244 



THE IRRIGATION AGE. 



the market does not justify the handling 

 of green plums, and dried ones are not 

 practicable, the fruits may be canned and 

 sold at satisfactory prices. If well handled 

 the plum orchard is one of the most profit- 

 able. JOEL SHOEMAKER. 



NUT CULTURE. 



The growing of nut trees is one of the 

 most profitable and much neglected indus- 

 tries. As an iuvestment against the mis- 

 fortunes of old age there is nothing that 

 offers better and safer security than a few 

 acres of the leading hardwood nut trees. 

 They are ornamental and valuable for 

 shade and windbreaks around the home, 

 orchard or barn, and every year of growth 

 adds to their commercial value. The ruth- 

 less destruction of native forests has neces- 

 sitated a reform in the tree planting mat- 

 ter, and bounties are offered in some States 

 for the man who will plant trees on his 

 farm. The farmer who will give ten acres 

 of land to tree culture and plant the nut- 

 bearing varieties, will gain more annual 

 wealth than the banker who loans money 

 or the capitalist who carries life insurance 

 policies for investments. 



Among the many varieties of nut trees 

 are the walnuts, hickory nuts, pecan, fil- 

 berts, butternuts and chestnuts. Walnut 

 and hickory timber is always in demand, 

 and the prices are increasing every year, 

 because of the timber becoming scarcer. 

 The original investment for planting out a 

 hardwood grove need not be very great, and 

 in a few years the income begins. Some 

 chestnut trees will produce $5 to $10 each 

 year, and begin bearing within five years 

 after planting. The filberts will yield 

 profits w'thin three or four years. Hick- 

 ory trees will bear nuts in five to eight 

 years after planting. In addition to the 

 nuts that may be harvested every year, a 

 hickory tree will always sell at from $2 to 

 $10 to wood workers, blacksmiths and oth- 

 ers needing such timber. 



The best line of treatment for nut trees 



in the way of fertilizing is to make an an- 

 nual application of about 800 Ibs. per acre 

 of a fertilizer analyzing 8 percent each of 

 phosphoric acid and potash and 2 per cent 

 of nitrogen; the fertilizer should be broad- 

 casted and then worked well into the soil. 

 Instead of the above. 400 to 500 Ibs. of 

 fine ground bone, and 200 to 250 Ibs. of 

 muriate of potash could be substituted 

 with advantage. If a systematic line of 

 fertilization is not followed, the soil will 

 become exhausted of its natural fertility, 

 and the yields will fall off. It is much 

 easier to keep up the fertility of soil than 

 to restore it after it has once become ex- 

 hausted. 



The land for tree planting should be 

 thoroughly cultivated and plowed deep be- 

 fore time for setting the trees. Spring- 

 time is the best for planting most nut vari- 

 eties. They may be obtained from nurs- 

 erymen at very low rates if purchased by 

 the hundred or thousand. One year old 

 trees are probably the best and cheapest. 

 Black walnut seedlings ten inches in 

 height may be obtained for two or three 

 cents each, butternut fur five cents, and 

 American sweet chestnuts and shellbark 

 hickory for the same price. If planted in 

 groves ten feet apart either way the trees 

 will grow straight and the timber be more 

 valuable. At this rate 500 trees will plant 

 an acre. Some of the finest nut groves in 

 the United States are planted in rows 

 standing not more than four feet apart, 

 making about 3,000 trees on an acre. 



Nuts possess certain food values that 

 cannot be overlooked in every farmer's 

 family. Chopped nut meats are relished 

 for nut sandwiches, and nut salads are re- 

 garded as delicacies. Many nuts are used 

 in the making of cakes, confectionery and 

 creams. There are many ways in which 

 the farmers' boys and girls can make hand- 

 some profits from the nut groves. The 

 pleasure of owning a tract of land that 

 grows every day into wealth is a boon to 

 be desired by every man. There are n u . 



