HORSE CHESTNUT. The name of a tree, Aesculus Hippo castanum (family Sapindaceae or listed by some authors as Hippo castanaceae) thought to be indigenous in Greece, but now scattered throughout the temperate regions of the world. There are 20 or more named species and varieties of the genus Aesculus. One, in particular, is called the common horse-chestnut, but all are popu larly known as buckeye or horse-chestnut. Several species are shrubby, as A. parvi flora, A. discolor, A. georgiana and A. splen dens, but the majority are rapid growing, pyramidal trees attain ing a height of 6o or more feet. They thrive well in moist sandy loam. The buds, conspicuous for their size, are protected by a coat of viscous substance impervious to water. The buckeyes are deciduous with large compound leaves and white, red or yellow flowers in terminal panicles. They blossom in May or June and the fruit, resembling the sweet chestnut, ripens about the middle of October. There is some disagreement as to uses to which the fruit can be put, some even maintaining that it is poisonous. A. glabra, the American buckeye, in particular, is thought to have poisonous seeds and leaves. Most of the species have bitter flav oured seeds and bark, the bark being used for tanning. A. cali fornica, A. turbinate, and A. octandra are known to bear edible seeds which are used as sweet chestnuts. The wood of the horse chestnut is not particularly useful, but as ornamentals both the trees and the shrubby kinds are very valuable. (P. W. Z.)