There is so little difference in the common Sweet chestnut (Castanea vesca) of both hemispheres, that they are generally considered the same species. Varieties have been produced in Europe, which far surpass our common chestnuts of the woods in size, though not in delicacy and richness of flavor. Those cultivated for the table in France, are known by the name of marrons. These improved sorts of the Spanish chestnut bear fruit nearly as large as that of the Horse-chestnut, inferior in sweetness, when raw, to our wild species, but delicious when roasted. The Spanish chestnut thrives well, and forms a large tree, south of the Highlands of the Hudson, but is rather tender north of this neighborhood. A tree in the grounds at Presque Isle, the seat of William Denning, Esq., Dutchess Co., is now 40 feet high. They may be procured from the nurseries, and we can hardly recommend to our planters more acceptable additions to our nut-bearing forest trees.
