346 



THE GENESEE FARMER. 







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BUTTERNUT TREE — JUGLANS CINEREA. 



THE BTJTTEENUT TEEE. 



Above we present a beautiful cut of the Grey- 

 barked Walnut or Butternut tree (Juglans cinerea). 

 LotJDOx, notwithstanding the great difference in 

 the fruits, considers the Butternut only a variety 

 of the Black Walnut {Juglans nigra). Michaux 

 observes that the two species, when young, resem- 

 ble each other in their foliage, and in the rapidity 

 of tlieir growth ; but that they are distinguisliable 

 at first siglit when arrived at maturity. The trunk 

 rumifies at a iess height tliaii the Black Walnut ; 

 the branches extend more horizontally and spread 

 •widely, prt)ducing a large and flat tufted head. 



The Butternut is a native of North America. It 

 is found in Upper and I^ower Canada, and in the 

 temperate regions of the Union; but not in the 

 lower parts of the Carolinas, Georgia, and East 

 Florida. Micoacx says he found no trees else- 

 where so large as in New Jersey, and on the banks 

 of the IJudson. On cold, unproductive soils, inter- 

 spersed with large rocks, he has found them 50 ft. 

 high, with trunks measuring 10 ft. to 12 ft. in cir- 

 cumference at five feet from the ground; the roots 

 extending horizontally, close under the surface, 



and with little variation in point of thickness, to 

 the distance of forty feet from the tree. The tree, 

 he says, "produces fruit in such abundance, that in 

 some seasons a person may gatlier several bushels 

 of nuts in a day." 



From the bark of the Butternut, an extract ia 

 made, which, sweetened with honey, is sometimes 

 employed as a sure and mild purgative. Bancroft 

 says t])at tlie Imsks of the shells may be employed 

 in dyeing a fawn color, even without mordants. 

 The Shakers at Lebanon dye a rich purple with the 

 bark or nutshells. The bark of the trunk gives a 

 black ; that of the root a fawn color, but less pow- 

 erfully. The wood of the Butternut is as tough, but 

 not so hard, as Black Walnut. It makes beautiful 

 fronts of drawers; and light, tough, and durable 

 wooden bowls and shovels. It will long resist tlie 

 effects of heat and moisture, and is not attacked by 

 worms. It is valued for posts and rails, and for 

 watering and feeding troughs. An inferior kind of 

 sugar has been made from the sap. Miouaux does 

 not think it suflSciently valuable, either in the arts 

 or for fuel, to warrant its introduction into Europei, 

 but recommends it only for ornamental purposes. 



