36 



ROBBING'S FRUIT GROWERS' GUIDE 



account of the many advantages of grafted trees, which 

 may be summed up as follows: (1) they usually com- 

 mence to bear profitable crops much earlier than seed- 

 lings; (2) they reproduce the variety from which buds 

 and grafts were taken, so there is an absolute certainty 

 that the character of the parent tree will be transferred 

 to the young stock; (3) perpetuation of the bearing 

 qualities of the parent tree with nuts of identical quality. 

 These points form the basis of success for the grower, 

 and the extra prices realized for the product of the 

 grafted trees in connection with their early bearing 

 qualities more than offsets the additional first outlay. 

 In addition to other facts mentioned, the California 

 Black Walnut (Juglans Californica) root, which is 

 used as a stock, has a decided influence in causing the 

 graft to grow more vigorously and it will also adapt 

 itself to a wider range of soil conditions than trees on 

 their own roots. 



HOW TO PLANT 



For commercial planting, trees are usually set forty 

 feet each way, although in some instances, where the 

 soil is exceptionally fertile, trees are set fifty feet apart, 

 for as the tree matures it makes a wide-spreading top, 

 so that it is no uncommon sight to see branches even at 

 the latter distance interlacing. 



A grafted Walnut tree just from 

 the nursery. 



The same tree topped and root- 

 pruned for planting. 



All the talk that the cutting of the tap root of the 

 walnut interferes with its bearing qualities is mere 

 twaddle. Practically all the orchards in California are 

 transplanted trees. 



PRUNING 



Even if the trees are ten feet high, they should be cut 

 back to three and one-half feet from the ground after 

 being set. In the interior valleys growers have even 

 found it expedient at times to cut trees down to twelve 

 inches and train up a new stem. If there are any ad- 

 vantages in this plan of procedure, they are evidenced 

 by the tremendous vigor and the prevention of sunburn 

 of the new shoot, which must of course be staked the 

 first year. The coined expressions that this tree or that 

 should not be pruned because it would be ruined, has 

 had the tentacles of misapprehension more closely inter- 

 woven around the walnut than possibly any other tree. 

 Which is preferable, the tree with all its fruit-bearing 

 wood in the very top or the one that is liberally supplied 

 with laterals as nearly as it can be obtained from the 

 point from which the head is started? If you can secure 

 a more striking tree with a broad-bearing surface, is it 

 not common sense to suppose that you are not going to 

 reach the goal you are aiming at, if you don't do some- 

 thing to check the growth of the framework branches? 



No person of intelligence will deny the fact that one's 

 arm held at length has not the strength to resist the 

 same strain as when the forearm is held at right angles 

 to the arm. 



The same principle applies to the main limbs of the 

 tree. The development of elbows promotes strength, 

 increased bearing surface and a perfect tree. Cut back 

 the framework branches one-half the first winter after 

 planting in the orchard. Cut back the leaders but 

 not quite so severely the second winter, and thin out 

 if there is a tendency toward overcrowding. The treat- 

 ment should be more moderate in the third winter, and 

 in the fourth year the checking of rampant limbs which 

 have a tendency to outstrip their neighbors 

 is all that is necessary. 



SPECIAL FEATURES 



The holes for planting should not be less 

 than three feet deep and two feet in 

 diameter. Cut the tap root off at about 

 twenty-four inches and trim off all bruised 

 and broken lateral roots before planting. 

 A liberal application of thick whitewash, 

 in which some salt or glue has been dis- 

 solved, is very beneficial to the body of the 

 tree, as it prevents sunburn. 



The walnut, like the pecan^is unisexual; 

 that is, the flowers of both sexes although 

 produced on the same tree, do not occur 

 in the same flower. The male flowers are 

 called catkins and in the spring are dis- 

 tributed throughout the tree and look like 

 tassels; the female, flowers are like two 

 little horns at the terminal ends of the new 

 growth. 



