HICKORIES 179 



neglect of engagements, as is the case when high 

 class shagbarks and pecans are at hand. 



None of the remaining species among the hick- 

 ories call for attention from the gastronomic point 

 of view, but for grafting stocks and for lending 

 paternal influence to hybrids many of them will come 

 into prominence from time to time. All of the 

 hickories have timber value, some of the species 

 ranking very high, but the nut grower is not inter- 

 ested in this feature of the subject. His trees 

 planted for crop income purposes do not develop 

 trunks of the sort required in the industries. 



When purchasing grafted hickories from the 

 nurseryman we must distinguish between kinds for 

 home purposes and kinds for market. For example, 

 the Leonard is a thin-shelled shagbark of highest 

 quality and so small that it may be cracked with a 

 hand cracker at the table. Furthermore, it will keep 

 without becoming rancid or dry for three or four 

 years under ordinary garret or cellar conditions. The 

 ordinary buyer in the retail market would no more 

 look at this nut than he would look at the San Saba 

 pecan, yet both are standard for quality, cleavage 

 and thinness of shell. 



The Weiker hybrid, on the other hand, is a very 

 large hickory nut of fine appearance and quality that 

 is good but not best. The shell although rather 

 thick is easily cracked with good lines of cleavage. 

 The tree is precocious in bearing and so prolific that 

 the market grower may be very sure of profitable 

 returns from its large crops. 



