tory. The trees vary greatly in fruitfulness and
the nuts in thickness of shells, size, shape, and kernel quality. A
strong tendency to produce nuts with imperfect kernels is common among
the pecan-shellbark crosses.

Local varieties selected from the wild may have merit for use in
top-working hickories or pecans. The pecan is suggested because it makes
a good stock for the hickories and as it grows more rapidly. Some of the
best of the older named sorts for planting or for use in top-working
appear to be the following: Barnes, Fairbanks, Stanley, Weiker,
Kentucky, Swain, Laney, Kirtland, and Rieke.

THE CHINKAPINS

The chinkapin is related closely to the chestnut and resembles it
strikingly in most of the important characteristics. It occurs in two
well known forms. West of the Mississippi River, the Ozark chinkapin
tree may reach a height of sixty feet in good soil, while the other form
(Allegany chinkapin) in the eastern range grows to a height of about 15
feet. Each may be grafted or budded upon the other without difficulty.
Named varieties of the chinkapin are not available at this time. The
Japanese, Chinese, and European chestnuts are introduced species.

The blight disease has almost wiped out the great American chestnut
forests of the East. As yet, however, the malady has not been
introduced into Missouri. (The oak wilt, however, has been found
there.--Ed.) The chinkapin of this area is highly resistant to the
blight and some of the hybrids carry the resistant quality and bear nuts
of good size and high quality. The native chinkapin forests especially
of southwest Missouri are valued highly not only for their nuts but
particularly for post timber.

The native chinkapin tree in Missouri grows to large size in good soil
and it may be found as one of the largest forest trees on the stony
ridge lands of southwestern sections of the Ozark Mountains. The nuts
are very much like those produced by chestnut trees except they are
smaller. In flavor and quality the nuts may be found equal or superior
to the chestnuts.

Both the chinkapin and chestnut may be grafted or budded one upon the
other. In fact, the western chinkapin may be used successfully as a
stock for the chestnut.

The European chestnut is very susceptible to the blight. A very large
coarse nut is produced by the Japanese chestnut and it does not blight
quite as readily as the American sorts. The Chinese chestnut is the most
resistant to blight an