CAS 
The third fort grows in South Carolina, from whence j 
fome of the fruit with their outer covers, were fent to 
his grace the Duke of Bedford, a few years paft : 
thefe were as large and round as a tennis-ball, and 
armed all over with ftrong fpines like a hedge-hog : 
thefe capfulse were divided regularly in four cells, 
each containing one fmall Chefnut. At that time I 
compared thefe with father Plumier’s defcription and 
figure, which he exhibited under the title of Sloanea, 
and found them to agree exa&ly ; and upon looking 
through the box in which thefe were fent, I found 
fome of the leaves of the tree, which alfo tallied with 
his defcription, which confirmed my former opinion; 
therefore, as I could fee no other difference between 
the fruit of this and the common Chefnut, but its 
having four regular cells, divided by partitions, 
whereas thofe of the Chefnut have generally but three; 
therefore I have joined them together, being perfuaded, 
that farther observations will juftify my fo doing. 
It does not appear where Plunder found this tree 
growing naturally, though it is probable, it might 
be in Louifiana ; for I think it could not be in either 
of the Weft India iflands, where the heat is too great 
for this tree to thrive ; though this is tender while 
young, for two or three young plants which were 
raifed in England, did not furvive the third winter. 
The firftof thefe trees was formerly in greater plenty 
amongft us than at prefent, as may be proved by the 
old buildings in London, which were for the molt 
part of this timber ; and in a defcription of London, 
written by Fitz-Stephens, in Henry the Second’s time,' 
he fpeaks of a very noble foreft, which grew on the 
north part of it : proxime (fays he) patet forefta in- 
gens, faltus numerofi ferarum, latebrm cervorum, 
damarum, aprorum, & taurorum fylveftrium, &c. 
And there are now fome remains of old decayed 
Chefnuts, in the woods and chaces not far diftant from 
London, but particularly on Enfield Chace ; which 
plainly proves, that this tree is not fo great a ftranger 
to our climate, as many people believe; and may 
be cultivated in England, to afford an equal profit 
with any of the other forts of larger timber-trees, 
fince the wood of this tree is equal in value to the 
belt Oak, and, for many purpofes, far exceeding it; 
as particularly for making veffels for all kinds of 
liquor, it having a property (when once thoroughly 
feafoned) of maintaining its bulk conftantly, and is 
not iubjebt to fhrink or fwell, as other timber is too 
apt to do : and I am certainly informed, that all the 
large calks, tuns, &c. for their wines in Italy, are 
made of this timber ; and it is for that, and many 
more purpofes, in greater efteem among the Italians, 
than any other timber whatever. It is alfo very va- 
luable for pipes to convey water under ground, as 
enduring longer than the Elm, or any other wood. 
In Italy it is planted for coppice-wood, and is very 
much cultivated in ftools, to make ftakes for their 
Vines; which, being ftuck into the ground, will 
endure feven years, which is longer than any other 
ftakes will do, by near half the time. The ufefulnefs 
of the timber, together with the beauty of the tree, 
renders it as well worth propagating as any tree 
whatever. 
Thefe trees are propagated by planting the nuts in 
February, in beds of frefn undunged earth. The 
belt nuts for fowing, are fuch as are brought from 
Portugal and Spain, and are commonly fold in winter 
for eating, provided they are not ldln-dried, which is 
generally the cafe of m oft of thofe brought from abroad, 
which is done to prevent their fprouting or fhooting 
in their paffage ; therefore, if they cannot be procured 
frefh from the tree, it will be much better to ufe 
thofe of the growth of England, which are full as 
good to fow for timber or beauty, as any of the fo- 
reign nuts, though their fruit is much fmaller : thefe 
fhould be preferved, until the feafon for lowing, in 
fand, where mice, or other vermin cannot come to 
them, otherwife they will foon deftroy them : before 
you let them, it will be proper to put them into 
water, to try their goodnefs, which is known by their I 
ponderofity ; thofe of them that fwim upon the fur- 
face of the water fhould be rejected as good for 
nothing ; but iuch as fink to the bottom, you may 
be fure are good. 
In fetting thefe feeds or nuts, the bell; way is, to make 
a drill with a hoe (as is commonly prariciied in fetting 
Kidney Beans) about four inches deep, in which you 
fhould place the nuts, at about four inches diftance, 
with their eye uppermoft ; then draw the earth over 
them with a rake, and make a fecond drill at about 
a foot diftance from the former, proceeding as before, 
allowing three or four rows in a bed, with an alley 
between, three feet broad, for a conveniency of 
clearing the beds, &c. When you have finifhed your 
plantation, you rnuft be careful that it is not de- 
ftroyed by mice, or other vermin ; which is very often 
the cafe, if they are not prevented by traps, or other 
means. 
In April thefe nuts will appear above ground ; you 
muff; therefore obferve to keep them clear from 
weeds, efpecially while young : in thefe beds they 
may remain for two years, when you fhould remove 
them into a nurfery, at a wider diftance. The belt 
feafon for tranfplanting thefe trees, is either in Oc- 
tober or the latter end of February ; but Oftober is 
the beft feafon : the diftance thefe fhould have in the 
nurfery, is three feet row from row, and one foot in 
the rows : you muft be careful in tranfplanting thefe 
trees, to take them up without injuring their roots, 
nor Ihould. they remain long out of the ground ; but 
if they have a downright tap-root, it fhould be 
cut off, efpecially if they are intended to be removed 
again ; this will occafion their putting out lateral 
roots, and render them lefs fubjebf to mifcarry when 
they are removed for good. 
The time generally allowed them in this nurfery, is 
three or four years, according to their growth; but the 
younger they are tranfplanted, if defigned for timber, 
the better they will fucceed ; during which time you 
fhould be careful to keep them clear from weeds, ob- 
ferving alfo to prune off lateral branches, which would 
retard their upright growth ; and where you find any 
that are difpofed to growcrooked, either by their upper 
bud being hurt, or from any other accident, you may 
the yearafterplanting, inMarch, cut themdown tothe 
lowermoft eye next the furface of the ground, which, 
will caufe them to make one ftrong upright fhoot, 
and may be afterwards trained into good ftrait trees : 
but this fhould not be pradlifed, uniefs the plants 
have abfoiutely loft their leading fhoot ; for although 
the Items of the trees fhould be very crooked (as is 
generally the cafe with them when young) yet when 
they are tranfplanted out, and have room to grow, 
as they increafe in bulk, they will grow more up- 
right, and their items will become ftrait, as I have 
frequently obierved where there have been great 
plantations made of them. 
But in doing of this, you muft be careful not todifturb 
or break their roots, which, perhaps might deftroy 
them. Thefe trees require no other manure than their 
own leaves, which fhould be buffered to rot upon the 
ground ; and in the fpring of the year, the ground 
fhould have a flight digging, when thefe fhould be 
buried between their roots, but not too clofe to the 
trees, which might be injurious to their young fibres. 
After having remained three or four years in the 
nurfery, they will be fit for tranfplanting, either in 
rows to grow for timber, or in quarters for wil- 
dernefs plantations; butif you intend them for timber, 
it is by much the better method to fow them in 
furrows (as is pradiifed for Oaks, &c.) and let them 
remain unremoved ; for thefe trees are apt to have 
a downright tap-root, which, being hurt by tranf- 
planting, is often a check to their upright growth, 
and caufes them to fhoot out into lateral branches, as 
is* the cafe with the Oak, Walnut, &c. 
Therefore, wherever any of thefe trees are planted 
for timber, they fhould remain unremoved : but 
where the fruit of them is more fought after, then it 
is certainly the better way to tranfplant them ; for as 
E f f tranf- 
