THE WOOD AND ITS MECHANICAL PROPERTIES. 43 



breastheight was from 5 to 21 inches and the total height from 60 to 

 80 feet. The big shellbarks were about 130 years old, 11 inches in 

 diameter breast-high, and 60 feet in height, and would all be classed 

 as the finest second growth. The bitternuts were from 65 to 100 

 years old, 9 to 17 inches in diameter, and from 65 to 95 feet high. 

 They were all young, rapid-growing trees and much superior in this 

 respect to the shagbark and pignut. 



The trees were cut during October and November and were shipped 

 December 1. In both the Mississippi and Ohio shipments each tree 

 was selected in the woods. Its diameter and height were measured, 

 and the soil and other conditions were carefully described. 



Hickory from West Virginia. Thirty trees were obtained from Holly, 

 Webster County, W. Va. 10 shagbarks, 19 pignuts, and 1 mocker- 

 nut. The soil conditions here are typical of much of the Southern 

 Appalachians. The altitudes are from 900 to 1,800 feet and the 

 slopes very steep. The hickories cut here are mostly large, over- 

 mature trees from the east and north slopes, where they grow with 

 white oak, yellow poplar, basswood, buckeye, maple, and red and 

 black ash. Of this shipment, 12 typical trees 7 shagbarks and 5 

 pignuts were selected in the yard. The ages were from 100 to 350 

 years, the diameters from 14 to 24 inches. Some of the logs were 

 shaky, but not so much so as in the southern hickories. 



The other 18 trees were cut by the Forest Service, and soil and 

 silvical conditions were carefully described in the case of each tree. 

 Of these trees, 3 shagbarks and 9 pignuts represent northern and 

 eastern slopes. The trees ranged from 45 to 220 years old, 9 to 16 

 inches in diameter, and from 65 to 100 feet high, and they are better 

 than most of the hickory which is being cut in this locality. The 

 material from these trees would be considered strictly second growth. 

 Five pignuts and 1 mockernut came from a dry, steep, rocky slope 

 where, because of extremely unfavorable conditions the growth is 

 slow and stunted. These trees were from 140 to 230 years old, 8 to 

 10 inches in diameter, and from 50 to 60 feet high. 



The cutting was done in February and March, and the material was 

 shipped March 15, 1908. 



Hickory from Pennsylvania. Thirty-nine trees were obtained in 

 Chester County, Pa. Of these, 27 were pignuts, including 2 distinct 

 varieties, the true pignut and the small-fruited pignut, 11 were 

 mockernuts, and 1 was shagbark. The soil was fresh, sandy loam, 

 of excellent quality, splendidly suited for agriculture. The region 

 is a long-settled one and the woodlots have been culled over for many 

 years, so that conditions have been most favorable for good growth. 

 The trees in mixture with the hickories in this region are white, red, 

 and black oak, chestnut, and white ash. 



