The Chesnut. 



standing in any part of the kingdom. This tree has, how- 

 ever, been supplanted by the Oak, as timber; but as under- 

 wood it is excellent, while the Oak, as underwood, is really 

 good for nothing, except for fuel ; and, even as fuel, it yields 

 to almost every other tree, until the wood be of a consider- 

 able size. 



193. The SEED of the Chesnut is to be collected, pre- 

 served, and sowed, in precisely the same manner as directed, 

 for the seed of the Beech, to which the reader will be 

 pleased to turn back; but the seed of the Chesnut is much 

 more delicate than that of the Beech, and maggots are 

 much more apt to get into it. These insects have the per- I 

 verseness to prefer the germ of the seed to all other parts 



of it; the moment they enter they begin upon the germ, 

 and the moment they begin upon it they destroy the vege- 

 tative faculty of the seed. Therefore, if you collect your 

 own seed, tlie greatest possible care must be taken to make 

 it perfectly dry as soon as possible ; not to put it into large 

 parcels; you ought to turn it and rub it several times in 

 order to destroy the eggs from which the maggots come. 

 When the seed is 'perfectly dry, made so in the sun, if 

 j)ossible, it ought to be packed in jars or barrels, along 

 with very dry sand, four times as much sand as chesnuts, 

 and duly mixed; and then the jars or barrels ought to be 

 closed down as carefully as if containing currant-jelly or 

 choice pickled pork. 



194. The SOWING ought not to take place until 

 towards the end of March or the beginning of April. The 

 manner of sowing is that described in the case of the Beech. 

 The earth should be very finely broken, and the seeds, after 

 being scattered over the beds, ought to be well pressed 

 down by the back of the spade, in order that they may not 



