412 Remarks on the Culture of Exotic Vegetables 



or be reserved for future plantations, without paying respt- 

 to the above operations ; where it is desirable to obtain as 

 early a crop as possible, a few plants may be reared in pots 

 or boxes, and when large enough to receive grafts, the boxes 

 may be fixed or raised to fruit bearing branches of an old tree, 

 and the young ones grafted by approach, or arching, which, if 

 Avell performed in the spring, maybe separated from the parent 

 stock in autumn, and the young trees will produce fruit the 

 following season. 



If the chesnut tree is planted in groups, they must be placed 

 from thirty to fifty feet apart ; and at a distance from the 

 dwelling house, the strong spermatic odour of the flowers 

 rendering them disagreeable to most persons. 



This tree was introduced to this colony previous to 1695; 

 and has been stated, erroneously, to be a native of South 

 Africa ; it is supposed to have been brought from Sardis to 

 Italy, by Tiberius Caesar. 



The chesnut tree ranks amongst those which attain the 

 greatest age in Europe, and in the southern parts of that con- 

 tinent affords a great portion of the food of the peasantry. 



The kernels are nutritive and pectoral, and usually eaten 

 raw, roasted, or boiled; they are also made into bread, stewed, 

 and used as sauces to various dishes. 



Bark astringent. 



JUGLANS regia. Walnut. Okkernoot. Monoecia Po- 

 lyandria, Linn. Nat. Ord. Juglandete, Dec 



A similar treatment as practised in propagating the ches- 

 nut, is adapted to rearing the walnut, and on the final planting 

 out of this tree due attention must be paid to their being 

 planted in a loamy soil, with a mixture of sand or gravel, 

 rather than clay- 



Where the walnut is planted to any extent, they may be 

 made to form a shelter to the orchard, by planting them in 

 rows at twenty-five feet distance from the outward rows of 

 the orchard trees, and from thirty-five to fifty feet distance 

 from each other. 



It is generally ten or twelve years before this tree comes 

 into bearing, when raised from seeds ; but in order to obtain 

 as early a return of fruit as possible, grafting the young trees, 

 and ringing must be resorted to, which last method is the 

 mere taking away a ring of the bark from around the branches 

 of the trees, the wounds being afterwards plastered with a 

 mixture of cow-dung and clay. The trees by this treatment 

 will become more prolific, and ripen the fruit sooner. 



As the walnut is apt to produce varieties from seed, and of 

 varying qualities, seeds only of the better kinds should b,< 

 sown. The walnut may be increased by layers. 



