Chestnut trees are some of the most beautiful of all trees. As a small boy
I remember them on the streets of Eastern Europe.

At my old age I finally planted 5 trees 3 years ago. Unfortunately all that
was available were the Chinese variety. Got 4 Colossal and 1 Nevada
pollinator. Trees are starting to be about 6-7 feet high and about 3 inches
in diameter. I hope I live long enough to see them mature.

I'm in northern Oregon, and, there are several orchards starting to grow
them around here and southern Washington state.

The neat thing about them (if you've never seen one outside of a
supermarket) is that they come in a 'burr' slightly smaller than a tennis
ball. You just about need welding gloves to pick them up due to the
sharpness and solidity of the prickles. There is no way that a squirrel or
any other critter would fool with theses things. Yes, after they drop they
will open up in about 2 weeks. By that time I'm already on them. Unlike
the walnut tree I had where the squirrels would strip the tree about 4 weeks
before they are either ready to eat or ready to drop.

Ivan Vegvary
"Tom Watson" wrote in message
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http://www.philly.com/inquirer/world_us/11752597.html


Regards,

Tom Watson

tjwatson1ATcomcastDOTnet (real email)

http://home.comcast.net/~tjwatson1/