82 A TREATISE ON NUT CULTURE. 



upon the European black oak ( Quercus robur] , using young seedlings raised by 

 planting the acorns where the trees are to remain permanently, or which have 

 been freshly planted, and also upon branches of proper size on matured trees. 

 Until quite recently, this has not been practiced in this country. The 

 pomological division of the Department of Agriculture distributed scions of the 

 Paragon, Numbo and Ridgely last Spring, and also in the Spring of last year. 

 They were worked upon the Chestnut oak (Quercus prinus), and reports show 

 as good success as when grafted on the native Chestnuts. 



It is suggested that it may be possible to succeed with other species of oak 

 as stocks, as, for example, the Post, Burr, Swamp, White oak, Yellow oak, 

 Basket oak, all belonging to the same group as does the Chestnut oak. The 

 success attained in Europe, Mr. Heiges says, by using the European Black oak 

 as a stock, would indicate that our Black oak group might be equally available. 

 This group comprises the Red, Scarlet, Pin, Spanish, Bear, Water, Shingle 

 oak, etc., covering a vast area of country. Should several of these species be 

 found to be suitable stocks for the Chestnut, the cultivation of this valuable 

 nut would be much extended, as oaks will grow in soil and under conditions 

 in which the roots of the native Chestnuts would die, if planted. 



Our own experience does not correspond with the foregoing. We find 

 nothing better than American Seedlings on which to graft the European and 

 Japan varieties. 



We have grafted them on Chestnut oaks and succeeded in getting them to 

 take, and although they would make a fair growth the first year they would 

 make an imperfect union and set an abundance of fruit buds indicating feeble 

 constitution. The next year they put out a number of abortive burrs and 

 died before the cl6se of the year. Have not tried the other oaks named. 



Insect Enemies / ^^ le ^ nes t nu t tree is seldom attacked by insects, 

 though the weevil that infests the nuts is a very 

 serious enemy, in some sections rendering the crop almost worthless. 



A recent bulletin issued by the North Carolina Experiment Station, at 

 Raleigh, gives the life history of the weevil, and suggests remedies for the 

 pest. Its history is as follows: 



The chestnut weevil is yellowish, with rusty spots and lines on the wing 

 covers, and about the size of the common pea weevil. The footless grub is 

 white or cream colored, with a red or yellowish head, about half an inch long 

 when full grown; nearly cylindrical. 



The winged beetles appear on the Chestnut trees about the time these 

 begin to bloom, or a little after. The female lays her eggs by piercing the 

 young ovary or husk, and deposits from one to four eggs in each. The eggs 

 hatch in a few days. The shell of the nut subsequently forms and hardens 

 around the grub. The holes seen in the shells of mature nuts are always 



