138 THE MAGAZINE OF HORTICULTURE. 



The farmer has ascertained that large, pkimp and heavy- 

 grain produces better plants and a larger kernel than such as 

 is shrivelled and light. And the gardener, if he wishes to 

 raise large seed or fruit of any kind, peas for instance, selects 

 and sows large peas only ; and after several successive crops, 

 at each- time selecting the largest peas, obtains a larger variety 

 than he began with. ,, 



A similar course should be pursued with the shellbark. 

 The largest nuts only should be planted, and these should be 

 planted in appropriate soil and in a chosen locality. As the 

 young tree sends out but few side roots, and as these run far 

 without rootlets, it does not bear transplanting well ; and if 

 the nuts are planted in a nursery, it might be expedient to cut 

 these off, a foot or more from the stem, to force out rootlets. 

 None, (certainly not the most vigorous,) should be grafted. 



The nurseryman, who should make the experiment pro- 

 posed, would probably be more than compensated for his 

 trouble and expense by the sale of his trees. The shellbark 

 hickory ranks high as an ornamental tree. Its buds, when 

 swelled in the spring, are quite large, conspicuous and beau- 

 tiful, and when opening, still more beautiful. Its leaves are 

 of a deep green color and of large size, and its shape always 

 good looking and sometimes graceful and elegant. Emerson 

 and Downing commend it highly. When it becomes too 

 tall, or stands in the way, its value in the arts, or for fire 

 wood, would be greater than the first cost and lawful interest. 



I hope, Mr. Editor, that you will try the experiment, and 

 if you do, " may you live a thousand years" to crack and 

 eat nuts produced by the shellbark hickory improved. 



But you need not live so long to begin to crack and eat. 

 Last fall I gathered the fifth crop, a full peck, from a tree 

 transplanted by myself from a neighboring town. The nuts 

 were larger than I had been accustomed to see, many of them 

 measuring three inches in circumference — half an inch more 

 than Emerson's maximum. 



We commend the remarks of our correspondent to the 

 attention of our readers. That the §hellbark may be greatly 



