TOP WORKING HICKORIES IN THE NORTH 

 liif W. C. Deming, Connecticut 



1 do not recall a single modem inn)rovenient of importance in the 

 art of grafting nut trees in the North that is not due to either Mr. 

 Jones or Dr. Morris, except that to INIj. Riehl belongs, I believe, the 

 credit of the idea of waxing the entire graft, which is now the accepted 

 ])rocedure. Therefore I speak before these two gentlemen with diffi- 

 dence. I do so in the hope that perhaps I may recall something which 

 they have forgotten to make known, or that what I say may elicit from 

 them available emendatory remarks. M}^ experience of fourteen years 

 on my own place, and of five years grafting for others, is the basis of 

 my observations. 



Compatihiliti/ of Species and J'arieties 



This question will be particularly discussed by Mr. Bixby who 

 h.Ts been cduducting careful ex])eriments that should soon settle the 

 question for the commoner hickories. A few scattering observations of 

 my own may be useful. 



It is generally believed that any species of the genus hickory will 

 catch on nuw other, though not necessarily that the union Avill be 

 blessed. It is self evident that any hickory will thrive on anv variety 

 of the same species, shagbark on shagbark, pecan on pecan, though 

 even here close observation will probably disclose differences of com- 

 patibility. Probably any hj^brid hickory will thrive on either of its 

 parents. In some cases this may turn out to be a test of hybridity. 

 P'or instance, the Barnes is one of the few shagbarks knoAvn to thrive 

 on mockernut. It sliows other evidences of mockermit blood. 



I have found no hickory, so far, that does not appear to thrive on 

 the shagbark, except the pecan. Even here there are differences. I 

 have one Major pecan on shagbark that is over twenty-five feet high 

 that has a \ery healthy ajjpearance and that has shown staminate 

 bloom for two or three years. I have also an Indian pecan that looks 

 fairly ])rosperous. The Iowa pecans, the M.arquart, Greenbay, Camp- 

 bell, ^^'itte, and others, catch readily and grow vigorously, at least for 

 the first years. There are many data, however, on the adaptability of 

 the pecan to the shagbark and the consensus of opinion is that ulti- 



