ABSTRACT
The American chestnut was once well established in the eastern United States and southern Ontario, and persists over most of its original area. The European chestnut was planted in North America, before it proved to be highly susceptible to chestnut blight. Hybridization of the American chestnut with its blight-resistant Asian relatives, the Chinese and Asian chestnuts, has been attempted to introduce resistance genes. The elimination of the American chestnut is believed to have been associated with the demise of the wild turkey in the eastern United States, since the nuts were one of the bird’s staples. Chestnut-fed pork is soft, has a stronger flavor than corn-fed pork, and has a taste that is less attractive to North Americans. Most American consumption of chestnuts is based on imports, particularly from Italy. The European chestnut was planted in North America, before it proved to be highly susceptible to chestnut blight.
