Chesnut, or Castanea, L. is a species of the Fagus or beech-tree, a genus of plants comprising three species. It flourishes on poor gravelly or sandy soils, and will thrive in any but moist or marshy situations. Those trees, however, which are intended for fruit, should be raised in nurse-ries from nuts, removed at least three times, and hare the tap-roots cut off, in order to facilitate their growth.

There is no plant cultivated in England that is more valuable than

( chestnut; as it grows to a considerable height, and its wood, if kept dry, is extremely durable This ornament to the country is, at the same time, of great utility for domestic purposes. It excels the oak in two namely, that it grows faster, and that the sap-parts" of the timber are more firm and less liable to corruption. The- shoots from the stubs being numerous and 1 , it makes lent underwood, and is of * service for hop-poles, as it becut when eghteen or twenty years old, and will continue productive; for nearly thirty years. Being superior to elm for door jar other purposes of house-carpentry, it is con-to the oak

Itself but, on account of its possessing a precarious brittieness, which renders it unsafe for beams, it ought not to be employed in any situation, where an uncertain weight is sometimes to be supported.

It has much questioned, whether the litis indigenous, or exotic. There is no doubt, that it was industriously cultivated by our ancestors; and this circum-stance existence of the: d chestnut at Tortworth, in Gloucestershire, has been urged, with probability, as a proof being.

That stupendous 2 feet in circumfeience, and has, according to authentic records, stood there ever since the year 1150, when it so remarkable as to be called " the Great Chesnut of Tort worth." It fixes the boundary of the manor, and is probably not less than 1000 years old. On the contrary, it has been asserted, that from its being called the Spanish Ckesnut, it is a native of Spain, and was introduced from that country, at some distant period. However the question may be decided, it will be generally admitted that, in this climate, there is no plant which so fully merits the great attention which has of late years been paid to its growth. We, therefore, cordially join in recommending it to those who intend to form plantations, whether for ornament or use, as a tree which for durability, beauty, and stature, will amply, and in a very short time, repay all the labour and ex-pence that may be bestowed upon its culture.

All writers agree that the wood of the chestnut is peculiarly excellent for casks, as it neither shrinks, nor changes the taste, or colour, of liquor. It is also converted into various articles of furniture, and when stained, may be made to resemble in beauty and colour the mahogany: this improve-fceeted, by rubbing it over, first with alum water, then laying on with a brush a decocttion of logwood-chips; and lastly, a decoction of Brazil-wood. Besides these various uses, to which this tree may be its affords an agreeable addition to our winter dessert. If properly managed, a sweet and nutritious bread may be prepared of it, especially when mixed with a small proportion of wheaten or other flour. In its wild state, it is called the horse-chesnutf and, independently of its beauty as an ornamental tree, it: mealy nuts supply not only an excellent food for fattening deer and hogs, but are likewise of great service in whitening cloth, and the manufacture of starch. For this. latter purpose, a patent was granted to Lord "WILLIAM MURRAY, Ma rch 8, 1796, of whose process we sub-join the following account. The nuts must be first taken out of the outward green prickly husks, and the brown rind carefully pared off, so as totally to eradicate the sprout, or growth. They are next to be rasped, or grated fine into water, and the pulp thus produced should be washed, as clean as possible, through a hair sieve. This washing is repeated twice through fine sieves, constantly adding pure water, to prevent any starch from adhering to the pulp. The last process is, to strain it with a large quantity of water (about four gallons to a pound of starch) through a fine gauze, muslin, or lawn sieve; in order to clear it entirely of all bran, or other impurities. As soon as it subsides, the Water is to be poured off, and the remaining substance mixed up repeatedly with clean water, till the latter becomes perfectly colourless. It should then be drained off till it is nearly dry, and set to bake, either in the usual mode in which starch is baked, or spread out before a brisk fire; care being taken to prevent it from

"horning"or turning into a paste Or jelly; which, as soon as it , comes dry, acquires the solidity and hardness of horn.

We have mentioned the particulars of Lord W. MURRAY's patent, not indeed toinduce our readers to encroach upon his exclusive privilege of making starch ; but merely for| them to compare the abovemore-stated process with the following ingenious, and easy, method of converting horse-mto a good and wholesome •'

M.Laleyrie, a few years since, directed his countrymen, in 0ne the Paris Journals, first to peel the chesnuts, and to dry them either in the open air, or in a room. When perifetly dry, they should be grated and pounded. The sifted flour is to be passed into a vessel containing water, and there strongly agitated. After standing at rest for hour, the water is carefully poured off, to prevent the loss of any.sediment. This infusion should be repeated eight or nine different times, with a proportionate quantity of water, till the liquor becomes colourless and insipid. The subsided pulb is then fit to be passed into a close linen bag; and, after pressing it, to be slowly dried. The fine floury mass, or starch, thus obtained, will be found free : all bitterness and astririgency; it has no longer any disagreeable taste, and affords wholesome nutriment.

Chesnuts, especially the small esculent sort, form an important article of commerce, in Italy, and in the island of Corsica ; which latter alone exports annually such quantities as amount in value to 100, 000 crowns. The Germans roast them among embers, and eat With butter and salt; the French, with lemon-mice and sugar, which agrees better with weak stomachs. This leguminous fruit Is also employed in several articles of confectionary; as a substitute for coffee, and in the preparation of chocolate.

Although these nuts are palatable, and less oily than most pro-dons of a .similar nature, yet, when used in abundance, they not easy of digestion, and ought therefore to be eaten only by healthy and robust. To promote their solution and assimilation in the stomach, they require the aid of silt, in a considerable proportion; but the addition of butter renders them still heavier, and tends to retard rather than to accelerate their conversion into alimentary matter.