326 Appendix, 



quirements in soil, climate, and location, and the production of varieties adapted 

 to the peculiarities of our State. The old-time saying that the area of walnut 

 culture in the State is 'very limited' and confined to any particular section 

 has, by happy chance, proved a fallacy, and is disproved by the numerous pro- 

 ductive orchards that bear witness to its successful culture. While the early 

 plantings were made in the southern counties, where the culture of the walnut 

 is pursued with great magnitude, the industry is gradually spreading and broad- 

 ening. While the walnut will withstand a very low temperature, it is very 

 susceptible to sudden changes, and a hot day suddenly following a frosty night 

 will chill the young wood, and often proves fatal to. a young orchard, setting it 

 back a season's growth. The same is true in the springtime on the openings of 

 the flowers or catkins — a chill will frequently cause them all to drop and render 

 the crop a failure. For this reason a location free from prevailing frosts, or one 

 where the sun will not strike the trees until the effects of the cold have been 

 overcome, is very desirable. The latter trouble can be largely overcome by 

 planting some of the late-blooming varieties, which do not send forth their cat- 

 kins until danger from frosts is largely past. California walnuts are fast sup- 

 planting those from foreign countries. Only a few years ago the growers of 

 these nuts here had a very hard struggle to introduce them, l^eing obliged to 

 accept the humiliating price of from three to six cents a pound less than that 

 paid for imported walnuts. Gradually, however, a reduction came, in favor of 

 the California product, and now Eastern dealers will take our best walnuts at 

 prices equal to and, in many cases, exceeding those obtained for those coming 

 from abroad. Our State affords a splendid field for the walnut industry, and 

 although thousands of trees have been planted, and the acreage is being ex- 

 tended every year, it is believed that overproduction need not be feared. Our 

 producers have all America for a market." 



This article, in the main, is equally applicable to Oregon, and we stand 

 today where California stood twenty years ago. We have demonstrated that 

 we can grow walnuts and of a quality equal or superior to those grown else- 

 where, but this success has been achieved by the experimenter, the amateur and 

 the enthusiast. We are reaping the reward of their perseverance and we also 

 can profit by the Californian's success and can avoid many of their failures. 

 We have many of the same congenial conditions of soil and climate that they 

 have, and today it is not a question of planting a tree or two for the kitchen 

 garden, but a commercial proposition. 



The large acreage which is now being planted to walnuts in the Williamette 

 Valley, and I understand that Southern Oregon and the favorable sections in 

 Eastern Oregon, Washington and Idaho, are taking advantage of their possi- 

 bilities : these facts go to show that the walnut is coming to the front, and its 

 importance as a commercial article from a grower's standpoint, is recognized, 

 and in a few years will be rated, not by a few trees, but by hundreds of acres. 



In 1901, California exported 6,000 tons, worth over one million dollars. Our 

 people, too, are eating more nuts and consumption will keep pace with production. 



In 1889, Prof. B. J. Wickson, of the University of California, wrote : 

 "There is not. however, at present, any disposition to large plantings of the 

 walnut, though the trees are being continually put in in small groups, or as 

 border trees around fruit orchards, still for home use suitable varieties should 

 be given place on most valley and foot-hill farms." 



Twelve years later he writes : "Walnut growing is quite rapidly extending 

 in both the coast and the interior valley regions of Central California, and is 

 also successfully accomplished in favorable situations in the foot-hills up to 

 an elevation of 2,000 feet. There are also many instances of thrifty and prolific 

 trees in Northern California and Southern Oregon. This northward extension of 

 successful walnut growing is conditioned upon the use of the best French vari- 

 eties and the rejection of the varieties popular to the chief commercial districts 

 in Southern California. These varieties are hardier in resistance to frost and 

 leaf burn from summer heat." 



