NUT-CULTURE 



NUTS 



2299 



for many miles up and down the coast. The trees grew 

 so rapidly and began to bear so soon, usually at from six 

 to eight years from seed, that visions of wealth tempted 

 many more into planting groves. One near Biscayne 

 Bay consisted of about 4,000 acres, in which were 300,- 

 000 trees. Another at Cape Sable contained 42,000 

 trees, and there are many more of less extent. 



Present status. Cold waves and occasional frosts 

 have injured many of the coconut trees, in some cases 

 killing them outright. In general, the trees bear good 

 nuts in reasonable quantity, but in a business way the 

 industry is uncertain, owing to danger from frosts and 

 the cheapness of imported nuts. As an interesting 

 novelty, the coconut in southern Florida is an eminent 

 success. See Coconut. 



Nut-culture in New Mexico. (C. P. Wilson.) 



In the newer parts of the country to which commer- 

 cial nut-growing is adapted, the development of this 

 industry will be coincident with that of the country 

 itself rather than an addition in after years. As an 

 indication of the outlook on nut-culture in new regions, 

 this note is inserted on the industry in New Mexico; 

 and what is said of this state will undoubtedly apply 

 very well to Arizona and adjacent regions. 



Much attention has not been given, so far, to nut- 

 culture in this state, though a few small experimental 

 orchards of pecans, as well as a number of almond and 

 Persian (English) walnut trees, have been set out. Most 

 of these are in the irrigated valleys of the southern part 

 of the state. The climate of this state is well suited 

 for the heavy fruiting of pecan trees that have origi- 

 nated near the western limit of the region to which this 

 species is indigenous. Many of the large seedling trees 

 to be found in different parts of New Mexico are very 

 prolific. However, most of the early attempts to trans- 



Elant either the seedling trees or those that had been 

 udded or grafted were unsuccessful. This appears to 

 have been due largely to the fact that sufficient pre- 

 cautions were not taken to prevent the young trees from 

 dying back during the dry winters that usually prevail 

 in this part of the Southwest. Attempts along this line 

 during the past few years have been more successful, 

 and it is believed that, by keeping the ground very 

 moist during the winter, much of the damage can be 

 prevented. Hilling up the soil around the trees of some 

 varieties the first few winters after transplanting would 

 also, no doubt, be advisable, as an additional protection. 

 It is doubtful whether the pecan will do well where there 

 is much alkali, or where the water-table is within 8 or 9 

 feet of the surface. Growth will probably be better on 

 land that has been cultivated for several years than 

 on new ground. Varieties suitable for southern New 

 Mexico are the Sovereign (Texas Prolific), HoUis, and 

 Halbert; while for the northern part of the state, sorts 

 that originated farther north, such as the Indiana, 

 Kentucky, and Warrick, might do better. Coast 

 varieties and southern varieties that originated east of 

 Texas are not recommended at present for any section 

 of the state, though some of these might do fairly well. 

 It is probably better to transplant the budded or grafted 

 trees, rather than to grow the seedlings with the idea 

 of topworking them later. While the pecan can be 

 budded in this climate, the operation has to be con- 

 ducted carefully if success is to be expected. 



It is quite possible, or even probable, that varieties 

 of Persian walnuts will, in time, be found that will grow 

 well in this state. The climate of New Mexico is not so 

 well suited to the Persian walnut as to the pecan. The 

 leaves of the former are inclined to sunburn during the 

 summer, and some injury may occur to the young 

 growth during the winter or early spring. There are at 

 present a few trees in the southern half of the state that 

 are in bearing. Some of the nuts are of good size, but 

 no data are available concerning the yield. 



The early blooming habit of the tree prevents the 



production of almonds on a larger scale. However, 

 recent experiments have proved that a few of the com- 

 mercial varieties of almonds are little, if any, earlier in 

 this respect than the Elberta peach; though most of the 

 almonds bloom entirely too early to be of any impor- 

 tance in this region. The tree grows well in the irrigated 

 valleys. 



There seems to be no record of experiments having 

 been conducted with chestnuts, but on account of the 

 fact that New Mexico soils, on the whole, are rich in 

 lime, this tree would probably not do well. It is also 

 doubtful whether filberts could be grown successfully 

 in this climate. 



Literature. 



There are several American publications devoted 

 exclusively to nuts: Stewart, H. L., "The Pecan and 

 How to Grow It," 1893; "Nut Culture in the United 

 States," 1896, being a bulletin of the Division of 

 Pomology, United States Department of Agriculture; 

 Fuller, "The Nut Culturist," 1896; Lelong, "California 

 Walnut Industry," 1896; Parry, "Nuts for Profit," 

 1897; Risien, "Pecan-Culture for Western Texas," 

 1904; Hume, "The Pecan and its Culture," 1906; 

 Wight, "Pecans," 1906; Price, E. M., "The Walnut," 

 1910; Allen, W. F., "English Walnuts," 1912. 



An important part of the current literature of nut- 

 culture is contained in the reports of special societies. 

 The National Nut-Growers' Association issues publica- 

 tions: see page 1554, Volume III. The Northern Nut- 

 Growers' Association issued the Report of its Third 

 Annual Meeting in 1912, comprising a publication of 

 140 pages; secretary and treasurer, Georgetown, Conn. 

 There are also journals devoted wholly or in consider- 

 able part to nut-culture: See periodical list, pages 

 1560, 1561, Volume III. H. E. VAN DEMAN. 



NUTMEG: Myristica. 



NUTS. In popular usage a nut is a hard vegetable 

 product, usually a fruit, inclosing an edible part within 

 a shell; and the edible kernel or meat is released by 

 breaking the integument. Technically or botanically, a 

 nut is a hard and indehiscent one-seeded pericarp aris- 

 ing from a compound ovary; but it is hardly to be 

 expected that this very special use can prevail as 

 against the long-established popular usage. In this arti- 

 cle, the word nut is understood in its popular or usual 

 application; it may be difficult to define, but it is readily 

 understood. 



The purpose of this catalogue, by C. A. Reed, is to 

 name and describe all the nuts that are likely to be 

 found in commerce in this country or which may be 

 subjects of rather common inquiry. Not all of these 

 nuts are grown or cultivated in this country and there- 

 fore some of the genera may not be found elsewhere in 

 the Cyclopedia; that is to say, this is not a cultural article 

 but only descriptive and is independent of any alpha- 

 betical entries elsewhere in the work. For the cultiva- 

 tion of nuts as practised in North America, see the 

 article Nut-culture. L H. B. 



Ssculus Hippocastanum. HORSE-CHESTNUT. Hippocaata- 

 nacex. Inedible seeds, about equal in size to the largest of the 

 European chestnuts, but less regular in form and having a somewhat 

 stronger and more shining shell. Borne in a one-; to three-celled 

 prickly pod. The fruit of an ornamental tree familiar in the North 

 Temperate Zone, of both the Old World and the New. 



Aleurites spp. WOOD-OIL NUTS of China and Japan. LUMBANO 

 of the Philippines. CANDLE-NUT of the tropics. TAHITI, SPANISH, or 

 COUNTRY WALNUT. Euphorbiacese. Irregularly rounded to spheroidal 

 nuts, from 1 to 2 inches in diameter, ranging in color from mottled 

 gray to nearly black, and having a hard but brittle shell, about V% 

 inch in thickness. Borne in fruits, 2 or 3 inches in diameter, con- 

 taining about five nuts each. From the kernels of these nuts, which 

 are considered edible only from certain species, and when half-ripe 

 and roasted, there is obtained a valuable oil, known as country 

 walnut oil, artists' oil, kekune (Ceylon), or kukui (Sandwich 

 Islands) oil. Used medicinally, this oil has strong purgative proper- 

 ties; more largely, it is used in paints and varnishes, where it is said 

 to have a very quick-drying and hardening effect. The cake which 



