Observations on the Season in the Year 1816. 137 



Forest Trees, 



Hickory r jnglans alb ovato.) Nuts of this kind are 

 in great plenty, perhaps more than usual. In man v in- 

 stances the kernels are shrunk, not filling much more than 

 halt' their cavities ; in orhers entirely empty. Whether the 

 cause originated from the multiplicity of the crop, or 

 from the cool season, I cannot say ; but most probably 

 from the latter. It was observed, when given to a pet 

 squirrel, that it refused to crack or open some of them ; 

 which led, in one instance, to a discovery that many of 

 them were not good. 



Chestnut tree, (fagus easfanea.) Nuts nearly as plenty 

 as in other seasons, but much smaller and later ripening ; 

 some on the north side of trees not more than half their 

 usual size ; fewer worms in them than usual. 



Oaks, (quercus ;) but few acorns of any kind ; pro- 

 bably the c-use did not originate from the coolness of the 

 season, as it occurs often in very warm ones. The fe- 

 male blossoms, or bud, may probably be killed in the win- 

 ter season, or the male flowers, or rather the pollen, may 

 be destroyed by a series of wet weather, or blown away 

 by high winds. If some of the above circumstances or 

 causes did not take place, I think there would be acorns 

 every year ; it being a genus belonging to the class Monoe- 

 cia, and the male and female blossoms being very near to- 

 gether (which is not the case wi h ail the trees belonging 

 to this class) would be nearly assure to produce fruit, as 

 if the blossoms Had been hermaphrodite. 



Pine, {Pinus strobus.) I think the seeds of this tree 

 were scarcer thdii usual, and many that had a good ap- 

 pearance, haei no kernels. Plenty of cones or strobiles. 



2 B " 



