DECIDUOUS ORNAMENTAL TUBES. 195 



handles ; and an immense quantity of the young poles are 

 employed in the manufacture of hoops, for which they 

 are admirably adapted. 



For fuel, no American wood is equal to this in the 

 brilliancy with which it burns, or in the duration or amount 

 of heat given out by it : it therefore commands the highest 

 price in market for that purpose. 



The hickories are nearly allied to the walnuts; the 

 chief botanical distinction consisting in the covermg to 

 the nut, or husk ; which in the hickories separates into 

 four valves, or pieces, when ripe, instead of adhering in a 

 homogeneous coat, as upon the Black walnut and butter- 

 nut. In size and appearance, the hickories rank with the 

 first class of forest trees ; most of them grovjfing 

 vigorously to the height of 60 or 80 feet, with fine straight 

 trunks, well balanced and ample heads, and handsome, 

 lively, pinnated foliage. When confined among other 

 trees in the forest, they shoot up 50 or 60 feet without 

 branches ; but when standing singly, they expand into a 

 fine head near the ground and produce a noble, lofty 

 pyramid of foliage, rather rounded at the top. They have 

 all the qualities which are necessary to constitute fine, 

 graceful park trees, and are justly entitled to a place in 

 every considerable plantation. 



The most ornamental species are the Shellbark hickory, 

 the Pignut, and the Pecan-nut. The former and the latter 

 produce delicious nuts, and are highly worthy of 

 cultivation for their fruit alone ; while all of them assume 

 very handsome shapes during every stage of their growth, 

 and ultimately become noble trees. Varieties of the 

 Shellbark hickory are sometimes seen producing nuts ol 

 twice or thrice the ordinary size ; and we have not the 

 least doubt that the fruit might be so improved in size and 



