14-36 



AKBOHKTUM AND FKUTICETUM. 



PART III. 



Anier., t R f. 20 ; Catcsb. Car., 1. t 67. 

 of this tree in our last Volume. 



Wats. Demi. Brit., t. ]. r iS; our Jig. 12fiO., and the plate 



Spec. Char., $c. Leaflets, in a leaf, 13 17; cordate-acuminate, unequal at 

 the base, serrated, somewhat downy ; lateral ones upon short petiolules. 

 Fruit globose, roughish with minute prominent points, situated upon a 

 short inflexible peduncle. Nut globose, somewhat compressed at the 

 sides, ridged and furrowed. (Michx. North Amer. Sylva, i.p. 153.) A native 

 of fertile soil in woods in North America, from New England to Florida. 

 Introduced in 1656, and growing to the height of from 60ft. to 100ft.; 

 flowering in April or May, and ripening its fruit in October. 



Descripion,fyc. The 

 black walnut, in the 

 United States is of- 

 ten seen from 60 ft. 

 to 70 ft. in height, 

 with trunks of from 

 3 ft. to 4 ft. in diame- 

 ter; and occasionally 

 much higher, with 

 trunks of from 6 ft. to 

 7 ft. in diameter. Ac- 

 cording to Michaux, 

 when it stands insu- 

 lated, its branches ex- 

 tend themselves ho- 

 rizontally to a great 

 distance, and spread 

 into a spacious head, 

 which gives the tree a 

 very majestic appear- 

 ance. The lenves are about 18 in. in length, composed of 6, 7, or 8 pairs 

 of opposite leaflets, with an odd one. They are acuminate, serrated, and 

 somewhat downy ; and, when bruised, they emit a strong aromatic odour. 

 The male catkins are simple, pendulous, and cylindrical; unlike those of 

 the hickories, which are always compound. The fruit is round, odoriferous, 

 and of rather an uneven surface: it is sometimes 7 in. or 8 in. in circum- 

 ference when fully grown ; and it always appears at the extremity of the 

 branches. The husk is thick, and is not, as in the hickories, divided into 

 sections ; but, when ripe, it softens and gradually decays. The nut is 

 hard, somewhat compressed at the sides, and furrowed. The kernel is 

 divided by firm ligneous partitions. According to Michaux, it is of a sweet 

 and agreeable taste; but Catesby says that it is very oily and rank; and, 

 when fallen from the tree for some months, or gathered and laid by, is 

 only eaten by squirrels or Indians. The wood is of a dark colour, approach- 

 ing to black. In Kentucky, the nut is nearly as large as the European wal- 

 nut ; but in Genessee, where the climate is colder, it is not above half the size. 

 Michaux says that the differences in the moulding of the fruit are so various, 

 as to induce Europeans to consider the variations, in this respect, as indica- 

 ting distinct species. In England, the tree attains as great a height as in 

 North America, but the fruit is not quite so large. In the garden at the 

 palace at Fulham, abundance of fruit is produced every year ; and the nuts are 

 sent to table, but scarcely considered eatable. The growth of the tree is re- 

 markably quick, more so than that of the European walnut : the leaves come 

 out, in Pennsylvania, in the second week of May ; and, in England, about the 

 beginning of June, before those of the common walnut. At 8 or 10 years of 

 age, J. nigra begins to bear, and age increases its fertility. No tree will grow 

 under its shade, and even grass is injured by it. In 40 years it will attain 

 the height of from 50 ft. to 60 ft. 



Geography, This tree is found in all parts of the United States, as far 



