=Distribution.=--Valley of the St. Lawrence River west to Nebraska and
south to the Gulf States. In Indiana a map distribution of the species
in the State shows that it has been found in practically all of the
counties on the west, north and east borders. It is usually found in
rich soil along streams and in rich woods, and may be found in all of
the counties of the State. Despite the fact that no animal agency was
active against the propagation of this tree, it was rarely found more
than as an infrequent tree throughout our range.
=Remarks.=--The hickories as a class, except the pecan, can not stand
"civilization," especially much tramping about the base. It appears that
the pignut hickory is the most easily affected. In Parke County about
Coxville great numbers of the trees have been killed by the borers. For
the uses of the wood see shellbark hickory. Since this species does not
produce as much marketable lumber as the shellbark hickory, and the nuts
are valueless, it should not be recommended for planting in the farmer's
woodlot. The rossed bark of this species is preferred by manufacturers
of split-bottomed chairs, and is known by them as "yellow-bud" hickory.
=3.= =Carya ovàta= (Miller) K. Koch. Shellbark Hickory. Plate 24. Large
and very tall trees; bark of young trees tight, beginning to scale when
the trees reach 1-2 dm. in diameter, separating into long thin strips on
old trees; twigs at the end of the season usually stout, 3-5 mm. in
diameter near the tip, but some are slender and as small as 2.5 mm. in
diameter, at first covered with hairs, becoming smooth at the end of the
season or remaining hairy, reddish-brown; winter buds hairy, the
terminal one on vigorous shoots long-ovoid, outer scales sharp-pointed;
ordinary leaves 2-4 dm. long; leaflets 3-5, the lateral sessile or
nearly so, the terminal one on a stalk about 1 dm. long, up to 10 cm.
wide and 22 cm. long, leaflets variable in shape from ovate to oval,
oblong-oval or obovate, all long taper-pointed, hairy beneath when they
unfold and remaining hairy until maturity or sometimes becoming almost
glabrous; fruit variable in size, 3-6 cm. long, usually subglobose,
furrowed along the sutures at least near the outer end; husk freely
splitting to the base, except one tree which was noted where the husk
remains on the nut, rarely opening for only a short distance at the
apex, very variable in thickness from 4-10 mm.; nut exceedingly
variable, compressed, 4-angled, the angles generally visible to the
base, 2-3 cm. long, more or less pointed, rarely rounded at the base or
obcordate at the apex, generally ovate to oval in outline, some almost
freakish in shape; shell generally thin; kernel sweet; wood heavy, very
hard and strong, close-grained, light brown, sap wood white and thin on
old trees.
[Illustration: Plate 24.