CARYA 299 



together to anticipate failures ; afterwards the weaker one can be removed. 

 To avoid accidents each plant or plants should be enclosed by small- 

 meshed wire-netting. 



The object of all this trouble is to avoid the destruction of the tap- 

 root, which is inevitable if ordinary nursery treatment be adopted. A 

 young tree in deep loam, undisturbed, and with its tap-root preserved, 

 will be a better tree in ten years than another treated in the ordinary way 

 will be in twenty. 



C. ALBA, Nuttall. SHELL-BARK HICKORY. 



(Hicoria ovata, Britton.~) 



A tree 70 to 100 ft. high in a wild state, very distinct in its loose grey bark, 

 which comes away from the trunk in broad flakes I ft. or more long, each flake 

 attached by its middle ; young shoots covered with pale down. Leaves 8 to 

 14 ins. long (considerably more in young, vigorous trees), .composed of five 

 leaflets, the three upper ones of which are obovate, often very narrowly so, and 

 considerably the largest ; the lower pair ovate to ovate-lanceolate ; all long- 

 pointed and toothed, edged when young with a fringe of hairs ; smooth above, 

 downy beneath. The leaflets vary much in size ; in adult trees the three 

 terminal ones are 5 to 7 ins. long, 2 to 3 ins. wide, with the lower pair less than 

 half the size ; but in young trees I have measured the terminal leaflet 12 ins. 

 long and 5 ins. wide, with the other four in proportion. Male catkins in threes, 

 3 to 5 ins. long, hairy. Fruit borne singly or in pairs, roundish, flattened at 

 top and bottom, I to 2 ins. long. Nut white, four-angled. 



Native of Eastern N. America, where it is spread over a large territory ; 

 introduced early in the seventeenth century. It thrives very well in England 

 when young, and is one of the most striking of fine-foliaged trees. At Kew, 

 the leaves turn a beautiful yellow in autumn. Of the hickories producing 

 edible nuts, this is the most valuable in the United States, but it has no value 

 in this respect in Britain. The largest tree noted by Mr Elwes is at Botley 

 Hill, Hants, now 75 ft. high, and supposed to have been planted by Wm. 

 Cobbett in 1820. 



C. alba is somewhat similar in growth and general aspect to C. tomentosa, 

 and both have large winter buds ; but C. alba has only five leaflets, and they 

 are not scented as in C. tomentosa. 



C. AMARA, Nuttall. BITTER NUT. 



(Hicoria minima, Britton?) 



^ A tree up to 100 ft. high, with brownish bark separating from the trunk in 

 thin scales ; young shoots smooth or soon becoming so ; winter buds coated 

 with bright yellow scales. Leaves 6 to 10 ins. (occasionally 15 ins.) long, 

 composed usually of seven, but sometimes five or nine leaflets, the lowest pair 

 of which are considerably smaller than the others. Leaflets lance-shaped, 

 narrowly oval, oblong or obovate, tapered at both ends, sharply toothed ; 2 to 

 6 ins. long, | to 2.\ ins. wide ; smooth above, downy at first below, especially 

 along the midrib and veins ; common stalk downy. Fruits usually in pairs or 

 threes, pear-shaped to roundish, f to ij ins. long, with a thin, yellowish husk. 

 Nut thin-shelled, with a bitter kernel. Male catkins usually in threes, 2| to 

 3 ins. long, downy. 



Native of Eastern N. America; introduced, according to Aiton, in 1766. 

 Of all the cultivated hickories, this appears to be the hardiest and the best 

 grower. It is easily distinguished from all the rest by the bright yellow 



