44 



THE HORSE CHESTNUT. 



becomes strong and woody, and forms the buds 

 for the next year's shoots. Owing to this rapid 

 rate of growth, its timber is soft, and unfit for any 

 use where strength and durabihty are required. 

 It is said, however, to be suitable for water-pipes 

 which are to be kept constantly under ground. 

 The bark, which is very bitter, is employed for 

 tanning, and also for dyeing yellow, and it has been 

 used medicinally as a substitute for Jesuit's bark. 



The finest living specimen of Horse Chestnut in 

 England, is said to be that at Nocton, in Lincoln- 

 shire ; this is fifty-nine feet high, and extends over 

 a space 305 feet in circumference ; the branches 

 are so large as to require props ; hence, seen from 

 a little distance, it resembles a Banyan-tree. At 

 Dawick, the seat of Sir John Nasmyth, near 

 Peebles in Tweeddale, are two remarkably fine 

 trees, which stand about twelve feet apart from 

 one another, and unite their foliage so as to form 

 a single head. Sir T. D. Lauder states, that these 

 are the largest in Scotland, if not in Britain. 

 They measure severally, sixteen and a half, and 

 twelve and a half feet in girth, and are in all 

 probability nearly 200 years old. 



The following fanciful, but graphic description 

 of the Horse Chestnut, inserted in the Magazine 

 of Natural History, is from the pen of Mr. Do- 

 vaston. 



It was now the middle of May ; the trees had 

 fully put forth their bright fresh leaves, and the 

 green boughs were luxuriant in a profusion of 

 flowers. We had travelled through a fine country, 

 when, descending the slope of a wooded valley, 

 we were struck with delight and admiration at a 

 tree of extraordinary appearance. There were 



