30 BULLETIN 1282, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
Bearing habit.—Bears on spurs on wood 2 to 4 years old. Many spurs in 
clusters, others single; rather long (2 inch), slender (4 inch) ; expands gradu- 
ally to form disk + by zs inch. Buds long, bulge in middle, constricted at base; 
outer scales thick, coarse, reddish, frequently gray on edges. 
NUT 
Immature nut.—Medium in size (13 by 14 by ¢% to 1% by 12 by 17% inches). 
Usually oval; sometimes slightly obovate. Edgewise view oblong oval. Ven- 
tral edge plump, curved more than dorsal; no ventral ridge; suture line narrow 
and distinct (7s inch wide and ¢& to zz inch deep). Dorsal edge rather 
Straight or very gently curved, plump, curved most at apex, base part fre- 
quently slightly recurved. Base plump, round, smooth (seldom grooved), 
usually slightly sloping either ventrally or dorsally, many times at right angles 
to axis; ventral shoulder rounding; dorsal shoulder square, but not prominent. 
Cavity shallow (sz inch deep and ¥5 to 2 inch across). Apex plump, very 
bluntly round. Style usually remains on until dehiscence starts; rudiment, 
very smail. 
Hull: Outside green when young, but turns reddish brown before dehiscence 
begins. Pubescence very short, abundant, coarse, gray, felty. Inner surface 
pale green when first dehiscing, rapidly changing to dark brown. Hull is fre- 
quently pink when broken open. Dehiscence starts on ventral edge. Halves 
open equally or unequally. Cracks along apex or base on dorsal edge and 
short cracks occur on halves at base as dehiscence proceeds ; tendency to curve 
in at apex and base. 
Hulled nut.—(P1. II, B.) Variable in size, rather small to medium (¢ by 8 
by 4 to 12 by ~ by ? inches). Shape and character of shell varies in different 
seasons. Number of nuts to the pound, 160 to 300. 
Shape: Somewhat elliptical, either plump or flat, usually medium in plump- 
ness. Axis 4 to 4 of way from dorsal edge to ventral. Ventral edge sharply 
and evenly curved. Wing distinct and clear cut throughout entire length, 
sharply curving at apex, either straight or curved at base. Dorsal edge 
straight except for curve at apex and base. On dorsal ridge is a wide dis- 
tinct line, darker than the rest of the surface of the shell. Base with ventral 
edge straight to the stem scar or with ventral edge sharply curving. Stem 
sear near dorsal edge, small, usually lighter in color than rest of shell, at right 
angies to axis or sloping ventrally, seldom dorsally. Apex blunt with slight 
suggestion of a mucronate point. 
Shell: Dark brown; varies in color even on same tree. Character of shell 
varies in different seasons, usually firm texture. Outside portion scuffs off 
from rough handling. Pits large, round, shallow. Surface between pits usually 
stippled. Sometimes outer surface is flaky. A few lines and grooves along 
ventral edge; grooves run out from stem scar for a small distance. Inner shell 
very thin. Outer shell crumbly and porous, especially near inner shell. Fibers 
large. Inner surface much lighter in color than outer. Ventral streak dark 
brown, much darker in color than inner surface of shell, rather wide; bluntly 
pointed at base. F 
Kernel: Size medium to rather large (average 1 by i by ws inch). Dark 
brown, ovate, with dorsal edge straighter than ventral edge, but curved. When 
viewed edgewise sides slope to a point. A marked character of the kernel is 
a depression on one side. Dorsal shoulder rather square. Ventral shoulder 
round. Apex pointed. Pellicle dark brown, thin; pubescence medium in 
amount; pellicle fold on apex half*of ventral side. Flavor mild, sweet. 
Distinguishing characteristics —Outer surface of shell dark brown, inner 
surface usually lighter in color than outer, pits numerous and large, nut rather 
elliptical in shape, ventral edge sharply cnrved, dorsal edge nearly straight ; 
kernel ovate, often with square dorsal shoulder, pellicle dark brown, depression 
on one side of kernel common. 
The nut of this variety closely resembles the Fair and Hudson in shape and 
when large looks somewhat like the Ne Plus Ultra. When seen among these 
varieties it can be recognized by its dark-colored shell. The fact that its 
kernel is irregular at the base and the side frequently depressed makes it pos- 
sible to separate the variety from the three mentioned. 
COMMENTS 
This variety blooms a little earlier than the Nonpareil and ripens late (very 
last of August and early September). The kernel is unattractive, owing to 
