BANANA FAMILY 227 



the most important of our forest trees. The hazelnuts (Cory- 

 lus) and the chestnuts (Castanea) are highly prized for their 

 edible nuts. 



Feed for Swine. The nuts of the trees of this family and 

 the preceding one are abundantly used in feeding swine. The 

 animals are allowed to gather the acorns and nuts (called mast) 

 from the ground under the trees, during the fall and winter days 

 when there is no snow on the ground. The flesh produced from 

 mast is often of good quality, and the economy of its produc- 

 tion is readily understood. Beechnuts 

 alone produce a soft flesh, and some 

 corn or other grain is fed for a few 

 weeks before slaughtering. 



WILLOW FAMILY (SALICACE^) 



In this family, both the staminate 

 and pistillate flowers are borne in cat- 

 kins. It includes the willows (Salix), 

 the poplars, and the cottonwoods 

 (Populus). 



All members of this family grow FIG. 149. Bur of native chest- 



. ' nut showing two seeds within. ("Pro- 



readily irom cuttings and can be ductive Plant Husbandry.") 

 grown from grafts. The poplars and cottonwoods are frequently 

 grown from seed. 



BANANA FAMILY (ziNGIBREACEJE) 



This very important family includes a number of inter- 

 esting families of which the banana of commerce (Musca para- 

 disiaca) is an example. Another species of the banana (M. 

 textilis) produces a fibre from which the Manila hemp is 

 manufactured. 



The edible bananas are grown from suckers, but the fibre 

 varieties are grown from seeds. 



