ut said to have been planted in
1800. The nuts from these trees are small but well filled and much
appreciated by their respective communities.

THE PRESIDENT: We have the secretary down for a paper.

THE SECRETARY: This paper opens a symposium on topworking hickory
trees.

TOP WORKING HICKORIES IN THE NORTH

_By W. C. Deming, Connecticut_

I do not recall a single modern improvement of importance in the art of
grafting nut trees in the North that is not due to either Mr. Jones or
Dr. Morris, except that to Mr. Riehl belongs, I believe, the credit of
the idea of waxing the entire graft, which is now the accepted
procedure. Therefore I speak before these two gentlemen with diffidence.
I do so in the hope that perhaps I may recall something which they have
forgotten to make known, or that what I say may elicit from them
available emendatory remarks. My experience of fourteen years on my own
place, and of five years grafting for others, is the basis of my
observations.

_Compatibility of Species and Varieties_

This question will be particularly discussed by Mr. Bixby who has been
conducting careful experiments that should soon settle the question for
the commoner hickories. A few scattering observations of my own may be
useful.

It is generally believed that any species of the genus hickory will
catch on any other, though not necessarily that the union will be
blessed. It is self evident that any hickory will thrive on any variety
of the same species, shagbark on shagbark, pecan on pecan, though even
here close observation will probably disclose differences of
compatibility. Probably any hybrid hickory will thrive on either of its
parents. In some cases this may turn out to be a test of hybridity. For
instance, the Barnes is one of the few shagbarks known to thrive on
mockernut. It shows other evidences of mockernut blood.

I have found no hickory, so far, that does not appear to thrive on the
shagbark, except the pecan. Even here there are differences. I have one
Major pecan on shagbark that is over twenty-five feet high that has a
very healthy appearance and that has shown staminate bloom for two or
three years. I have also an Indian pecan that looks fairly prosperous.
The Iowa pecans, the Marquart, Greenbay, Campbell, Witte, and others,
catch readily and grow vigorously, at least for the first years. There
are many data, however, on the adaptability of the pecan to the shagbark
and the consensus o