148 



ARBORICULTURE 



The Black Walnut. 



1A1IIS noble tree was fornu-rly very 

 abumlaiit in the rich timber lands 

 of the middle and western states ; 

 its durability and the ease with which it 

 could be cut and split made it a favorite 

 with the pioneers with which to build 

 rail fences, and many old walnut rails are 

 still to be seen on western farms. 



With the advent of improved machin- 

 ery and rapid increase of commercial 

 manufactures, it came rapidl\ into de- 

 mand for fine furniture. The beautiful 

 grain of the Walnut, more especially the 

 g-narled and knotty jxjrtion near the 

 ground, together with the beautiful polish 

 which it is capable of receiving, placed it 

 beyond all other American native woods 

 for cabinet purposes. As the tree became 

 more scarce from the excessive demand 

 its value arose to a fabulous ])rice. 

 Agents scoured the country paying 

 en<jrmous sums for logs that were but a 

 short time before considered without 

 value. Old stumps were dug up with 

 which to make veneers, while limbs and 

 short, crooked logs were hauled 'to the 

 mills and utilized as lumber. ]kit the 

 end soon came. Such a continuous de- 

 niand upon the forests which had been 

 wastefully destroyed for so many years, 

 with no attempt at renewal by planting 

 more trees, could have but one rbsult ; the 

 beautiful Black Walnut no longer to be 

 had for commercial puri)oses was re- 

 placed by r)ak, I'irch and other woods, 

 and is now seldom used as a cabinet 

 wood. 



Few trees are more i)rolific of seeds. 

 The nuts invariably grow when properly 

 planted, but should not be allowed to dry 

 out if intended for seed. Its growth is 

 f|uite raj)id and it would be very profit- 

 able to the grower w.ho could wait a few 

 years for his returns. 



When trees of this class, spreading in 

 their nature, are grown in the oi)en field. 



tlu'\ form \ery short trunks, and extend 

 iheir branches over a large area. 



Thus grown their economic value is- 

 quite small, but if thickly planted and 

 systematically, ihe trunk is compelled to- 

 grow upright, making a tree with a tall 

 and straight body, which afterwards, 

 when ])ro])erly thinned, becomes more 

 stocky, ])roducing a much greater quan- 

 tity of timber i)er acre. 



This statement must not be an excuse 

 for 4x4 planting. 



In a natural forest seed bed, with shade 

 and abundant mulching of fallen leaves, 

 the surface soil mellow and in the best 

 condition for the young plant, it makes 

 very rapid growth. 



Under cultivation, these conditions 

 should be secured by thoroughly stirring 

 the soil for several years, often enough 

 to keep down all grass. 



The nuts should be ])lanted where they 

 are to grow, closely, in rows eight feet 

 apart. By thinning the rows so as to 

 have the trees 8x8 feet, they will not in- 

 terfere for fifteen years. 



While the writer was living on the 

 prairies of Kansas some years ago. it w'as 

 quite difficult to obtain nuts for plant- 

 ing, but on almost every farm in the 

 older states are trees from which several 

 barrels of nuts could be obtained in the 

 fall after the first heavy fro.st. Prefer- 

 ably, the outer hull .should remain on the 

 nuts if for seed. 



The seed should be kept moist by cov- 

 ering with sand, soil or mulching, but 

 should not be kept in a wet place. 

 Freezing aids in bursting the hard shell 

 without injury to the germ. 



The long tap root penetrates deeply, 

 and in removal this root is injured so 

 that it does not make .so good a tree 

 thereafter, yet one year trees may usually 

 be safely transplanted. 



Corn or other farm crops may occupy 

 the space between the rows for several 

 years, thus reducing the cost of cultiva- 

 tion. 



There are numerous Walnut trees 



