Sweet Chestnut

This Sweet Chestnut tree I saw growing in Wythenshawe Park. It can be identified by its spiralling bark and clusters of nuts, protected by the spiny cases common to the Horse Chestnut. Its nuts are edible, and are the only type of nut that offers vitamin C. It was likely to introduced to these shores by the Romans. Citrus fruits were hard to grow on this island, so sources of the essential vitamin were rather limited. Although Roman aristocrats are thought to have disdained the nuts, they would have helped make the poorer folk who ate them rather healthier than their noble betters.

Do not disdain plain, common food. It often does you more good than the delicacies of the rich. So plain Bible teaching is of far better value to the soul than the interesting lectures and articulate seminars of the well-educated.