Part 24

=Juglans cinerea=, L.

=Form=.—Height 20-60 feet, diameter 2-3 feet; trunk short, dividing into an open, broad crown of large horizontal or ascending branches.

=Leaves=.—Alternate, compound, 15-30 inches long; leaflets 11-17, oblong, acute, 2-3 inches long, finely serrate except at the base, yellow-green, rough above, pubescent beneath; petioles hairy.

=Flowers=.—May, with the first leaves; monoecious; staminate flowers in drooping catkins the pistillate solitary or several on a spike, bracts covered with white or pink glandular hairs; pistils red.

=Fruit=.—Matures in autumn; solitary or in clusters of 3-5; nut ovate-oblong, deeply furrowed and sculptured into several longitudinal ribs; husk thin, hairy, sticky; kernel sweet, edible, and oily.

=Bark=.—Light gray on twigs, brownish on old trunks; divided by dark fissures into lighter flat-topped ridges. Inner bark bitter, becoming yellow on exposure to the air.

=Wood=.—Light, soft, not strong, coarse-grained, light brown, light colored sapwood.

=Range=.—Southern Canada and Minnesota to Delaware and Arkansas, south in the mountains to Georgia.

=Distribution in West Virginia=.—A common tree, found throughout the State except in the highest mountains and in a few areas south and west, especially in Jackson, Putnam, Mingo, and Wyoming counties. Thrives at higher altitudes than Black Walnut, and grows at 3000 feet, or over, along cold mountain streams and hillsides in Randolph and adjacent counties.

=Habitat=.—Prefers rich, moist soil.

=Notes=.—A less common and less valuable tree than its near relative next described.

BLACK WALNUT

=Juglans nigra=, L.

=Form=.—Height 60-100 feet, diameter 2-6 feet; trunk usually straight and clean; crown round and very open.

=Leaves=.—Alternate, compound, 1-2 feet long, 13-23 leaflets, 3-3½ inches long, 1-1¼ inches broad, sharply serrate, long, sharp-pointed, yellow-green and smooth above, paler and pubescent beneath.

=Flowers=.—May, with half developed leaves; monoecious; staminate flowers in long, greenish, drooping catkins; the pistillate single or several in a spike.

=Fruit=.—Matures in autumn, nut round, very rough, 1-2 inches in diameter; husk thick, rough; kernel sweet, edible, oily.

=Bark=.—Brownish and hairy on twigs, dark brown on old trunks, with deep furrows and rounded ridges.

=Wood=.—Hard, heavy, strong, close-grained, rich dark brown with light-colored sapwood.

=Range=.—Northern states from Maine to Minnesota and south to Florida.

=Distribution in West Virginia=.—Common in all parts of the State, but not found at high elevations. The best stands are now cut out.

=Habitat=.—Prefers rich, moist soils, and requires an abundance of light.

=Notes=.—The Black Walnut is classed as one of the most valuable of our trees on account of its superior wood. It is also prized on account of its nuts and is sometimes planted on lawns. Where suitable land is available this rapid-growing species may be profitably planted for commercial purposes.

SHELL-BARK HICKORY

=Carya ovata= (Mill.) K. Koch.

=Form=.—Height 60-100 feet, diameter 1-2 feet; trunk in close stands straight and free from branches to a good height; in the open short and bearing a rounded or oblong crown.

=Leaves=.—Alternate, compound, 8-14 inches long; leaflets usually 5, ovate or ovate-lanceolate, acuminate, serrate, ciliate on the margins, firm, dark yellow-green and glabrous above, paler and nearly glabrous beneath; petioles usually smooth, sometimes hairy.

=Flowers=.—May; monoecious; the staminate in pendulous catkins; the pistillate in 2-5-flowered spikes.