248 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT STATION. 



desired. Fig. 46 2 shows a one-year-old graft on a root which was two 

 years old at the time of grafting, a graft having failed the previous year. 

 In this case the crown of the root is still sound, showing scars of suckers 

 which have completely healed over except when recently cut. This tree 

 is unobjectionable, but such are sometimes seen with very large, old 

 clumsy roots with a poorly healed union and scars at the crown. These 

 are not to be desired. Fig. 45 shows perfect trees, although the rough 

 ends where the roots were cut off have not yet been trimmed. In 

 Fig. 45 2 the original nut from which the seedling grew may be seen 

 at A, the point of grafting at B and the upper end of the scion at C. 



After cleaning up the roots and lower part of the stem the next ques- 

 tion is that as to cutting back the top. Here, again, radical differences 

 of opinion exist, some growers holding a strong preference for plant- 

 ing the largest sized trees without cutting back the top at all, some 

 preferring a small tree likewise without cutting, while others would 

 cut the top back at various heights. Assuming that the root and top 

 are of the same proportionate size, the same rules as to cutting back 

 must apply either with large or small trees. There is considerable 

 unanimity on one point, namely, that the walnut tree in orchard form 

 should be headed considerably high, at a point about five or six feet 

 from the ground. It is, therefore, possible to obtain this with trees of 

 about this height when planted by not cutting them at all, with trees 

 of greater height than this by cutting them back to such a height, or 

 with smaller trees by planting them either as they are or after cutting 

 back and allowing one shoot to grow up into a trunk, heading this at 

 the desired height. Even when very tall trees are planted without cut- 

 ting they usually branch naturally at somewhere about this height, and 

 if the tops do not die back the ultimate form of the tree is very much 

 the same with a tall tree whether it is cut or not. The chief objection 

 to planting out trees with uncut tops is that the roots have necessarily 

 been cut off more or less and are, therefore, not able to send up as much 

 moisture to the top as is required. Such being the case, there is dan- 

 ger of the top dying back before a proper connection with the soil is 

 reestablished by the root, or if it does not die back it may remain nearly 

 dormant for some time, making very little growth and becoming very 

 liable to sunburn. In such cases the tree may stand for one or several 

 years before starting vigorous growth in the top and during this time 

 the trunk may become so badly sunburned that it is seriously crippled 

 for life. The liability of such an occurrence depends largely upon the 

 size of the root, amount of moisture in the soil and the degree to which 

 the root dried out during the time after it was dug from the nursery 

 and before it was planted in the orchard. Trees which are moved only 

 a short distance, especially if the root is dug with extra care, may start 



