296 POPULAR FRUIT GROWING. 



causing them to he blown off. The worm will be found in the 

 part that falls. If these twigs are raked together promptly and 

 burned soon after falling, this enemy is easily held in check. 



Grafting the pecan. — The most successful method of grafting 

 the pecan seems to be crown grafting of the seedlings, when 

 they are only an inch or less in diameter, early in the spring 

 with terminal bud cions and without wax. The stalks should 

 be cut off smoothly, close to the surface of the ground, and a 

 side cleft graft or whip graft used. When this is done, the earth 

 should be drawn up to the top bud of the cion to prevent it 

 drying out. In order to grow seedlings, the nuts are generally 

 planted in autumn in well drained soil, which is sufficiently 

 loose so that it does not bake badly; or, where mice and squir- 

 rels are abundant, a much better plan is to stratify them in the 

 same manner as recommended for peach pits and plant out in 

 the spring as soon as the ground can be worked, putting them 

 about eight inches apart in rows four feet apart and covering 

 three inches deep. Rich, deep garden soil should be used for 

 the seedlings. 



The Chestnut. 



The chestnut is one of the most popular of our native nuts 

 and is widely sought after. In some sections in Europe, where 

 the nuts are especially abundant, they are ground into flour and 

 used for bread making. 



The American chestnut (Castanea americana) forms a large 

 tree as far north as southern Vermont, and west into Indiana. 

 North and west of this range, it is very uncertain. It has, how- 

 ever, been fruited in southeastern Minnesota and occasionally it 

 is grown successfully in Illinois and Iowa. The wood of this tree 

 is very durable in contact with the soil and of rapid growth, 

 hence is in demand for railroad ties and telephone poles. It is 

 one of the most promising trees for use in new timber plantings 

 within its range. There are few varieties. Its nuts are the 

 best in quality of all known species. The other species of chest- 

 nut graft readily upon it. 



The European chestnut (Castenea sativa) is a native of the 

 cooler portions of central and southern Europe, western Asia and 

 northern Africa. The foliage of this tree is thicker and more 



