NUTS. 455 



planted tree three or four years old seems to make almost 

 no growth for a year or two. 



The late A. S. Fuller says he never knew an instance of 

 successful budding of the hickory, while others claim that 

 ring budding (see page 45) is moderately so. 



Of the methods of grafting, the cleft (see pages 33 and 435) 

 is said to give the best results, cutting the young trees close 

 to the ground, inserting the scion, waxing thoroughly, and 

 covering to its top with earth. 



The nuts germinate easily, but, however valuable those 

 planted, seedlings are nearly always inferior in every way to 



FIG. 601. Quadrangular. FIG. 602. Long Ovate, Compressed. 



the originals. For stocks, nevertheless, upon which to graft 

 scions from wild trees which are found to produce nuts of 

 exceptional merit, they are well worth planting. If taken up 

 from the nursery rows annually and the tap-root shortened in 

 for two or three years, then planted out where the tree is to 

 remain permanently, growing for one year and then cleft- 

 grafted, every requisite for success at present known will 

 have been complied with. If wild trees are dug for the pur- 

 pose of grafting, those not over two or three years old shot;ld 

 be taken, the chances of living of older and larger ones being 

 too uncertain to make such experiments worth the trouble 

 and cost. 



The reports of the United States Pomologist give a list of a 

 dozen or so of varieties which have been named by those who 

 have found or own the wild trees upon which they grew. 

 But it is so uncertain that any of these can be had by the 



