402 NEW ENGLAND TREES IN WINTER. 



SHAG-BARK HICKORY 



Shell-bark Hickory, Walnut. 



Carya ovata (:\Iill.) K. Koch. 

 C. alha Nutt. ; HicJcoria ovata Britton. 



HABIT — A large tree, the tallest of the Hickories 50-7.' ft. high, 

 with trunk diameter of less than 2 ft.; in the forest producing' a tall, 

 straight trunk often free from branches for 50 ft. or more, surmounted 

 by a narrow head of few limbs: in the open generally forking low 

 down or below the middle of the tree into stout ascending limbs 

 forming an irregular open narrow oblong or inversely conical round- 

 topped head. 



BARK — On young trunks and limbs smooth, light gray, becoming 

 seamy; on old trunks shagging characteristically into long flat plates 

 which are free at the base or both ends. 



T"WIGS — Stout, somewhat downy or smooth and shining, reddish- 

 brown to light gray. L.EXTICELS — numerous, pale, conspicuous, longi- 

 tudinally elongated. PITH — obscurely 5-pointed, star-shaped. 



LEAF- SCARS — Alternate, more than 2 -ranked, large, conspicuous, 

 pale, slightly elevated. :-?.-lobed, heart-shaped to semi-circular. STIPULE- 

 SCAKS— absent. BUNDLE-SCARS — numerous, irregularly scattered or 

 arranged in 3 more or less definite circular groups. 



BVDS — Large, terminal bud 10-20 mm. long, broadly ovate, rather 



bUuu-pointed. BUD-SCALES — the 3-4 outer scales dark brown, slightly 

 do wn>" or nearly smooth, fine-hairy on n^argins. broadly triangular, 

 sharp-pointed, the outermost kteled and often -with apex prolonged 

 into a long, rigid poinL. persisteni: through winter but cracking and 

 shagging off from t lie ap>-x do'U'n'ward ; inner scales yellowisli-green, 

 often tinged with red, densely downy on outer surface, shining within. 



FUt'TT — Nearly spherical. 3-5 cm. long, depressed at apex; husk 5-8 

 mm. thick, with small pale lenticels, splitting to the base into four 

 pieces. NLTT — whitish, variable in size and shape, generally oblong, 

 flattened, 4-ridged, rounded or pointed at base and apex; seed sweet. 



COMPARlSOXS — The Shag-baik Hickory is distinguished from other 

 trees by the distinct shagging of its bark. The bark especially of one 

 variety oi the Pignut shags to a certain extent but not so extensively. 

 From the Pignut, however, it is distinguished by its larger buds, and 

 stouter t^ivigs. From the Mockernut it is distinguished by its relatively 

 longer buds, the darker, comparatively smooth, outer scales of which 

 remain throughout the ■^■i nter though shagging a\vay more or less 

 completely from the tip toward the base. 



DISTRIBUTIOX — In various soils and situations, fertile slopes, brook- 

 sides, rocky hills. ^'alIey of the St. Lawrence; south to Delaware and 

 along the mountains to Florida; west to Minnesota, Kansas, Indian 

 Territory, and Texas. 



IN i<E,\\^ ENGLAND — Maine, along or near the coast as far north as 

 Harpswell; New Hamp^hire^ — comniun as far north as Lake Winufpesau- 

 kee; ^'ermont — uccasiunal along the Connecticut to Windsnr. rather 

 common in the Champlain valley and along the western slopes uf the 

 Green mountains; Massachusetts and Rhode Island — common. 



IN CONNECTICUT — Frequent or common. 



A\"OOD — Hea\'y, ^"ery hard and strong, tough, close-grained, flexible, 

 light brown with thin nearly white sapwood; largely used in the manu- 

 facture of agricultural implements, carriages, wagons, and for axe- 

 handles, baskets and fuel. The nut is the common hickory nut of 



conimerce. 



