s (_Carya cordiformis_) grew well, and are still growing
well after more than fifteen years. Several different varieties of
shagbark hickory scions were used in this grafting.
The second year, we again grafted as many or more stocks in this same
area. The results were exactly the same, except that we used some scions
of Davis and Fox. (These varieties were brought to light through the
contests of the previous winter). The grafts of Davis grew on pignut
stocks, are still alive and doing fairly well. They have been bearing
for several years, although the squirrels have stolen all of the nuts.
Grafts of all other varieties which were on the pignut stocks died the
next spring. One graft of Fox on mockernut lived and has continued to
grow fairly well. That same year we started our test orchard of shagbark
stocks (_Carya ovata_) in a different area. Grafts on these stocks have
grown very well.
I believe that for some reason grafts of shagbark on pignut stocks
cannot stand cold weather. Certainly, incompatibility is very marked.
Our experience with hickory stocks to date is as follows:
PIGNUT (_Carya glabra_ or possibly _Carya ovalis_). This species is
worthless as a stock for shagbark, shellbark, and hybrids of these
species. If nut growers have some pignut stocks growing where they
especially wish to have some good hickory trees, they can graft them to
Davis. We have also heard that Brooks will grow on pignut stocks.
MOCKERNUT (_Carya alba_). This species is also nearly worthless as a
stock for shagbark, shell bark, and hybrids, although many more
varieties will live on it than will on pignut stocks.
SHAGBARK (_Carya ovata_). This species makes the most dependable stock
of any we have tried so far, for shagbark, shell bark, and the hybrids.
Its greatest drawback is the long time it takes to grow seedlings to a
size large enough to graft.
SHELLBARK (_Carya laciniosa_). We have never had an opportunity to use
this species as a stock. I think that it would make a good one and
possibly be faster growing than shagbark.
BITTERNUT (_Carya cordiformis_). We have found that this species makes a
very satisfactory stock for shagbark and hybrid grafts. We have not
tried shellbark on it, except Berger which grows well on it. Seedlings
of this species are much faster growing than are shagbark seedlings, and
thus are large enough to graft sooner. We have grafts growing on
bitternut stocks since 1935, they are growing and pr
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