APRICOTS, FIGS, JAPAN PERSIMMONS AND NUTS. 79 



course, the enterprising grower could easily combat the latter 

 by spraying. 



The English walnut is another nut that ought to succeed 

 here, but we have no trees, as yet, over five years old, and 

 they have borne nothing so far. The chief enemy of this nut 

 is the flat-headed cottonwood borer, but a good coat of white- 

 wash on the trunks every winter will entirely deter the moth 

 from laying her eggs on this and all other trees. Of course, 

 only nuts or close root-pruned trees should be planted, and 

 on firm ground. The Japan walnut, however, is a very early 

 bearer, even from the nut, and in five years will make quite a 

 large tree, and bear full crops. The nuts seem to reproduce 

 quite true, and this tree also has been proved to take most 

 kindly to root-pruning. It is almost entirely free from all 

 insect pests, will likely attain a very large size ultimately, 

 and make a most ornamental shade tree. But the nuts, being 

 small and hard shelled, will have little or no market value. 



The Japan chestnut has so far failed to set its fruit when 

 grown from the seed. It is a very vigorous tree, but drops 

 its blossoms every year here. The almond has not had the 

 attention it deserves in Texas, but full experiments are being 

 made, though its value is very doubtful anywhere in the 

 state, as it blooms very early. The hickory nut and black 

 walnut would not pay for the nuts, but the man who will 

 plant a walnut grove from seed, on firm virgin soil, like the 

 squirrels do, if he has the ground to spare, will, in the end, 

 have a most profitable investment anywhere. But "culti- 

 vate" all nut trees when old enongh to bear with a mowing 

 machine, for every farmer knows that as soon as pecan trees 

 are enclosed in cultivated fields and plowed, they cease to 

 bear. They bloom freely, but the destruction of their surface 

 roots causes them nearly always to shed. 



