THE CHESNUT. 



49 



THE BEECH. 



The Beech is another very beautiful tree, and, in 

 favourable soils, attains a great height and thick- 

 ness. It has been known in Britain for ages, but 

 whether indigenous or not has been disputed. Cer- 

 tainly it is not a Scottish native. The Beech is ra- 

 ther inferior to the ash, elm, and plane, in quickness 

 of growth, and it does not grow in quite so high a 

 degree of cold as the oak. The beech, ash, elm, 

 and plane, may be considered as belonging to the 

 same climate, in respect of the temperature necessary 

 for their growth. 



Belonging to the same genus, Fagus, is 



THE CHESNUT. 



The Sweet or Spanish Chesnut is a fine tree, and 

 next to the oak as to the value of its timber ; but our 

 climate is very nearly the utmost limit to which it 

 penetrates northward, though trees of it, of a very 

 large size, are to be found in England, and even in 

 Scotland, where the soil happens to be very good, and 

 well sheltered. Many writers injudiciously recom= 



D 



