BULLETIN 231] WALNUT CULTURE IN CALIFORNIA. 215 



the nuts by means of a stream of water. The whole bed will thus be 

 in a well-soaked condition by the time it is done. Instead of placing 

 the nuts directly in the bed, it is more convenient in getting them out 

 to put them in shallow wooden boxes or flats, imbedding these in the 

 sand as above described. If this is done it is much easier to get the 

 nuts out for planting than if they are placed directly in the sand. 

 Other materials may be substituted for sand, such as earth mixed with 

 fine straw or manure, or any substance which holds moisture well, and 

 from which the nuts can be easily removed. The bed should be so 

 arranged that water will drain away from it and not accumulate 

 sufficiently to rot the nuts, and it should be protected from rain if 

 there is any danger of such an effect from that source. The nuts need 

 to be constantly well moistened, however, in order to start germina- 

 tion, and if drainage is good there is not much danger of getting them 

 too wet. The bed should be located in a place where it will receive 

 the heat of the sun in order that it may not be too cold for germination, 

 and it may be underlaid with manure if it is desirable for any reason 

 to hasten the sprouting of the nuts. Nuts of the different species 

 vary quite widely in respect to freedom of germination, those of the 

 southern California black walnut being especially quick to sprout. 

 These also rot more easily than other black walnuts. They need not, 

 therefore, be put into sand so early and should not be kept as wet as 

 northern California blacks or Eoyals. The latter especially need much 

 moisture and warmth to make them sprout. For prompt and uniform 

 germination they should be put into the sand quite early, in a single 

 layer of nuts, and be kept well moistened and as warm as possible. 

 Otherwise many will not sprout until the second or even third year, if 

 they be put into the ground before starting to germinate. 



As soon as a considerable portion of the nuts has begun to sprout 

 in the sand bed they must be gotten out into the nursery as soon as 

 possible. In preparing the nursery ground special care should be 

 taken, as the growth of walnut seedlings is very easily affected by 

 slight differences in soil conditions. The ground should be prepared 

 in the fall by thorough and deep plowing and cultivation, in order that 

 it may be loosened up to as great a depth as possible and brought into 

 a fine, mellow condition, free from lumps and with no hard layer of 

 soil near the surface. A soil free from rocks, hard, unbreakable lumps 

 or shallow hardpan should be chosen for the nursery if one expects to 

 grow good trees. Greater growth is obtained on a fairly heavy soil, 

 although the heavier the soil the more difficult it is to work. The 

 future digging of the trees should also be considered, as this is a 

 question of importance in connection with the nature of the soil. A 

 somewhat sandy soil is easier to handle and much more convenient for 



