HICKORIES 167 



from seed for the same reason that the Baldwin 

 apple will not produce Baldwin apples from seed. 



SHAGBARK HICKORY 



When the question of quality of kernel is to be 

 considered there is little doubt but the shagbark 

 stands highest among the hickories. The Indians 

 called it "kiskitomas." They pounded up the nuts, 

 shell and all, in water and poured off the emulsion 

 allowing it to ferment. The drink was then called 

 pawcohickora, so far as the first drink was con- 

 cerned. History does not tell us the pronunciation 

 after subsequent drinks. This hickory milk added 

 to venison broth or employed in making nice hot corn 

 meal cakes, doubtless put the Indians in a kindly 

 mood favoring the trader. Roasted sweet potatoes 

 were crushed in hickory milk and eaten by the In- 

 dians. The sweet emulsion partially evaporated and 

 stored in earthern jars made a thick rich cream which 

 had excellent keeping qualities when hidden in a safe 

 place. Hickory nut oil pressed from seasoned shag- 

 barks was a staple article of diet among the Virginia 

 colonists. Associations with the shagbark include 

 memories of cider and apples and a flatiron held 

 between the knees before an open fireplace. People 

 never gather about a radiator excepting when wait- 

 ing for a train or when looking for something that 

 has rolled under it. 



Although shagbark nuts have a general character 

 which belongs to all, hardly any two trees yield nuts 



