6 



THE CHESTNUT. 



periods of time more or less remote. For ex- 

 ample, there was in the parish of Milton in Eliza- 

 beth's time, a Chestnut-wood containing 278 acres, 

 and called Cheston. The forest near London de- 

 scribed by Fitz-Stephen is also quoted by Miller, 

 Lauder and others, but unfortunately, as we shall 

 see by and by, without examining the original 

 author. The great Tortworth Chestnut in Glou- 

 cestershire, to be described hereafter, was known by 

 that name as early as the reign of Stephen ; and in 

 the confirmation of a grant made by Henry II., to 

 the monks of Flexeley, the tithe of Chestnuts in 

 the Forest of Dean" is secured to the monastery. 



Such are the principal arguments in favour of 

 the opinion that the Chestnut is a native tree. On 

 the other side it is urged, that the name Spanish 

 Chestnut would imply that the tree is of foreign 

 origin. But this argument will not bear exami- 

 nation. There can be no doubt that Chestnuts 

 were imported from Spain at the time when the 

 name was given ; but it does not at all follow that 

 none were produced in England : we are equally 

 justified in inferring that they were so called by 

 merchants, to distinguish them, and recommend 

 them above English Chestnuts, which are far in- 

 ferior, just as we call hazel-nuts imported from 

 the same country, Spanish nuts," to distinguish 

 them from those which grow in England. 



In the next place, it is expressly stated by an- 

 cient authors that the Chestnut-tree was first in- 

 troduced from Asia into Europe by the Greeks, 

 and transported thence into Italy by the Romans. 

 This fact is allowed by the holders of the opposite 

 opinion, who at the same time maintain that the 

 tree might be unknown in continental Europe, 



