101 



oat every winter when too numerous, and those that are left must be 



shortened back according to their growth. This mode of pruning 



keeps the plants dwarf. and compact, and insures an even distribution 



of the hearing wood. It is not, however, advisable to shorten back 



too hard, as this practice causes a tendency to over-luxuriant woody 



growth. In England the custom in pruning is to keep the 



centres of the plants open, 



but in this part of the TYPES OF NUTS. 



world, owing to the- greater 



power of the sun, it is better 



to have them closer. On the 



other hand, growth should 



not be allowed to get too 



dense, and the fact of the 



nuts being borne on the 



extremities of the shoots is 



proof that light and air are 



important essentials. Some- Filbert. Cob 



times, owing to an over-rich 



soil or other local circumstances, the plants have a tendency to make 



an over-luxuriant growth of wood, and produce but little fruit. When 



such happens to be the case root pruning will generally have a 



remedial effect. When properly managed the Hazel will yield heavily 



:and remain productive for a number of years. In Kent, England a 



county noted for nuts, and where there are a large number of 



plantations a ton and a-half of nuts per acre is often obtained in 



one crop. 



PROPAGATION. 



Propagation is effected by seeds, suckers, layers, and grafts. 

 When raised from seed the varieties are uncertain, and will often 

 differ materially from the parent plant. The nuts should be sown in 

 the autumn, covering them about two inches deep. The following 

 winter the young plants should be set out in rows thirty inches 

 apart, leaving half that space between them in the lines. In the 

 following year the young plants may be set out permanently. The 

 most common method of propagation is by suckers, which are freely 

 produced and furnish fairly good plants. These may be taken off at 

 any time when the plants are at rest, taking care to lift a fair 

 proportion of roots with them. Strong plants are easily and quickly 

 produced from layers, which should be put down during the winter, 

 and will be ready for shifting the next season. Cuttings may be put 

 in at any time between the fall of the leaf and the starting of growth 

 in the spring. It, however, takes much longer to obtain strong' 

 plants by this method than from either layers or suckers. Grafting- 

 is practised for rapidly increasing choice varieties, the substitution of 

 better kinds for inferior ones, and inducing early maturity. Probably 

 cultivators will find that seedlings grafted with reputable varieties 



