THE WALNUT AS A HEDGE TREE. 95 



European timber, much used for gun-stocks and other 

 purposes. When young the wood of the common 

 walnut is white and soft, but as it advances in age 

 it alters, and is darker and more solid ; ultimately 

 getting shaded, and veined, of a light brown and black 

 colour. The most ornamental portions are generally 

 found towards the root. The roots of the tree by 

 boiling yield a valuable dark brown dye, which be- 

 comes fixed in wool, hair, or wood, without the aid 

 of alum. 



The walnut tree belongs to Moncccia polyandria in 

 the Linnsean system, and to Juglandacece in the Na- 

 tural order of plants. The flowers of the genus are 

 unisexual, both sexes being produced by one plant. 



The Royal or Common Walnut (J. regia). The 

 walnut was first introduced into England from Persia, 

 about the middle of the sixteenth century. It is much 

 esteemed on account both of its fruit and timber, 

 forming a large, spreading, handsome tree. It blossoms 

 in May, and its fruit ripens during the succeeding 

 autumn. 



It is, when well grown, a handsome object in park- 

 like meadows, and attains to a large size when grown 

 in sufficient space. It lives to a great age, when it 

 presents even then a picturesque and elegant form, 

 somewhat resembling the growth of an oak. It likes 

 a deep sandy loam, but it is necessary to rear the 

 young trees in a dry early soil, otherwise they will 

 not mature their roots sufficiently to stand the frost. 

 As it sends its roots deep down into the ground, it 

 may more often be seen as a hedge fruit tree, than 

 any other upon the Continent, as they do not obstruct 

 the cultivation of the fields, or interfere with their 



