THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 



NOVELTY FOR THE HOME GROUNDS, 



which may possibly bear a few nuts for 

 family use. Nor would we put it in a 

 conspicuous place as some of the 

 branches will probably be killed and 

 render it somewhat unsightly. 



THE BLACK WALNUT (J. Nigra) 



one of our most valuable timber trees is 

 hardy throughout Ontario, though " in- 

 digenous only to a small area, extend- 

 ing from a point near Port Franks on 

 Lake Huron, running north of London 

 nearly in a line with the Grand Trunk 

 Railway to Toronto, and extending 

 along the lake shore as far east as 

 Cobourg " The Indians have made use 

 of its nuts for hundreds of years, and 

 according to early records, sometimes 

 consumed incredible quantities at one 

 njeal, such as would be dangerous for a 

 civilized person to indulge in. The 

 Black Walnut has a strong, greasy flavor, 

 and " is among nuts what bacon is 

 among meats. It has quite recently 

 been found that its rank flavor can be 

 moderated sufficiently by the action of 

 heat to allow the nuts to be used for 

 confectionery purposes. A report on 

 Nut Culture in the United States, issued 

 by the U. S. Department of Agriculture 

 in 1896, says, "Concerning the 



POSSIBILITY OF REAPING PROFITS 



from Black Walnut plantations much 

 has been written and predicted, but 

 very little has been actually proven 

 except that, for the nuts alone such 

 plantings have not been profitable." It 

 then quotes one opinion against and an- 

 other for the Black Walnut as a commer- 

 cial fruit-tree. We would suggest pickling 

 the green walnuts as a mode of dispos- 

 ing of them to better advantage. With 

 respect to its merits as a tree to be 

 planted for its timber, we must remem- 

 ber that while the Black Walnut grows 



37 



more rapidly indeed than the pine or 

 white spruce, yet even at the age of 

 fifty, when under favorable circum- 

 stances, it will have a diameter of about 

 24 inches, its timber is only salable for 

 the plainest work, such as legs of chairs 

 or tables, and it is not until the tree 

 attains the age of 75'or 100 years, that 

 it can be employed for fine cabinet 

 work. Few people care to look so far 

 in the future for returns from an invest- 

 ment ; but we would suggest that a 

 Walnut plantation would be a good 



ENDOWMENT FOR SOME INSTITUTIONS 



having grounds of ample extent. Char- 

 itable institutions, universities, asylums 

 have often a considerable quantity of 

 land surrounding them, in which Walnut 

 trees planted either in lines or groves 

 would form a pleasing embellishment to 

 the landscape while growing, and some 

 day would give rich returns from the 

 proceeds of the lumber. Whilst they 

 should be given plenty of room when 

 planted for ornamental or pomological 

 purposes, they should when set out 

 solely for the production of timber be 

 planted pretty thickly to encourage an 

 upright growth. We are indebted to 

 Mr. Southworth, the Clerk of the 

 Forestry for Ontario, for the suggestion 

 that where the soil is not too dry, in 

 which case it is not very good for the 

 Black Walnut 



WHITE ASH WHICH GROWS RAPIDLY 



and is valuable when small, should be 

 planted with the Walnut. White Ash 

 is used in Canada for the handles of 

 implements, in carriage making, and for 

 hoops and staves, and if sufficient 

 quantities could be forwarded, would 

 find a market in Great Britain. The 

 Walnuts should be planted as soon as 

 they are ripe at a depth of from 2 to 4 

 inches at regular distances, say 5 or 6 



