SUMMARY. 63 



entirely from the true hickories, pignut, shagbark, mockernut, and 

 big shell bark. The supply of large hickory, which hitherto has been 

 depended on, is rapidly approaching exhaustion, and it will soon be 

 necessary to depend entirely upon the second growth. Since the 

 hickory-producing woodland is owned mainly in small holdings, such 

 as farmers' woodlots, the perpetuation of the supply depends largely 

 on the care of these woodlots by individuals. Stumpage prices are 

 comparatively low, and the economic position of the tree is still fur- 

 ther lowered by unjust and inaccurate log rules. Of the merchant- 

 able hickory cut each year fully 40 per cent is wasted. 



From the silvicultural standpoint, as compared with other impor- 

 tant timber trees, the hickories are slow growing, produce a low 

 yield per acre, and are exacting in their soil and moisture require- 

 ments; but they are long-lived, tolerant of shade, and there is good 

 natural reproduction both from seed and from sprout. The wood 

 produced is superior in toughness and strength to any other commer- 

 cial wood. Among the different species pignut is not only best 

 because it is best adapted to forest management, but also because of 

 the value of its wood, though shagbark is to be preferred where the 

 value of the nuts is an important consideration. Big shellbark is a 

 good tree for moist situations; mockernut has nothing to commend 

 it over pignut. The pecan hickories grow faster than the true hick- 

 ories, but their wood is generally inferior. This inferiority is not 

 very great, however, and the best bitternut or nutmeg hickory is 

 superior to the average of shagbark or pignut. 



There is reason to expect that hickory will soon bring more ade- 

 quate returns, and it should rank among the important timber trees 

 of the managed woodlot. Planting will in many cases be worth 

 while, and sprout reproduction can be successfully practiced in the 

 case of pure stands. The most important method, however, will be 

 the growing of hickory in uneven- aged, mixed stands, in which the 

 reproduction of hickory is already very good. Given its proper 

 place in the forest, there should be no difficulty in maintaining the 

 supply of hickory, and, under management which will eliminate infe- 

 rior species and trees, secure thrifty growth, and harvest the crop 

 before it is overmature, the quality of the yield will be greatly 

 improved, and the quantity increased. 



The technical value of the wood differs greatly within the same 

 species under similar silvicultural conditions, and even within an indi- 

 vidual tree. Often these differences can not be accounted for, but 

 in general the wood put on by a thrifty tree during the period of its 

 greatest vigor is the best, and the wood from the butt cuts is superior 

 to that from the upper cuts. Within the limits of normal growth the 

 width of the rings is not a measure of the technical value of the wood, 



