94 TRANSACTIONS OF THE ILLINOIS 



Elm, which is found only in the extreme south. 1 have the English 

 Elm in cultivation but it presents no noticeable superiority in any respect 

 to our native variety. 



We have two species of the Hackberry, one of which is familiar to 

 us all as a handsome though not valuable tree. The other {Celtis Mis- 

 sissippiensis) is found, according to Dr. Vasey, only in the extreme south, 

 and T have not seen it. 



The Mulberry in its native species is a rather handsome and valua- 

 ble tree. Our poultry show a keen appreciation of its fruit. It makes 

 a dense shade whilst alive, and a durable post when dead. The foreign 

 species are less hardy and valuable, so far as I have seen or tried them. 



The Sycamore is one of our forest giants. Very unique from the 

 whiteness of its branches ; and grown in the open ground makes a broad- 

 based pyramidal tree, of impressive appearance. 



The Butternut is a common but not plentiful tree in Southern Ill- 

 inois, and ornamental enough to be desirable with the many who love 

 its fruit. I have however seen little success in its cultivation. For some 

 unknown reason, I am informed by others, and have a like experience 

 myself, the tree often dies young. 



The Black Walnut is very abundant in the richer soils of Southern 

 Illinois, and perhaps has been more grown than any other forest tree ; 

 and as I have before said it is one of our finest trees, rapidly disappear- 

 ing, however, in these days of walnut furniture and finishing. 



The Pecan is abundant at many points in the American Bottom, 

 and the groves of it at East St. Louis and the old town of Kaskaskia 

 are handsome as a body, and as individual trees. As producing the 

 most delicious and valuable of our American nuts, its culture ought to 

 be extended, especially in rich, deep soils. 



The Shell-bark Hickory makes a handsome tree; its timber is val- 

 uable and its nuts delicious. The variation in the size, (piality, and 

 thinness of the nuts is so great that there is no doubt but that the fruit 

 might be much improved by the selection and propagation of the better 

 varieties. Two trees in my own neighborhood bear nuts of nearly twice 

 the usual size, preserving the thin shell though perhaps not the finest 

 flavor of the smaller nuts. 



The Western Shell-bark, found upon our creek bottoms in Madison 

 county, and common, I think, through the southern district, is equally fine 

 in tree, and bears an enormous and good, though rather coarse flavored 

 nut. I have never seen it in cultivation, and failed in a single trial 

 made by myself 



The Mocker nut, as 1 suppose it to be, is the pioneer tree in ad- 

 vance of the woodlands on the prairies in our part of the State, and 

 though sometimes a handsome tree it often, like the Black-jack Oak, 

 shows the honorable scars that are apt to mark the leaders in other move- 

 ments, whilst its nuts are of little value. Two or three other species of 

 hickory I will not now take time to notice. 



