2002

ARBORETUM AND FRUTICETUM.

PART III

5 * 2 C. pu'mila Willd. The Dwarf Chestnut, or Chincapin.

Identification. Willd. Sp. PI., 4. p. 461.; Michx. Amer, 2. p. 193.; Mill. Diet., No. 2.; N. DuHam., iii. p. 79-

Synonymes. Fkgus pbimla Lin. Sp. PL, 1416., Gron. Virg., 150., Du Roy Harbk., 1. p. 275.,Wang. Amer., 57. t. 19. f. 44., Abbott Insect 2. p. 113. t 57.; Castanea ptrniila virgini&na, &c.Pluk. Aim ., 90, t Cat. Car., 1. p. 9. t. 9., Du Ham. Arb., 3. j Chataigner Chincapin, Fr. ; zwerchKastanie, or Castanje, Ger.

Engravings. Wang. Amer., 57. t. 19. f. 44.; Abb. Ins., 2. t. 57.; Cat. Car., l. t. 9. j Pluk. Aim.,90. t. 156. f. 2.; Michx. N. Amer. Syl., 3. t. 105.; our fig. 1927. from Michaux; and Jig. 1928.from the tree in the Horticultural Society’s Garden.

i Spec. Char., $c. Leaves oblong, acute,mucronately serrated; covered withwhite tomentum beneath. ( Willd .)

A shrub, 7 ft. or 8 ft. high, but some-times attaining the size of a tree t30 ft. or 40 ft. high. It is a nativeof North America, where it forms ashrub rarely exceeding the height of j7 ft. or 8 ft. in New Jersey, Delaware,and Maryland ; though in South Ca-rolina, Georgia, and Lower Louisi-ana, it is sometimes 30 ft. or 40 ft.high, with a trunk from 12in.to 15in.in diameter. The leaves are 3 in.or 4 in. long, sharply toothed, andsimilar in form to those of the C. v.americana; from which they are dis-tinguished by their inferior size, andthe whiteness of their under surface.

The fructification also resembles that

of C. v. americana in form and arrangement; but the flowers and fruit areonly about half as large, and the mit is convex on both sides. (Michaux.)The chincapin is bounded to the northward, in America, Michaux adds,by the eastern shore of the river Delaware, on which it is found to thedistance of 100 miles fromCape May. It is more com-mon in Maryland, and stillmore so in the lower part ofVirginia, in the Carolines,

Georgia, the Floridas, andLouisiana, as far as the riverArkansas. In West Ten-nessee, it is frequent in theprairies enclosed in theforests ; and it aboundsthroughout the southernstates, wherever the commonAmerican chestnut is wanting.

The wood, Michaux informsus, is more compact, heavier,and finer-grained, than thatof the American chestnut;and, as posts, it will last inthe earth more than 40 years. The saplings, however, become loaded“ with branches while they are no thicker than the finger, and are thusrendered too knotty for hoops.” The fruit, which is about the size of thewild hazel, is brought to market in America, and is eaten raw by children.The tree requires a cool and fertile soil, with a mild climate; as, even inthe south of the United States, it becomes stunted when it grows in aridland, and does not exceed the height of 6 ft. or 7 ft.; it is, however, one ofthe most common shrubs in the southern states of North America, as it