Handbook of Tkees of the Noktjieen States axd Canada. 



63 



A tioc soiiu'liiiu's attaining the height of 

 90 or lOU ft. with tiiini< :{ ft. in tliickness, 

 thougli usually funsiik'iahiy sniallcr. When 

 isolated from otlier trws it develops an oblong 

 or rather wide-topped head with strong up- 

 right lateral and [)endent lower i)ranehes. 

 The bark of tr\ink is df a gray color, rough 

 with obscure sealy ridges. It is more com- 

 monly found on hillsides and ridges than is 

 the Big Shell-bark, which it leaves to tlie in- 

 undated river bottoms and rarely invades its 

 territory. In the northern ])ari of its range 

 it is mainly conlined to the coast region where 

 it associates with the \arious Oaks, Red 

 Cedar, Sassafras, Sweet IJircli, Sweet Gum, 

 Tulip, etc. To the southward it is more abun- 

 dant and more generally distributed. 



The wood of the ]\Iocker-nut is heavy, a 

 cubic foot when absolutely dry weighing 51.21 

 lbs., strong and tough, and is used in the 

 manufacture of tool-handles, agricultural im- 

 plements, etc., and is excellent for fuel.'- The 

 nuts command about the same price in the 

 trade as those of the Big Shell-bark. 



Lravrs 8-15 in. long, fragrant when crushed, 

 with stellate pubescent petioles and 7-0 oblong- 

 lanceolate to obovate acuminate serrate leaflets 

 which are lustrous dark green above and paler and 

 pubescent beneath ; twigs tomentose : bud-scales 

 imbricated, the outer early deciduous, the inner 

 tomontos(> and accrescent. Floirrrs in May ; 

 staniinate in stellate pubescent aments : calyx 

 with central lobo linear and much longer than the 

 lateral on(^s : stamens 4 with rod anthers : pis- 

 tillate in 2-.">-fl(>wcri'd spiki's. Fniit globose-oblong, 

 lVL>-2 in. long, with thick husk s])litting nearly to 

 the base; nut lirownisli white, variable in shape, 

 4-ridged with very thick shell and sweet seed. 



1. Syn. Carya toinciitosa Nutt. 



2. A. W., IV. 00. 



