SPANISH CHESTNUT. 



43 



dant in England that many of the largest of our 

 ancient piles are wooded of it, has been for several 

 ages much on the decrease in this country ; owing, 

 probably, to a slight refrigeration of climate, which, 

 during this period, appears to have taken place, pre- 

 venting the ripening of the seed, or, in more rigor- 

 ous winters, following damp, cold summers, destroy- 

 ing all the young plants (at least the part above 

 ground), whose succulent unripened shoots and more 

 delicate general constitution, from immatured annual 

 round of life, or imperfect concoction of juices, have 

 not powder to withstand the severe cold sometimes 

 occurring near the surface of the earth. A very ge- 

 neral destruction of the young plants of this kind of 

 tree has occm-red more than once within our me- 

 mory from severe frost ; but as the climate, a few 

 years back, rather improved, and the spirit of plant- 

 ing became more general, a considerable number of 

 plants of this tree have attained height and hardi- 

 hood to withstand the cold, excepting in the points 

 of the annual shoot, which we notice are again nip- 

 ped (year 1830). This may give encouragement to 

 more extended planting, as the tree is handsome, 

 and, in most places, where water does not abound 

 nor stagnate, acquires great size in comparatively 

 short time. It is said to prefer a gravelly or stone 



