44 NUT CULTURE IN THE UNITED STATES. 



BUTTERNUT (Juglans cinerea L.) 

 (Synonyms: White walnut, Oil nut.) 



The butternut is native over an area that differs but little in extent from that 

 covered by the black walnut. It extends farther east and north, however, and is not 

 found so far to the south and west. It is found from southwestern New Brunswick 

 westward across Maine, Quebec, Ontario, the lower peninsula of Michigan below lati- 

 tude 44; Wisconsin below Green Bay, northwestward to the neighborhood of Duluth, 

 Minn., and the headwaters of the Mississippi Eiver, southward across central Iowa, 

 Missouri, and southeastern Kansas into the Indian Territory. Its southern limit 

 reaches the Arkansas River in Arkansas and extends southward across central Mis- 

 sissippi and Alabama to the eastern base of the Blue Ridge Mountains, reaching the 

 Atlantic Coast near Norfolk, Va. The tree is found most abundant and reaches its 

 highest development in the Ohio River basin. There are relatively few sections where 

 it is reported as an abundant forest tree, -and in some localities within the area of 

 its native growth it is found to be a difficult tree to grow under cultivation, though 

 in general the nut germinates readily and the tree grows rapidly. It is not suited 

 to prairie situations, as the trunk often sun scalds quite as badly as does that of the 

 Persian walnut. In forest growth it is not commonly an abundant bearer, but finds 

 its greatest fruitfulness in open groves and along fence rows. Trees bear a few nuts 

 at from 7 to 12 years of age, and increase annually until, as some reports state, 

 there are single trees of large size that yield from 15 to 20 bushels of nuts in a 

 season. Reports mention a noticeable difference in size, also in the cracking quali- 

 ties of the butternut, and it seems desirable that care should be exercised by growers 

 to select for propagation the best types of this nut. In flavor and quality of kernel, 

 the butternut is second only to the shellbark hickory and pecan among our native 

 nuts, and is worthy of more attention than it has received. 



In curing, care should be taken, as with the black walnut, that no grit gets into 

 the rough shells, for it materially lessens the attractiveness of the nuts in market and 

 damages both their value and sale. 



Were it marketed in larger quantities it would probably be able to win its way 

 more readily into favor. The person who will supply its meats fresh and in clean, 

 convenient form for culinary and dessert uses will have little trouble in stimulating 

 a demand. Possibly some improved method of cracking the shells and removing 

 the meats, or the discovery of some "sport" that will afford a thin-shelled variety 

 will be necessary to bring the cost of preparing them within the limits of a popular 

 price. In its green state it is used for pickling and for catsup much the same as is 

 the Persian walnut. The ripened nuts sell for about the same prices in the local 

 markets as are obtained for black walnuts, varying from 20 cents to f 2 per bushel. 

 From correspondents reporting the yield of butternuts per tree we note the following 

 data: Indiana, from one-fourth bushel to 40 bushels; Connecticut, one half bushel to 

 20 bushels; New York, 1 to 20 bushels; Vermont, 1 to 20 bushels; Michigan, 1 to 15 

 bushels. From most of the States reporting, and in a majority of reports from all 

 the States, the yield per tree is below medium in quantity, and the tree is not listed 

 among those producing profitable crops. George P. Peffer, of Pewaukee, Wis., 

 reports a butternut tree which at 1C years old produced G bushels of nuts. This 

 may be considered the maximum under good culture. 



In a paper on "Orchard trees for Minnesota," L. B. Hodges says: ;< Either the 

 butternut or black walnut would 'throw in the shade' any apple orchard in the State; 

 that they would come into bearing as quick, would grow faster, stand more neglect and 

 bring more bushels of either fruit or dollars in the long run." This statement needs 

 modification so as to apply only to river bottom land in Minnesota, for on open 

 prairie, as above noted, the tree is not hardy. 



