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known to us has been made to import and propagate the 

 very best sorts known from France, in which country very 

 great attention is paid to the improvement of the race. 

 Either budding or grafting may be adopted, and even large 

 trees of unsatisfactory product may be improved by these 

 means. They are to be headed back in the off season, and 

 when fresh shoots have started for the following season a 

 few are selected for future growth and worked upon by 

 annular or ring-budding, the rest being cut out. It is im- 

 portant to note, in grafting the walnut, if that mode 

 be preferred, that the common split -graft should not be 

 used, or at least if tried, the section should never cross the 

 central pith. It is better by far to cut out an angular 

 wedge-shaped groove and cut the scion correspondingly to 

 fit in sideways. Even the scion should be cut as 

 to expose little or none of the pith. Inserting a 

 scion after the manner of a bud is also a good method. 

 Quickness of manipulation, very sharp tools, and unusual 

 care in covering up with grafting wax or its equivalent are 

 desirable. On the whole, for this climate, low grafting 

 and covering with a generous heap of soil for a season is 

 advisable, but the formation of accessory rootlet* from the 

 scion must be guarded against. As the walnut is late in 

 starting its sap and in leafing, it is necessary to collect the 

 scions in advance, and keep them over, stratified in sand 

 just moist enough to hang together, until the stocks are 

 fairly under weigh with their spring buds. The pruning 

 of these trees is very simple. The axial centre growtli 

 should not be headed back, for it is inadvisable to attempt 

 a dwarfed pattern. The lowest laterals should start from 

 3^ to 4 feet from the ground, and be allowed to spread 

 enough ultimately to shade the ground occupied by the 

 roots, and with young standards it is quite worth while to 

 protect the bark so long as it is tender with some suitable 

 sun screen on the north side. Any young shoots killed by 

 sunburn and hot winds should be cut back to the quick at 

 once to prevent the branch dying back. The fruit ripens 

 in a leisurely way and never all at once, hence it is not 

 advisable to make a harvest straight away. It is better to 

 collect the droppers first, and every week to go over the 

 trees with light rods to dislodge the largest fruit, the 



