Walnut and Filbert Growing. 327 



The French vareties referred to are Praeparturiens, Franquette, Mayette. 

 Chaberte and Parisienne, all of which are successful here, and I find that all 

 writers concur in this, that the French varieties are late bloomers and often 

 bear full crops, while the tender soft shell varieties are destroyed by frost. As 

 an example : On tiiC 2d of March, 1896. portions of California were visited 

 by a severe frost and snow storm. On March 15th the pistillates of the home 

 varieties made tlieir appearance but the male flower had dropped off. On March 

 22d the European varieties began to put forth and produced a good crop, while 

 the early varieties had no crop. Nuts of the French varieties are of good size 

 and excellent flavor, and while not as large as the paper shell and soft shell 

 varieties, tliey are equally as good. 



Speaking of the quality of the nuts : Last October I collected a quantity 

 of nuts grown in the vicinity of Portland, which, for my own curiosity, I dis- 

 tributed among people who were interested in them, but did not know of then- 

 source — the consensus of opinion was that they were fine, sweet, have the true 

 nutty flavor, lack the hardness, oiliness and, sometimes, bitterness tliat is so 

 common in the California nuts, and surprise that they were home grown. 

 Furthermore, the trees are free from bacteriosis, which is the great enemy of 

 the California soft shell nuts. The Japanese walnut makes a very handsome 

 ornamental tree. It produces a small, elongated, hard nut. with a sweet kernel, 

 but will have no commercial importance. 



The walnut does best on a moist, warm, sandy loam, well drained, and 

 perfect drainage is absolutely necessary. It is a very vigorous grower and 

 requires ample root room vertically and horizontally, and shows its appreciation 

 of good things of the eartli as do other fruit trees, and yet it attains satisfactory 

 size and bearing in less favorable situations. Soils which have a hard pan near 

 the surface, or soils which hold too much moisture, are to be avoided. A fairly 

 light, friable loam of good depth and easily worked, offers perfect condition in 

 the matter of soil for the walnut. 



In regard to tlie best tree to plant there is considerable difference of opinion. 

 Many contend that large trees are best, while others prefer small ones, as in 

 planting them it is unnecessary to cut any of the roots, especially the tap root, 

 and the cuting of the tap root is the basis of much controversy. I would say 

 that if you liave to cut it, do so, and the tree will form anotlier or several of 

 them as the case may be. If the trees are planted in good soil tlie cutting of 

 a tap root will not materially affect it, or, if it does, for the better. A planter 

 living near Portland, when I asked his views on this subject, told me to cut 

 them or not, just as convenient. When he planted his walnut trees he found 

 several decayed spots in the tap root, as a result of poor digging, and he gave 

 them a vigorous pruning. The trees flourished and three years later, when he 

 had occasion to transplant one of the trees, he found three tap roots. 



Pollination is a very important consideration in the planting of walnuts. 

 and its study is a vast one, even more so than in fruit culture, and it is incum- 

 bent upon the grower to study and know the varieties, so that they assist iu 

 the pollination of one another. In this way, too, will be the means of improving: 

 our varieties. 



Pruning is largely governed by local conditions — here the tendency is to 

 have the tree headed high, say six feet, wliile in California, low heading is 

 practiced, but after the head is formed, little or no pruning is necessary. 



The time of bearing varies, six to eight years after planting being an 

 average time, and impatient planters must find consolation in the fact tliat 

 precocity in bearing is not desirable, for walnut trees do not produce profitable 

 crops until they attain a size sufficient to sustain them, but having reached that 

 state, they become a heritage unto the third and fourth generations. 



I wanted to include the several nuts that flourish here in this paper, l)ut in 

 the short time I have had for preparation, it has been impossible for me to 

 secure information, samples, etc, that I desired, so I shall not dwell upon 

 almonds and chestnuts, but wish to speak of the filberts. It has been my 



