CHAPTER XVII. 

 COB AND FILBERT NUTS. 



The growth of cob and filbert nuts for 

 market is very local, although one sees 

 a few nut trees in gardens in many, if not 

 all, parts of the country. Around Ightham 

 and Wrotham and in the neighbourhood 

 of Maidstone, in Kent, one may see rmt 

 plantations of two to ten acres, one 

 grower has fifty acres, some of the trees 

 being 100 years old, and still cropping 

 well In Kent it is over the Kentish Rag 

 Stone that the nuts thrive best; this rock 

 disintegrates into a somewhat loose sub- 

 soil, providing good drainage and supply- 

 ing plenty of lime. 



A large proportion of our nut crop is 

 exported to the United States. 



Nut bushes take some time to come into 

 bearing, probably five to ten years before 

 they can be called remunerative, they are 

 said to commence to be remunerative 

 about six years after planting, to be at 

 their best from about their fifteenth to 

 their fiftieth year, and on suitable soil 

 to last 60 or more years. The crop and 

 price vary greatly, an average may be 7 

 to 8 cwts. per acre, and an average pre- 

 war price £30 per ton. Mr. G. Smith in 

 1897 grew 100 tons of nuts on 100 acres, 

 and once grew up to two tons per acre. 



Mr. George Smith, the late well-knowi 

 and popular land agent and valuer of Lod- 

 dington, near Maidstone, gave me the 

 follow'ng as his estimate of the cost of 

 planting nuts, and their return when 

 mature, with cost of cultivation. 



Approximate Cost of Planting Nuts 



with goosebereies or currants. 



(Pre-war). 



£ s. d. 



Ploughing and harrowing 1 



Setting out land for planting 3 



Digging holes and planting (194 holes 

 being 15 feet apart, 18 inches square, 

 taking out soil 6 inches deep, and 

 loosening the subsoil another foot in 

 depth) 15 



194 four-year-old Kentish cob nuts at 

 20s. per 100 1 18 10 



Digging holes and planting gooseberries 



or currants at 5 feet apart 1 



1,548 gooseberry bushes at 12s. per 100, 

 or currants at 8s. per 100, for avei'age 

 say, 10s. per 100 7 14 



Mulching nut trees with four loads 



dung, with labour 1 4 



£13 14 10 



It is a common practice to plant 

 apple or plum trees between the nuts — 

 being planted on the triangle system 

 (.-.); this is somewhat of a disadvantage 

 to the nut bushes. The disadvantage, how- 

 ever, is lessened by planting varieties 

 of apple or plum having an upright habit 

 rather than those that spread. By mix- 

 ing the fruits, the money return from the 

 plantation is found to be more regular. 



Goose^berry bushes may be planted 

 between the trees, and for one or two 

 years potatoes may be grown between 

 these. 



Mature Nut Plantation. 



Cost per Acre for Cultivation. 



(Pre-war.) 



£ s. d. 

 November or December, 1 ton shoddy, 



with labour, £3, alternate years, half 



cost 1 10 



Digging with fork 18 



December or January, grubbing out 



spawn at root 3 



February, pruning at 10s. per 100 trees 10 



March, Canterbury hoeing 4 6 



April to September, 3 or 4 hoeings ... 16 

 September, picking (in three pickings), 



8501bs. at 2s. per lOOlbs 17 



Carriage, say 10 



Commission, 7^ per cent, on £14 3s. 4d. 1 1 3 

 Rent, tithe, rates, taxes 4 



£10 19 9 



