THE ROYAL WALNUT 73 



Of course the stocks on which to graft must be 

 grown from nuts, and I have already pointed 

 out that the seedlings are likely to show diver- 

 sity. But all that is necessary is to plant the 

 seeds rather thickly, and then to save the seed- 

 lings that show the best qualities. 



Starting a Walnut Orchard 



A practical method of producing a permanent 

 and projStable orchard with a foundation to last 

 for a century, is to plant some seeds of the Royal 

 hybrid in groups of three or four at interv^als of 

 fifty feet each way. By the end of the first 

 season the strong growers will have asserted 

 themselves, and the others can be w^eeded out. 

 There will almost surely be at least one good tree 

 in the group. Failing that, there will be other 

 groups in which there are extra seedlings of 

 good quality that may be transplanted. 



The seedlings should be allowed to grow for 

 four or five years, the ground about them being 

 cultivated and may be used for crops of corn, 

 potatoes, beans, or pumpkins, but preferably not 

 sown with grain, lest the growth of the trees be 

 checked. 



At the end of five or six years there should be 

 a fine walnut orchard with trees having trunks 

 three to six inches in diameter. 



