170 



THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 



ered, intending thereby to set forth 

 that they are so double that they re- 

 semble these flowers. 



There is an opinion current among 

 gardeners that old balsam seed is more 

 likely to prcfduce double flowers than 

 the seed of last season's growth. But 

 we do not know of any experiments 

 that have been recorded which establish 

 this as a fact. Perhaps some of our 

 readers may have made experiments in 

 this direction ; if so, they would be in- 

 teresting as tending to throw light 

 upon this point. 



ENGLISH SPARROWS. 

 Our attention has been called to the 

 article under this title in the May num- 

 ber, page 108, where the eggs are 

 spoken of as being of a paL blue. This 

 is not the color of the eggs of this bird 

 as they appear here. The young gen- 

 tleman, who laughed at the description 

 given, brought us some of the eggs, 

 which are so nearly covered with rusty 

 brown spots as to be almost brown in 

 • color, without any perceptible blue 

 whatever. 



COMMUNICATIOKS. 



THE BLACK WALNUT, 



/To THE EOITOR OF THE CANADIAN HOKTICULTrSl8T. 



Sib, — ^It is very gratifying to find so 

 >many " anxious enquiries " for infor- 

 mation respecting the Black Walnut 

 tree, but at this time of the year it 

 becomes too great a task to reply to all 

 letters on this subject, and, as many 

 persons ask nearly the same questions, 

 the constant writing of answers be- 

 . comes somewhat monotonous. Will 

 you, therefore, permit me to reply to a 



few of the most pertinent questions 

 through the columns of the Canadian 

 Borticulturist ? By doing which, I think 

 you will oblige many of your readers, 

 as nearly all of my correspondents are 

 members of the Fruit Growers' Asso- 

 ciation. 



1. Can the cultivation of the Black 

 Walnut tree be profitably pursued as a 

 commercial enterprise 1 



2. Are the Canadian walnuts as good 

 a desert nut as the English 1 



3. What is the style of growth of 

 the Black Walnut 1 and have the trees 

 long or short trunks 1 



4. What kind of soil is most suitable 

 to produce a healthy and vigorous 

 growth 1 



5. What extremes of temperature 

 will it survive ] 



6. Is it a rapid or a slow growing 

 tree 1 



7. What time do the nuts ripen I 



8. Can the trees be easily trans- 

 planted 1 



9. I intend planting several acres of 

 Walnut trees. Would you recommend 

 the nuts or the young trees ? When — 

 in the spring or fall 1 



10. W^here can young Walnut trees 

 be obtained, and at what price 1 



1 1 . Where can the nuts be obtained 

 suitable for planting 1 



12. How far apart should Walnut 

 trees be planted 1 



13. What preparation of the soil is 

 needed, and what is the best manure 

 for that purpose, if any is required ? 



REPLY. 



1st. There can be no doubt respeclr 

 ing the profitableness of an investment 

 in the cultivation of the Canadian 

 Walnut tree, j)rovided an average 

 amount of intelligence is brought into 

 play in the planting and culture of the 



