ng time of slowly growing species, like
the shagbark, when scions of the latter are grafted upon such stocks. At
the present time I have shagbark grafted upon stocks of the pecan,
shagbark, bitternut, mocker-nut, and pignut, but these are all young,
and I cannot at the present time discern much difference in effect of
stock upon scion.

In cross pollenization of hickories, I have not as yet discovered the
best way to prevent the development of aphides and of other insects
under the protection of the paper bags (which cover the pistillate
flowers) sometimes to the point of destruction of flowers before nuts
are started. It is probable that sprinkling the leaves with Persian
insect powder, and leaving a little insect powder in the bag, will
settle the question.

I have not as yet learned how to prevent squirrels from getting at
hybridized nuts while they are still upon the tree. Squirrels cut
through mosquito netting which is tied about nuts to prevent them from
falling to the ground, and if wire gauze is used, they cut off the
branch, allowing gauze and all to fall to the ground, and then manage to
get the nut out of the gauze. The red squirrel particularly is a pest in
this regard, and will even cut off the tape which is tied about the
branches for marking purposes, for no apparent reason aside from pure
mischievousness.

Nuts which are to be planted must be kept away not only from the
squirrels, but from rats and mice. One of my farmhouses got the
reputation of being haunted because of mysterious noises made by rats in
rattling hybrid nuts worth a dollar apiece about between the partitions.
The best way that I have found for keeping nuts for sprouting purposes
is to have a number of large wire cages made. These are set in the
ground, nuts are stratified in sand within these cages, and allowed to
remain exposed to the elements during the winter.

It is probable that some of the hickories will be grown in forest form
in future because of the increased value of the wood of the species. For
growing hickories in forest form, it is probable that they should be set
not more than six or eight feet apart at the outset. At ten years of age
the first thinning will give a valuable lot of hoop poles. The second
thinning will give turning stock. The third thinning will give wood for
a large variety of purposes. I know of no tree which promises to return
a revenue more quickly when planted in forest form than hickories like
the