308 HORTICULTURE, FORESTRY, FLORICULTURE 



erymen. In general, preference has been given to whip or tongue 

 grafting the sprouts which are half an inch or thereabouts in diame- 

 ter. This is a more rapid method than cleft grafting, and by it a 

 closer contact with the stock can be obtained, and the grafts are less 

 easily displaced. Should the graft fail to grow, cleft grafting the 

 succeeding year will often be required on account of the increased 

 size which the sprouts have reached. Grafts should be set up two or 

 three feet from the ground; even then the tendency is to make low 

 and broad tops. Sometimes the union is imperfect and a knob or 

 irregular swelling shows where the grafting was done. But more 

 commonly no distinct mark is left after two or three years time, and 

 in many trees it is impossible to distinguish where the union has 

 taken place. 



Grafted chestnut trees are precocious. The grafts of the Jap- 

 anese sorts on sprout land frequently set fruit the same year of inser- 

 tion, and their early bearing tendencies often present a satisfactory 

 development of the tree. Two year old grafts are commonly loaded 

 with burs in both Japanese and European kinds, though the Japan- 

 ese varieties as a class bear earlier, both when grafted and from seed. 

 It would probably be a profitable undertaking to keep the burs 

 picked from the young trees for three or four years, in order that 

 they might become strong and thoroughly established before the 

 strain of reproduction is upon them. The young trees should also 

 be pruned to an open spreading form, with three to five main 

 branches on which the top will eventually form, after which the trees 

 themselves will need little care other than good culture. 



It goes without the saying that chestnuts are salable, and that the 

 market has never yet been overstocked. Indeed, the market is gen- 

 erally quickly sold out, and this in spite of the fact that they are not 

 perishable by any means and there is no need of forcing their sale. 

 The larger grafted nuts are particularly attractive, since the aver- 

 age customer will pick out the big ones every time, and the size of 

 the fruit outranks every other consideration. 



European or Japanese Varieties. One of the first considerations 

 to confront the prospective commercial chestnut grower is, ''Shall 

 the European or the Japanese varieties be planted, or both?" The 

 question is a difficult one to discuss without awakening enmity, for 

 both species have equally earnest advocates. However, the attempt 

 will be made to place their merits side by side as impartially as pos- 

 sible, basing the estimate not on a limited observation of a few trees, 

 but on an acquaintance with both species growing together on a large 

 commercial scale. 



JAPANESE GROUP. 



Advantages. 8. Freer from worms than Europeans. 



1. Early maturity of tree. 9. The money makers in the large groves 



2. Ease of caring for trees. 10. Affinity for American Stocks. 



3. Early ripening of nuts. 11. Ornamental value. 



4. Large size of nuts. Disadvantages. 



5. Enormous productiveness. 1. Overbearing, if not thinned. 



6. Small size of bur. 2. Poorer quality of many. 



7. Freedom from Leaf -Blight. 3. Delicate growth of some. 



