The Canadian Horticulturi^ 



Vol. XXXI 



APRIL, 1908 



No. 4 



Nut Culture in the Pacific Northwest' 



IN nut culture of all kinds, but more 

 especially walnuts, three things are 

 most essential, and it is difficult to 

 say which is most important ; they are 

 soil, generation and variety. Nut trees 

 of all kinds do well on most soils, even 

 rocky ground, except heavy, stiff, clay 

 soils, but do best in fairly rich soil as 

 they are gross feeders but there must 

 be no "hardpan." The sub-soil must be 

 loose and open so that the tap-root can 

 grow down as far as it desires, for so 

 soon as it strikes hardpan the tree stops 

 growing and, of course, lessens the nut 

 crop, as nut trees make few lateral 

 roots. This applies particularly to the 

 walnut. 



GENERATION 



I Walnut trees should be "second gen- 

 tion," either grafted or grown from 

 'St generation nuts. First generation 

 ts are produced on original trees, or 

 trees grafted from the original trees. 

 ese nuts when planted produce "sec- 

 id generation" trees and the nuts from 

 se second generation trees are a little 

 ■ger than the original or first genera- 

 •n, which is due to the peculiar soil 

 id climatic conditions of the Pacific 

 irthwest, so well adapted to nut cul- 

 e. Trees grown from second genera- 

 in nuts retrograde very rapidly, pro- 

 icing nuts not half so large as even 

 St generation and finally run out all 

 igether. Hence we must plant nuts 

 m the original trees if we desire the 

 t results and nothing but the best 

 lould or can be satisfactory. 



VARIETIES 



Varieties which I have found best 



adapted for the Pacific northwest by 



tensive experiments are Franquette 



id Mayette, as best adapted to our soils, 



mate and market, with a few Chaberte 



confectioners use, giving preference 



order named, as I think the Fran- 



lette is somewhat hardier, a more reg- 



r bloomer and a little more prolific, 



ile the Mayette or Grenoble, under 



ich this nut is known to the trade, 



*A portion of a paper that was read at the last convention 

 t the Northwest Fruit Growers' Assoctation held in 

 -incouver. 



Henry Dosch, Hillside, Oregon. 



is finer in quality, not quite so hardy nor 

 so prolific, but the nuts generally bring 

 a little higher price which, in a measure, 

 makes up the difference. 



TREES OR NUTS FOR PLANTING. 



For a number of years past, there has 

 been considerable controversy about 

 trees grown from seed of first genera- 

 tion bearing smaller nuts than grafted 

 trees. I have not found it so, 

 for I have just as large and fine nuts on 

 my trees grown from first generation 

 nuts as those from grafted trees, but 

 also found that both kinds have some 

 extra large nuts and some smaller. The 

 difference in size is due to perfect pol- 



Reads with Interest 



I always read The Canadian 

 Horticulturist with a great deal 

 of interest. It should be in the 

 hands of every Canadian who is 

 interested in fruit growing.- — -ivl. 

 Cumming, Principal, Agricultural 

 College, Truro, N. S. 



lination of the larger nuts and imperfect 

 pollination of the smaller nuts. I fear, 

 that this controversy was started by in- 

 terested parties to discourage the plant- 

 ing of nuts and encourage the planting of 

 grafted trees, which generally sell at 

 $1.50 a tree. Of course, one must be 

 careful to secure the proper variety and 

 generation of nuts, which heretofore has 

 been very difficult to obtain ; even the 

 nuts I imported from France proved very 

 unsatisfactory as to size and quality. 

 However, there are many honorable deal- 

 ers from whom first generation nuts as 

 well as trees grown from first generation 

 nuts, can be procured. 



HOW TO SPROUT nuts. 



There are many planters who prefer 

 to plant the nuts where the tree is to 

 grow rather than the expensive graft- 

 ed trees. For their special benefit, I 

 repeat the modus operandi. The nuts 

 for this purpose must be secured in the 

 fall, and must be of first generation, 

 either from the original trees or grafted 

 trees, and known to be true as to that 



7S 



point, else you will be disappointed when 

 the trees come into bearing. Fill a box 

 six inches with light soil and sand mixed, 

 then put in the nuts, point end up, about 

 one inch apart, cover three or four inch- 

 es deep, and place boxes out of reach 

 of rats, squirrels, -or gophers, keeping 

 the soil moist. 



On examination in the early part of 

 April, you will find all sound nuts have 

 sprouted or ready to sprout, that is, they 

 throw up two sprouts from the pointed 

 end of the nut. One of these sprouts 

 turns down over the nut and forms the 

 cap root and the other continues up- 

 wards and forms the tree. Remove the 

 nuts carefully, as these sprouts are very 

 brittle and easily broken, which would 

 make the plant worthless. Plant them 

 where you wish the trees to grow, fifty 

 feet apart (by far the best way), or in 

 nursery rows about five inches deep and 

 transplant the following spring. The 

 young tree should be allowed to grow 

 straight up, cutting away in the fall all 

 side branches until the tree has reached 

 a height of six feet when it should be 

 allowed to branch out, but under no 

 circumstance should the main stem be 

 cut off at any time. 



Walnut trees usually grow into bear- 

 ing in five or six years ; at twelve years, 

 are in full bearing. It is not a slow 

 grower as is commonly supposed. Three 

 to four feet is not an uncommon growth 

 in a season in good soil ; besides it is a 

 healthy tree, having, comparatively 

 speaking, few pests to molest it, and 

 once established lives to a good old age 

 and proves profitable to generation with 

 ordinary good care. The ground be- 

 tween the trees, until they come in full 

 bearing can be utilized for berries, pota- 

 toes and vegetables, but no grain or 

 grass should be grown. 

 harvesting 



At harvest time the nuts fall to the 

 ground as soon as the hull bursts, which 

 it does when the nuts are ripe, and can 

 be picked up easily and must be prompt- 

 ly, as squirrels are very fond of them; 

 the few remaining ones may be beaten 

 down with a pole or fishing rod. They 



