IV. 2. THE HICKORY. 189 
and still remain growing pretty thickly. Their growth at first 
is slow, but it is more rapid in proportion to the completeness 
of their protection on every side. When the young plants have 
attained the height of from five to eight feet, they may be thin- 
ned out for the purpose of making walking-sticks, for which 
the consumption is very considerable, and the demand con- 
stantly increasing. When at the height of fifteen or twenty 
feet, and from two to four inches in diameter, they may be still 
further thinned for hoops. The value of the young and growing 
trees for fuel, will be a sufficient inducement to continue the 
operation of thinning to as great a degree as is necessary for the 
best growth of the larger trees, which may be left standing for 
timber, for ornament, or for the fruit. Hickories managed in this 
way, drawn up at first by being surrounded by other trees, and 
afterwards gradually exposed to the action of the sun and air, 
will have their peculiar beauties developed in the fullest manner. 
It is merely an imitation, by art, of the mode by which some 
of the best trees of this kind now standing, have been formed. 
‘The uses to which hickory woed is put, are very numerous. 
Great numbers of walking-sticks are made of it, as for this 
purpose no other native wood equals it in beauty and strength. 
It is next in value to white oak, for making hoops, of which 
great quantities are made in the State, and many more imported. 
The price these bring is such, that it is doubtful whether land 
of a suitable quality can in any other way be made so produc- 
tive, as in raising them. Hickory makes the best screws, the 
smoothest and most durable handles for chisels, augers, gimlets, 
axes, and many other common tools. Seasoned wood of some 
varieties of the pignut and mockernut trees, is equal in durability 
to iron wood or lignumvite, for mallets and heads of beetles, 
being tougher and more durable than white oak. ‘The sailor 
prefers a hickory handspike. [ts smoothness and tenacity rec- 
ommend it for the screws of presses, the rings which confine 
the sails of small vessels to the mast, and for the cogs of grist- 
mills. The carriage maker employs it for the springs of gigs, 
the whiffie-trees of stage coaches, and the shafts of light wagons. 
The farmer makes of it the teeth of his rakes, bows for his 
yokes, and handles for his axes; uses it, when white or yellow 
