Form and size:  A tall, stately tree—­the tallest of the hickories—­of
    rugged form and fine symmetry, see Fig. 66.

Range:  Eastern North America.

Soil and location:  The shagbark hickory grows in a great variety of
    soils, but prefers a deep and rather moist soil.

Enemies:  The hickory bark borer (Scolytus quadrispinosus) is its
    principal enemy.  The insect is now killing thousands of hickory
    trees in the vicinity of New York City and on several occasions has
    made its appearance in large numbers in other parts of the country.

Value for planting:  It is difficult to transplant, grows slowly and is
    seldom found in nurseries.

[Illustration:  FIG. 67.—­Bud of the Shagbark Hickory.]

Commercial value:  The wood is extremely tough and hard and is used for
    agricultural implements and for the manufacture of wagons.  It is
    excellent for fuel and the nuts are of great value as a food.

Other characters:  The fruit is a nut covered by a thick husk that
    separates into 4 or 5 segments.  The kernel is sweet.

Other common names:  Shellbark hickory.

MOCKERNUT HICKORY (Hicoria alba)

[Illustration:  FIG. 68.—­Bark of the Shagbark Hickory.]

Distinguishing characters:  The bud is the largest among the
    hickories—­nearly half an inch long—­is hard and oval and covered
    with yellowish brown downy scales which do not project like
    those of the shagbark hickory, see Fig. 69.  The twigs are extremely
    coarse.  The bark is very tight on the trunk and branches and has a
    close, hard, wavy appearance as in Fig. 70.

Leaf:  The leaf consists of 5, 7 or 9 leaflets all of which are large and
    pubescent and possess a distinct resinous odor.

Form and size:  A tall tree with a broad spreading head.

Range:  Eastern North America.

Soil and location:  The mockernut hickory grows on a great variety of
    soils, but prefers one which is rich and well-drained.

Enemies:  The same as for the shagbark hickory.

Value for planting:  It is not commonly planted.

Commercial value:  The wood is similar to that of the shagbark hickory
    and is put to the same uses.

Other characters:  The fruit is a nut, larger and covered with a shell
    thicker than that of the shagbark.  The husk is also thicker and
    separates into four segments nearly to the base.  The kernel is small
    and sweet.

Other common names:  Bigbud hickory; whiteheart hickory.

Comparisons:  The pignut hickory (Hicoria glabra), sometimes called
    broom hickory or brown hickory, often has a shaggy bark, but differs
    from both the shagbark and the mockernut hickory in possessing buds
    very much smaller, twigs more slender and leaflets fewer.  The nut
    has a thinner husk which does not separate into four or five
    segments.  The tree prefers drier ground than the other hickories.