c m ) 



CHAPTER XX. 



OF CHESNUTS. 



Different Sorts cultivated in England — Chefnat-Trees are excellent 

 Timber — How to Propagate, Plant, and Head them. 



The Chefnut, Caftanea, is a native of the South of Eu- 

 rope, and is faid to take its name from Caftana, a city of 

 TheiTaly, where antiently it grew in great plenty. It belongs 

 to Linnasus's twenty-nrft clafs, Moncecia Polyandria. 



The forts moftly cultivated in England are thofe commonly 

 called Spanifh Chefnuts, which run into great varieties when 

 raifed from .feed ; and a fort called, in America, Chinquapin, 

 or Dwarf Virginian Chefnut ; but this is only raifed for the 

 fake of variety. 



The former are very fine trees, and well worth cultivating 

 both for ufe and ornament. The timber is reckoned equal to 

 Oak, and, for making calks, even fuperior to it ; as, when 

 feafoned, it is not fo liable to ihrink or fwell as Oak. Thefe 



trees 



