112 MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURE. 



arts. The American hornbeam, sometimes called blue beech, 

 is a small and somewhat rare tree. Its trunk is bluish and is 

 marked with longitudinal, irregular ridges, resembling those on 

 the horns of animals of the deer kind. The hop hornbeam, or 

 iron wood, is readily recognized, when in fruit, by the resem- 

 blance of its spikes of seed-vessels to those of the hop. The 

 chestnut is here of rare occurrence as a forest tree. We have 

 no knowledge that any cultivated tree in town, of which there 

 are several, has ever matured its fruit. 



8. JUGLANDACE.E, Waluut Family. Carya alba, Shellbark 

 or shagbark hickory ; C. totnentosa, Mocker-nut or white heart 

 hickory ; C. g-Iabra, Pig-nut, or broom hickory ; C. amara, 

 bitter-nut or swamp hickory. 



The shagbark bears a fruit, the best varieties of which are 

 equal to any imported nut, and it has been thought that by 

 careful selection and cultivation it may be made superior to any 

 nut now known. The mocker-nut tree is not very plentifully 

 distributed. It may be distinguished from the shagbark by tlie 

 less shaggy nature of its bark, and by the number of its leaflets, 

 it having seven or nine while the shagbark has but five. The 

 pig-nut hickory is most abundant. The bitter-nut hickory is 

 very rare. 



9. Betulace^e, Birch Family. Betula alba, American white 

 birch ; B. excelsa, Yellow Birch ; B. lenta, Cherry-Birch, 

 sweet or black birch ; B. papijracea, Paper birch, canoe birch. 



The white or gray birch is very common ; makes good fuel 

 when properly prepared and housed in season. The yellow 

 birch occurs less frequently. The black birch is distinguished 

 for the spicy odor and taste of its bark. The canoe birch, may 

 be found near Hewitt's Cove. It appears to be limited to that 

 locality. 



10. Pla':j^\nace.e, Plane-tree Family. Plaiamis occidentalism 

 Buttonwood or Sycamore. 



A favorite ornamental tree of former times, fast becoming 

 extinct, owing to the want of vitality in its buds. 



11. Conifer^e, Pine Family. Pinus strobus, White Pine; P. 

 rigida, Pitch Pine; Abies Canadensis, Hemlock Spruce; 

 Ciipressus thijoides, Wliite Cedar ; Jimiperus Virginiana, Red 

 Cedar, Savin. ^ 



