THE ROYAL WALNUT 65 



hybrid tree produces very few nuts. It is obvi- 

 ous that the two strains brought together are so 

 variant that their progeny is made relatively 

 sterile. The sterility is not absolute, however, 

 for the few nuts produced germinate readily if 

 planted. 



But another anomaly manifests itself in the 

 characteristics of the seedlings thus produced; 

 for these are the ones that show such extraordi- 

 nary variation in size. 



In the same row, as already intimated, there 

 will be bushlike walnuts from six to eightecTi 

 inches in height side by side with trees that have 

 shot up to eighteen or twenty feet; all of the 

 same age and grown from seeds gathered from 

 a single tree. This rate of growth continues 

 throughout life, and the fraternity of dwarfs and 

 giants has been a puzzle to European and 

 American laymen and botanists alike. 



These second generation hybrids vary as much 

 also in regard to foliage and general character- 

 istics of form and development as in size. Some 

 resemble the California walnut, others the 

 Persian ancestor, and there are scores of vari- 

 ations, the manner of growth of some of which — 

 notably those that trail their limbs along the 

 ground like a gourd or squash — bears scant 

 resemblance to that of any walnut. From this 



Vol. 2— Bur. C 



