130 PRACTICAL ARBORICULTURE 



Frost is not essential for either the ripening of the fruit or for cracking the 

 hard shell to release the growing plant, for the walnut often grows in the South 

 where severe frosts do not occur, yet they grow as well as those acted upon by 

 freezing. 



Neither does the frost injure the seed or trees, both being very hardy. 



The nuts vary in size greatly, and possibly might be improved by selection of 

 seed, but the variety of edible nuts of other trees, and especially the European 

 thinshelled walnuts which are far better in flavor and are less bulky, would make 

 such attempt at improvement unprofitable. 



INSECT PESTS. 



There is a strong odor and a sticky, highly colored sap in the walnut, which 

 is obnoxious to most insects. No borers are known to injure the wood, and but 

 few attack the foliage, hence its freedom from insect enemies commend it for cul- 

 tivation. 



ENGAGE SEED IN ADVANCE. 



Every season inquiries are made for walnuts for seed, but usually it is too 

 late to obtain them. They must be engaged in advance. No one can afford 

 to collect them in large quantities and prepare the nuts for planting without 

 knowing in advance that they will be wanted. Yet enough nuts could be 

 secured to plant thousands of acres if parties desiring them would make their 

 wants known before gathering time. 



CULTIVATION. 



It is absolutely a waste of time, money and energy to plant anything and 

 then abandon it to nature. 



Walnut trees must be cultivated the same as corn or other crops if the 

 best success is expected. This must continue for four or five years, or until 

 the ground is so shaded as to keep down grass. 



Of course this pertains to land not in forest, for there cultivation has a 

 better substitute, a loose mould and mulching of leaves. 



The man who plants a forest of any kind, and relies upon nature to do his 

 pruning, must plant very thickly and will leave the farm, entailed, to his 

 great-grandchildren, who may receive some benefit. 



Pruning is not expensive it is much cheaper than paying interest on a 

 long-time investment while waiting for nature to do the work. 



Cut off a side branch when less than an inch in thickness and the saw- 

 will not be required to remove it when a foot through. 



Rapidity of growth will depend upon treatment rather than other causes. 



From several hundred measurements I have found that with room to 

 secure nourishment, and not in a hard sod. the average growth up to thirty 

 years is two inches girth increase per annum. A tree twenty years old should 

 be in girth 40 indies or have a thickness of 13 '4 inches. 



As the walnut became more scarce from the excessive demand its value 

 arose to a fabulous price. \ gents scoured the country paying enormous sums 



