THE WALNUT. 223 



import from France, and that we plant in nursery rows 

 and offer to the public." 



For other modes of root grafting, I refer the reader 

 to those recommended for the hickories, in the preced- 

 ing chapter. Propagating walnuts by layers is practica- 

 ble, where the small trees have been cut down to force 

 out new shoots near the surface of the ground, then bent 

 down and covered with soil in the usual method of lay- 

 ering woody plants. 



Planting and Pruning. The plants will produce 

 a greater number of fibrous roots if the nuts are planted 

 in light, loose, but rich soil, than in a heavy, tenacious 

 one ; but with all kinds it is best to transplant when 

 one or two years old, and cut off a portion of the tap- 

 roots, as recommended for the hickories. When re- 

 moved from the nursery rows for final planting, prune 

 away nearly or quite all side branches, leaving only the 

 terminal bud if the trees are not more than six to eight 

 feet high. After final planting where the trees are to 

 remain permanently, very little pruning will ever be 

 required, further than to cut away branches that may 

 cross each other, or to shorten some to give proper form 

 to the head. No tree in cultivation requires less prun- 

 ing than walnuts. 



As a genus of trees the walnuts flourish best in 

 deep, rich loam, rather light than heavy, and in this 

 country require considerable moisture at the roots, and 

 some, like the butternut, succeed best in bottomlands, 

 near creeks and larger streams. If the soil is naturally 

 too dry for such trees, the fault can be readily remedied 

 by the use of some form of mulch applied to the surface 

 of the soil around the stem after planting, renewing this 

 annually, or oftener if necessary, until the trees are large 

 enough to shade the ground. 



Walnut trees, as well as the closely allied hickories, 

 are well adapted for roadside planting, and when set in 



