NATIVE NUTS 445 



discovered it, and has kindly promised to forward us 

 some grafts. Should it prove as fine as he anticipates, 

 it will be quite an addition to our fruits, as it is 

 probably very beautiful in appearance." 



None of these native thorns has been widely ad- 

 vertised or sold except Cratcegus cordata, the Wash- 

 ington thorn (Fig. 125), and this is known for hedges 

 and ornament rather than for fruit. It is native in 

 Kentucky and southern Illinois and southward, but 

 is hardy in central New York. It has long been 

 known in Europe. It is a beautiful tree, sometimes 

 reaching a height of thirty feet, and bearing freely of 

 bright red apple -like and pleasant -tasted fruits. 



The Nut -Fruits 



North America is peculiarly rich in its nuts. The 

 reader will recall the chestnuts, many kinds of hicko- 

 ries, walnuts, butternut, hazels, beechnut, nut pines, 

 and sweet acorns. Of all these types, only one species 

 has yet reached great commercial importance. This is 

 the pecan, which is a sepcies of hickory. The second 

 place in the progress of ameliorated native nuts is 

 taken by the chestnut. Beyond these, there are 

 no species which have attained to general importance 

 in cultivation, although there are several named varie- 

 ties of the shellbark hickories and the black .walnut. 

 The interest in this class of fruits is great, however ; 

 in fact, it is probably givatcr than the commercial 

 importance of the subject warrants, for nuts are very 

 secondary articles of commerce and, not being per- 

 ishable, they can be dripped jmy distance, or even 

 kept from year to year. The excellent special litera- 



