NURSERY AND PLANTING. 



75 



Anglo-Norman antiquities, that it is a native tree, and brings in 

 as a proof, the existence of the wood in some of the oldest 

 houses in London ; but it is probable that what he has taken 

 for chestnut, was only oak of a similar grain. He, however, 

 appeals to a deed of gift, which is sti)l in existence, from Henry 

 the Second to Flexly Abbey, of the tithes of all his chestnuts 

 in the forest of Dean. 



The historian Camden informs us that Cowdery Park, in 

 Sussex, abounded with fine trees of this kind; and Cheshunt, 

 a village in Hertfordshire, is supposed to derive its name from 

 the chestnut trees, which once abounded in its vicinity. 



We certainly agree with Philips in believing that it was in- 

 troduced by the Romans, who, having been masters of this 

 country for nearly four hundred years, and being so much at- 

 tached to horticultural pursuits, we may naturally conclude, 

 would not fail to transport hither their hardiest kinds of fi-uits, 

 and particularly those which were used as a substitute for bread. 



The oldest specimens, probably, of this tree, wliich we 

 have any account of in this country, is that of the great chest- 

 nut of Tortworth, in Gloucestershire, which has been noticed 

 by the earliest historians of our country, and is supposed to have 

 been 1100 years old. This tree is one of the most magnificent 

 of our timber-trees, and equallifig the oak both in height and 

 bulk. Its longevity is great, as is sufficiently proved by the 

 celebrated specimen on Mount Etna, which has attained the 

 astonishing circumference of 20i feet. Some instances occur 

 both in England and Scotland of its attaining the size of from 

 thirty to forty-five feet in circumference ; and, upon a moderate 

 calculation, it would require a period of more than 500 years 

 to attain that size. The chestnut not only thrives in any soil 

 in which the oak is grown in perfection, but also attains a con- 

 siderable size in soils of a poorer nature, and will make excel- 

 lent copse-wood in almost any soil. Wet strong soils are, of 

 all others, the best suited for this tree, when the object in view 

 is to attain fine timber-trees. As an ornamental tree, few ex- 

 cel it, either in the beauty of its foliage, flowers, or the mag- 

 nificence of its habit. It is therefore very proper," Sang 

 observes, for the decoration of the park and of the lawn. 

 Many chestnut-trees, however, should not be planted close to 



