

DECIDUOUS ORNAMENTAL TREES. 197 



New York and New Jersey, the fruit is commonly known 

 by the appellation of the Kisky-tom nut* 



The Pecan-nut (Pacainer of the French), (C. olivcefor- 

 mis) is found only in the western states. It abounds on 

 the Missouri, Arkansas, Wabash, and Illinois Rivers, and 

 a portion of the Ohio : Michaux states that there is a 

 swamp of 800 acres on the right bank of the Ohio, 

 opposite the Cumberland river, entirely covered. with it. 

 It is a handsome, stately tree, about 60 or 70 feet in height, 

 with leaves a foot or eighteen inches long, composed of 

 six or seven pairs of leaflets much narrower than those 

 of our hickories. The nuts are contained in a thin, 

 somewhat four-sided husk ; they are about an inch or an 

 inch and a half long, smooth, cylindrical, and thin-shelled. 

 The kernel is not, like most of the hickories, divided by 

 partitions, and it has a very delicate and agreeable flavor. 

 They form an object of petty commerce between Upper 

 and Lower Louisiana. From New Orleans, they are 

 exported to the West Indies, and to the ports of the 

 United States, f 



Besides these two most valuable species, our forests 

 produce the Pignut hickory (C. porcina), a lofty tree with 

 five to seven pairs of leaflets, so called from the compara 

 tive worthlessness of its fruit ; which is very thick-shelled, 

 and generally is left on the ground for the swine, squirrels, 

 etc., to devour. It is easily distinguished in winter by the 

 smaller size of its brown shoots, and its small oval buds. 

 Its wood is considered the toughest and strongest of any 

 of the trees of this section. The thick Shellbark hickory 



* In some parts, pleasant social parties which meet at stated times during 

 the winter season, are called Kisky-toms, from the regular appearance of thc?i 

 nuts among the refreshments of the evening. 



t N. A. Sylva, i. 168. 



