214 



TREES GROWlxNG LN RICH SOIL. 



and unevenly serrate; yellowish green above, UMcIerneatli extremely pubescent. 

 Flowers: monoecious. Staminate catkins : growing troni axillary buds. Tlieir 

 flower bracts clothed during the winter witn lomentuni; pubescent. FistiUate 

 flmvers : six or eigiit, growing in terniinai spikes, and covered with sticky hairs. 

 Fruit', growing in a husk from two to three inches long ; oblong; pointed; green 

 or greenish brown when ripe; sticky, and decaying away from tl)e nut tnat it 

 encloses. Niit{ ovate; with a rough, furrowed shell, and sweet, highly flavoured 

 kernel. 



As is often true of trees that come into leaf late in the season, 

 the butternut is one of the first to take offence at Jack Frost; 

 and that he may not further wound it by his familiarity, its 

 leaves drop silently to the ground very early in the autumn. 

 At all times the leaves of the tree are rather scarce, and its 

 exposed grey limbs present an unkempt appearance. So much 

 yellow is mixed with the colouring of the foliage that, while the 

 effect is peculiar, it robs it of all look of vigour. The trees 

 remind us of plants that have been too much in the shade. 



But how insignificant are such points as tliese to the country 

 boys and squirrels that know the tree by its fruit. And how 

 sweet and tender is the young meat, only those know that have 

 braved the staining of fingers and have pounded the husks open 

 on some near-by rock. Perhaps the taste of the woodlands 

 still clings to them, for they are seemingly very different 

 when bought at the market. 



The wood of the butternut is light brown and beautiful. 

 Among other things it is used for cabinet work. 



nOCKER=NUT. WHITE-HEART HICKORY. 



FRAGRANT HICKORY. {Pla^^CXV:.) 



Hit or I a dlba. 



FAMILY SHAPE 



Walnut, Head, ronndfd, narroui: 

 bra ncli es, sprea ding. 



HEIGHT RANGE 



■jo-xoo /ect . Kc-K England scuth- 

 ^vard to J-'la. and 

 Tiwas and wfstward. 



TIME OF BLOOM 



May, June. 

 Fruit: Oct., Nov, 



Bark: light grcv; rough, but close; not broken into scales. Lcaf-btids : 

 large; round, and covered with yellowish-brown scales. Len'^es : comiiound; 

 alternate; odd-jiinnate; with rough stalks and from seven to nine long, oval, al- 

 most sessile leaflets, taper-pointed at the a])ex, and wedge-shaped or blunt at 

 the base; the lower ])air of leaflets smaller and broader than the others. 

 Slightlv serrate with blunt teeth: above dee|) yellowish green, paler and pubes- 



