WALNUT FAMILY 
guishing character and differ in general aspect from those 
of the other hickories. The fruit also is individual, four 
ridges or wings reach from the apex 
half way to the base; sometimes two 
of these reach the base, all of them 
never. The kernel is extremely bit- 
ter. 
This species loves the water and in 
Ohio should be sought at the mar- 
gins of streams, but in the south it 
changes its nature and crowds upon 
the poor, dry, gravelly soil of Ala- 
bama and Mississippi. It grows rap- 
idly for a hickory, but the entire fam- 
ily are slow of growth. 
The nuts should be planted where they are to grow, as the 
trees are difficult to transplant. 
Bitternut, Hicorfa minima. Fruit 
34’ to 144’ long. 
SHELLBARK HICKORY. SHAGBARK 
ficbria ovata, Cdrya dlba. 
Shagbark refers to the loose shaggy appearance of the bark, and as 
this peels off easily the tree is also known as Shellbark. 
Not abundant in New England, reaches its largest size in the val- 
ley of the Ohio. In the forest attains the height of one hundred 
feet with a straight columnar trunk. Prefers a deep, rich, rather 
moist soil. Its tap root is very large and vigorous, and the tree is 
best reared directly from the nut. 
Bark.—Dark gray, separates into strips often three feet or more 
long, three to eight inches wide, which cling to the trunk usually by 
the middle giving it a rough shaggy appearance. On young stems 
and branches smooth and light green. Branchlets stout, at first 
green, slightly angled, downy and covered with brown scurf, during 
first year reddish or light gray, smooth and shining, later becoming 
dark gray, finally light gray. Leaf-scars are ovate to semi-orbicular 
or very obscurely three-lobed, pale. 
IVood.—Light brown, sapwood nearly white; heavy, tough, close- 
grained and extremely elastic. Used in manufacture of agricultural 
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