Fruit Growing 65* 



are usually grafts in nursery rows, and one would have to wait' 

 longer, as a rule, for trees planted out in orchards with a chance to 

 make a freer wood growth. This is rather fortunate, hecause it is 

 better to have a larger tree than to have the growth diverted into 

 bearing a small amount of fruit while the tree is very young. We 

 do not know any advantage in getting nuts the second year except 

 it be to see if you really have secured the variety you desire to pro- 

 duce later. 



Handling Walnut Seedlings, 



JVIiat is the best time to transplant seedlini^s of tlie blaek zvalnut? 



Transplant during the dormant season (as shown by absence of 

 leaves) when the soil is in good condition. Handle them just as you 

 would an apple tree, for instance. 



How to Start English Walnuts. 



In starting English ivaJnuts, shall zve get nursery stoek grafted on 

 California black, or shall zvc start our black zvalnut seedlings in nursery 

 plats, or plant the nuts zvhere the tree is zvanted, and graft them at ttvo 

 or three years? What is the advantage, if any, of the long stock from 

 grafting high, over the grafted root? 



If we had the money to invest and were sure of the soil condi- 

 tions, et'c, we should buy grafted trees of the variety we desired, 

 just as we would of any other kind of fruit. If we were shy of money 

 and long on time, we would start seedlings in nursery, plant out 

 seedlings, and graft later, because it is easier to graft when the seed- 

 ling is two or three years in place. We count the planting of nuts 

 in place troublesome and of no compensating advantage. The chief 

 advantage known to us of grafting high and getting a black walnut 

 trunk is the hardier bark of the black walnut. 



Walnut Planting. 



/ am planning to plant zvalnuts on rather heaz'v soil. I have been told' 

 to put the nut six inches belozv the surface, but think that too deep, as' 

 soil is rather heavy. 



In a heavy soil we should not plant these nuts more than three 

 inches below the surface, but should cover the surface with a mulch 

 of rotten straw to prevent drying out. 



Pruning Grafted Walnuts. 



Should English zvalnut trees he pruned.'' I have along the roadside 

 English zvalnuts grafted on the California black, and they have grozvn to 

 very large sise and the fruit seems to be mostly on the outside of the trees. 



English walnuts are not usually pruned much, though it is often 

 desirable, and of course trees can be improved by removing unde- 

 sirable branches and especially where too many branches have started 



