I9I6 



BETTER FRUIT 



Pag^ 'U 



1V41 



Money in Walnuts 



By Ferd Groner, Hillsboro, Oregon. 



THE question many people are ask- 

 ing at present: Is there any money 

 in walnuts or liow soon will they pay 

 dividends, and how much and at what 

 expense per acre before an income is 

 realized? Many do not realize that 

 there is not a grafted orchard in the 

 Northwest older than eight years, but 

 there are many large trees which have 

 been top-grafted from six to nine years 

 that have been bearing heavy, regular 

 crops. The oldest orchard, now eight 

 years, bore 3,100 pounds last season on 

 sixteen acres; about four acres of the 

 sixteen were of a number of varieties 

 planted for experimental purposes and 

 most of the trees bore very few nuts. 

 The bulk of the crop grew on the re- 

 maining twelve acres of Vrooman 

 Franquettes and made a net profit of 

 .?3f) per acre, the nuts selling for an 

 average of 24 cents per pound. The 

 lowest wholesale price that these nuts 

 sold for to the trade was 22 cents per 

 pound, which is from 5 to 7 cents 

 higher than the average wholesale 

 price of nuts grown in districts where 

 most of our nuts come from. The crop 

 this season is about double that of last 

 year and prices will be fully as high, 

 as the crop in the main nut-producing 

 sections is only about GO per cent of last 

 year's crop. I think it is safe to state 

 that this orchard will pay 6 per cent 

 net on $1,000 per acre this season. 



In regard to varieties, will say the 

 Franquette is the only one I can rec- 

 ommend of varieties that have been 

 tried out here in the Northwest. We 

 are experimenting with eighteen vari- 

 cites, ten of which are in bearing; only 

 time will tell their value, but so far 

 none promises to be better than the 

 Franquette. I have a number coming 

 on that I have cross bred, but it takes 

 about ten years to prove one out. As 

 most of the older plantings were unde- 

 sirable varieties and nearly all seed- 

 lings very few proved a success from 

 a financial standpoint. This has had a 

 strong tendency to retard planting as 

 very few grafted orchards are old 

 enough to make a showing. Last sea^ 

 son quite a large number of seedling 

 trees were fop-grafted to Franquette. 

 Walnuts, no doubt, will be slow in 

 development owing to the high price 

 of good trees, and it takes eight years 

 to prove them out. It took over twenty 

 years for the average farmer to realize 

 the value of red clover which bore a 

 crop the second year. It took over 

 twenty years to introduce kale in 

 Western Oregon and it will take at 

 least ten more years before the aver- 

 age farmer or fruitgrower will realize 

 the value of walnuts. 



As walnuts are planted from 40 to .50 

 feet apart crojjs such as vetch mixed 

 with wheat and oats, corn, potatoes, 

 kale, pumpkins or peas can be raised 

 on about one-half the ground the first 

 six years without detriment to the trees. 

 If these crops are properly handled 

 more than the total cost of cultivation 

 can be realized before the trees begin 

 to bear. 



Notice to Irrigators 



California-Nevada-Washington-Oregon 



Beginning September 1, 1916, the under- 

 signed i.s ready to make shipments from its 

 warehouse in Stockton, CaUfornia, as well as from 

 Denver. This new arrangement will save you 

 time and freight. A convenience for you Pacific 

 Coast farmers who are facing imgation or 

 drainage ditch problems. 



For making and cleaning 

 laterals and ditches no 

 machine is superior to 

 the Martin farm ditcher 

 — and (here is no equal at 

 the price. Works right or 

 left-handed, in new or old 

 ditches, large or small, in 

 sandy or rocky ground, in 

 gumbo or heavy clay, on 

 hillside or the level, ordi- 

 narily with a single team. 

 Cutting blade of crucible 

 steel. 



The Martin is mechani- 

 cally simple. No wheels, 

 gears or pinions to wear 

 out and need early replac- 

 ing. All steel. If you 

 have not received our 

 fully descriptive catalog, 

 ask for it TO-DAY. The 

 Martin "costs less than a 

 cow" and on an 80-acre 

 irrigated farm will save 

 the price of three cows 

 in a single season. Write 

 RIGHT NOW. 



M 



Owensboro Ditcher & Grader Co. 



Western Branch 

 235 Evans Clock Denver, Colorado 



Address Atl Correspondence to Denver 



"BLUE RIBBON" 



Bartlett Pears 

 Elberta Peaches 

 Italian Prunes 



In straight or mixed cars. 

 All orders given careful and prompt attention. 



Wire for Prices. 



Yakima County Horticultural Union 



FRCD E^BERLE., Manager 



NORTH YAKIMA, WASHINGTON 



WHEN WRITING ADVERTISERS MENTION BETTER FBUIT 



