WALNUT FAMILY 



The Shellbark Hickory has three typical forms. When it 

 grows in the forest it rises a tall shaft straight as a column, 

 free from branches until the very top where it sends out a 

 few limbs and makes a small flat head ; again, when a young 

 tree has been permitted to remain after its companions were 

 removed its stout limbs rise and spread, droop a little and 

 make a cone-like head ; the third form, however, seems the 

 really characteristic one, where the central shaft rises in 

 the main intact, but sends out many short, small, lateral 

 branches almost at right angles to the trunk, and forms a 

 long cylindrical body of foliage, round-topped at the summit 

 and drooping a little at the base. This cylindrical body is 

 often broken. 



Other trees hold their bark loosely, the Silver Maple often 

 looks as if she would be glad to be rid of hers, the Sycamore 

 frankly and absolutely casts hers and is done with it, but the 

 Shellbark, letting " 1 dare not wait upon I would," holds hers 

 in long unsightly pieces, loose at the edges yet clinging at 

 the centre until the trunk becomes simply shaggy, hence the 

 name Shagbark. 



A Shellbark just about to put forth its leaves presents 

 a unique and striking appearance, as if covered with brilliant 

 flowers. Early in the spring the outer bud scales fall off 

 and the inner scales enlarge to an astonishing size, frequently 

 becoming five inches long and two inches broad. They are 

 then of a soft leathery texture, very downy, beautifully 

 fringed and take on a gorgeous red or salmon yellow color. 

 In the midst of these petal-like scales appear the leaves, 

 woolly and downy and shining, late indeed but not belated, 

 for they grow rapidly and by the end of June are of full size. 

 Out of this terminal bud come the pistillate flowers always, 

 and the staminate flowers very frequently. 



The wood is light, tough, strong and elastic. "Tough as 

 hickory " became a stock phrase among the early settlers of 

 this country. The well-known sobriquet given to President 

 Jackson was " Old Hickory," and this name was no less an 

 expression of personal affection than of appreciation of his 



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