SOME LEADING NUT TREES. 301 



as well for use in sitting-room or parlor as the nuts that 

 can be crushed by the nut-cracker. As yet we have no 

 named varieties, and we know of no attempt to improve it 

 by the propagation of select varieties found in all localities 

 where it grows naturally. In its native ranges, apparent 

 hybrids are found with the black walnut. In confirmation 

 of this fact Juglans regia and J. cinerea have been crossed 

 in Europe and also in California. Indeed it seems that all 

 species of the walnut family cross naturally as well as by 

 hand pollination. M. Andre of France reports that his 

 opinions as to the limits of species have undergone change 

 since he saw in the nurseries of the Paris museum seed- 

 lings of Jitglans regia almost identical with the black 

 walnut. Select varieties of the butternut can be budded 

 or grafted on thrifty young seedlings of the same species, 

 as noted in section (284) and probably also on black-walnut 

 stocks. 



289. The Hickory-nut. Of the native species of the 

 hickory found in the United States, the pecan (Hicoria 

 pecan} stands first at present in commercial value; the 

 little shellbark (H. ovata) stands second; and the big 

 shellbark (H. laciniosa) stands third in order of value. 

 The two last named are Northern and will be first con- 

 sidered. The H. ovata has a broad distribution from 

 Quebec to Iowa and south to the Southern States. The 

 nut is white, often oblong but varied in shape, and it is 

 always four-angled, with a sweet and pleasant kernel. In 

 size it is variable and also in thickness of shell. The 

 selected varieties are thin-shelled, with a large kernel easily 

 separated from the shell divisions. The trees of this 

 species are quite ornamental and grow on relatively high 

 land and on rather dry bottom lands. The big shellbark 

 species grows best on rich bottom land and under cultiva- 

 tion succeeds best on rich, rather moist soil. A large part 



