BOARD OF HORTICULTURE 135 



Most of our nuts are high in fat content and fairly high in protein content. 

 The chestnut, however, is low in fat, but very high in carbohydrates. Its com- 

 position and food value is very close, when analyzed, to that of cornmeal or of 

 wheat bread. Many of the Europeans use it much as we use the potato, to supply 

 the starches in their diets. They use this nut boiled, roasted, made into cakes, 

 and in many other forms. It enters into tlieir diet very extensively. They also 

 use it for feeding hogs, as do the Japanese. It has a high feeding value and, 

 acre for acre, will produce more fattening value for hogs than will a 25-bushel 

 meal of wheat. A few chestnut trees planted on waste land would, in a few years, 

 serve to fatten the hogs for the winter's supply of pork for a farmer, thus releas- 

 ing more valuable land now used for raising hog feed. 



As to the future of the chestnut in America : The native forests of the East 

 are doomed. Any> chestnut industry that may be maintained in the present Ameri- 

 can chestnut region will have to be based on resistant hybrids that are now being 

 tried out. Parts of the Middle "West are planting a few chestnut oi-chards, and 

 these sections may develop plantings to supply the markets of the East, in case 

 they can keep the blight out. The Pacific Coast is the only remaining section that 

 may step into the breach. This section has the climatic condition necessary to 

 success and is fortunate in not hayiug any native chestnut forests, hence will 

 have less trouble with diseases and insects than will an old growing region. We 

 know we can grow the nuts commercially. Our question is simply this : Is the 

 Eastern market attractive enough to Warrant our growers. who can do so well 

 with filberts and walnuts and with so many fruits and berries, to plant chestnuts 

 instead of other nuts and fruits? 



Mr. Henry E. Dosch, who introduced the French walnuts into Oregon, says 

 that he also experimented with other nut varieties. In chestnuts, he imported 

 from France the Combale, Nnouzillarde, Merle and Lyon, very vigorous growers, 

 reaching a height of fifty feet. which. however, are shy Itearers of nuts ; has also 

 the Italian and Spanish, and finds the Spanish best adopted to our soll and 

 climatic conditions, bearing füll crops of very sweet nuts every year. Mr Gray 

 prefers the American Sweet, also a good producer, and says they bring the highest 

 price in the market. 



PLANTING A FILBERT GROVE 



By Ben Dorris 



Some people plant an orchard for the sport of the thing, others in order to 

 supply suffering humanity with the neeessities of life. to hear them teil it, but I 

 am going to address myself to those who intend to plant with the idea of 

 making mouey. 



Climate and Soil 



The first requisite in planting an orchard is the site. Climate is a secondary 

 consideration in this country, as the filbert does well all over the Pacific North- 

 west and, in fact, over the northern half of the United States. It is not the 

 climate that prohibits the growing of the filbert in the Middle West and East, 

 but the presence of the American hazel, a host plant for the filbert blight. Wher- 

 over the native hazel grows, the climate is favorable for the filbert. 



The soil .should be of good quality ; that is, fairly rieh and well drained, with 

 the ability to hold moisture through the summer. It is probable the filbert will 

 do as well, if not better, on comparatively poor soil as any orchard free, provided 

 it is not wet land, but it would seem to me that any one contemplating the 

 purchase of land for the purpose of establishing a filbert grove had better secure 

 a fair grade of land, as the cost of procuring and setting out the trees is too much 

 to risk to save a few dollars an acre on land. If the wild hazel grows, or has 



