173 



THE SEED-NUTS. 



THE selection of the seed-nuts is a subject 

 to which usually not half enough serious atten- 

 tion is paid. The intending planter should 

 never for one moment lose sight of the fact 

 that upon the proper and careful choice of his 

 seed-nuts almost solely depends the later ap- 

 pearance, well-being and productiveness of his 

 venture. -^ : 



In the first place, it is by no means sufficient 

 for the planter to purchase the exact number 

 of seed-nuts required to plant up the estate ; 

 at least 20 per cent., and some advise 50 per 

 cent., more nuts should be laid down in the 

 nurseries than are required for planting up in 

 the open. To save time the owner, while 

 he is selecting and probing his land, and is 

 occupied with clearing and preparing the ground 

 for planting, should also be studiously look- 

 ing about in the neighbourhood, or further afield, 

 for what he wants exactly in the way of seed- 

 nuts, and to take nothing less than the best. 

 After careful investigation in the surrounding 

 or adjacent properties, he will find trees, or 

 groups of trees, which yield a greater number 

 and better nuts than the others near them ; 

 and whilst the size of the nuts alone is no 



