there is no vestige of bark ; the original 

 unity of the tree is also shown by find- 

 ing that at a certain depth below the 

 surface the five separated portions unite 

 in one solid trunk, its entire circumfer- 

 ence being 204 feet, giving a diameter 

 of 68 feet. Though such a size is pro- 

 bably unique, Massa, one of the most es- 

 teemed of Sicilian authors, states that, 

 though he had seen Oaks measuring 

 more than 40 feet round, he had seen 

 Chestnut trees of greater size, indeed 

 such as almost to strain belief. One of 

 the largest of these is about a mile and 

 a half higher up the mountain than the 

 famous old tree, and is called II Cas- 

 tagno del Galea. It rises on an erect 

 and solid stem to a considerable height, 

 when it spreads forth arms of great size, 

 and is, in fact, a much finer object than 

 the venerable ruin of the cento Cavalli. 

 Two feet from the ground it is 76 feet 

 in girth and 2 5 \ feet in diameter. An- 

 other tree of nearly equal size is known 

 to the Etna guides as the Castagno del 

 Nave. Both of these, and many others 

 but slightly smaller, grow in the deep 

 rich soil formed of ashes thrown out of 

 the volcano, and are found at a height 

 of about 4,000 feet. In parts of Italy, 

 France, and other regions where the 

 Chestnut is much used as wood, there 

 are many varieties, mostly increased by 

 grafting on the common tree. 



Varieties cultivated for Fruit. — 

 The fruits of the common Chestnut are 

 small and poor, consisting of three nuts 

 packed together ; the husks surround- 

 ing each nut make them useless as food. 

 The cultivated form yields a better fruit 

 and exists in many varieties, of which 

 the best are Pourtalonne, vigorous and 

 fertile ; Verte du Limousin, fertile, fruit 

 large, well-flavoured and keeping well ; 

 Exalade, good in all respects save that 

 the tree quickly exhausts itself in fruit- 

 ing ; and Nousillarde, a good kind with 

 fruits coming true from seed. The kinds 

 most esteemed for their fruit, however, 

 are those distinguished in France as 

 Marron, in which the three divisions 

 found in the common Chestnut are uni- 

 ted in one kernel, large, round, of fine 

 flavour, and free from the inner divisions 

 which so spoil the commoner sorts. To 

 this class belong the famous Chestnuts 

 of Lyons, of which that town is only the 

 central market, the fruit being grown in 

 the mountain districts of the Cevennes, 

 and of Var and Alpes Maritimes where 

 the soil suits the trees, which are very 

 productive. Thus the annual yield of 

 fruits in these two southern departments 

 and the island of Corsica is valued at 

 about ^200,000, produced by land of 

 small value for other forms of culture, 

 while the yield for the whole of France 

 is valued at well over a million pounds 

 each year. The Marron is also found in 

 several varieties bearing in most cases 

 local names such as Marron de Lyon, or 

 Marron du Luc, with fruit very large 

 and of fine quality ; Marron deSt. Tro- 

 pez, grown in the mountains of Var, and 

 with a reputation second only to the 



