160

A DISCOURSE

book i. 5. The Chesnut is, next the Oak, one of the most sought after by the( carpenter and joiner. It hath formerly built a good part of our antienthouses in the city of London , as does yet appear. I had once a verylarge barn near the city, framed entirely of this timber; and certainlythe trees grew not far off, probably in some woods near the town; for,in that description of London , written by Fitz-Stephens, in the reignof Henry II. he speaks of a very noble and large forest which grewon the boreal part of it; Proxime, says he, patet foresta ingens, saltus■nemorosi ferarum, latebr# cervornm, damarum, aprorwm, et taurorumsylvestrium, &'c. A very goodly thing it seems, and as well stored withall sorts of good timber as with venison and all kind of chase ; and yetsome will not allow the Chesnut to be a freeborn of this Island, but

be considered that it shoots out proportionably earlier in the spring, which, together with■its beautiful flowers, mates it an ornamental and desirable tree.

This tree is extremely well adapted to parks; not only because it grows to a large size,and forms a beautiful regular head, but on account of the quantity of nuts it produces,•which are excellent food for deer in the rutting season : So that in parks where greatnumbers of deer are kept, I would recommend these trees to be planted in abundance.' They are likewise very proper for the boundaries of open fields, to terminate views, &c.nnd though there are no deer to eat the nuts, yet the swine are equally delighted withthem, and will fatten greatly with such provender.

The buds of this tree, before they shoot out leaves, become turgid and large; so thatthey have a good effect to the eye, by their bold appearance, long before the leavesappear: And what is peculiar to the Horse-Chesnut is, that as soon as the leading shootis come out of the bud, it continues to grow so fast, as to be able to form its wholesummer’s shoot in about three weeks or a month. After this it grows little morein length, but thickens, and becomes strong and woody, and forms the buds for the nextyear’s shoot. The flowers are in full blow about the twelfth of May, and on fine treesmake a noble appearance.

This tree is propagated from the nut: In autumn, therefore, when the nuts fall,a sufficient quantity should be gathered. Some people recommend them to be sownimmediately in drills; but others with more propriety, delay the sowing till the spring,by which means they will escape the .ravages of the field-mouse. Previous to sowing theyshould be thrown into water, as directed in page 46, which will secure to the planter thecertainty of a crop.

In the spring the plants will come up ; and when they have stood one year they maybe taken up, their tap-roots shortened, and afterwards planted in the nursery, andmanaged in the same manner as was directed for the Spanish Chesnut. *

When they are of sufficient size to be planted out for good, they must be taken outof the nursery with care ; let the great side-shoots and the bruised parts of the roots«be taken off, and when planted out, let the holes be large, taking care that the top of the

%