CHESTNUT TREE. 



CASTANEA VESCA. 



CORYLIDEJE. MONCECIA POLYANDRIA. 



The old botanical name for this tree was Castanea^ from a town 

 in Thessaly about which it grew in great abundance; Linnaeus 

 placed it in the same genus with the beech, but later botanists have 

 restored its ancient name, and separated it from the beech. — 

 French, chataignier ; Italian, castagno. 



The Chestnut, whei'e it has room, will grow to an 

 enormous size, and spread its branches freely to a great 

 distance on every side ; but where it is confined, it runs 

 up to a considerable height, and is of much smaller bulk. 

 The leaves are large, of a lucid green, four or five inches 

 long, and two in width ; somewhat wrinkled, and marked 

 with several transverse veins, proceeding from a strong 

 midrib. The blossoms grow in little balls, without any 

 foot-stalk, and the calyx becomes the capsule or case 

 which contains the nuts. 



" The Chestnut in maturity,'' says Mr. Gilpin, " is 

 a noble tree, and growls not unlike the oak.^' 



" Being planted in hedge-rows,'' says Evelyn ; " or for 

 avenues to our country-houses, they are a magnificent 

 and royal ornament." 



It is commonly called the Spanish Chestnut in this 

 country; either because it came to us from Spain, or 

 because the fruit, which grows to great perfection in that 

 warm climate, is brought from thence. The nuts are 



