NUTS AND NUT CULTURE 505 



of soil and moisture are much the same as are those of the Persian walnut. 

 However, it appears to be somewhat more exacting in its moisture require- 

 ment, for although being intolerant of improper drainage, it is less able 

 to sustain itself proportionately in drier soils. 



The pecan is propagated by budding and grafting on stocks of its 

 own species. Under the most favorable conditions seedlings grown from 

 nuts planted in midwinter may be budded when eighteen months old, and 

 transplanted in orchard form by the end of the next season, or by the time 

 the roots have been in the ground for. three years. 



Thus far a total of approximately one hundred varieties have been 

 recognized in the South. The majority of these already have been elimi- 

 nated. At present, the principal sorts of the south Atlantic and Gulf sec- 

 tion, including Louisiana, are the Stuart, Schley, Curtis, Van Deman, 

 Alley, Pabst, Moneymaker, Bradley, President, Russell, Delmas and 

 Success. The leading varieties of central and southwest Texas are the 

 San Saba, Halbert, Colorado, Sovereign and Kincaid. 



The varieties of neither of these groups appear readily to adapt them- 

 selves to the climatic conditions of the other, nor do they seem capable 

 of satisfactorily adjusting themselves to conditions in any of the inland 

 states. 



Varieties which have originated in southwestern Indiana and neighbor- 

 hood, and which, therefore, now are thought to be well worthy of con- 

 servative planting in sections of fairly comparable conditions, are the 

 Major, Niblack, Indiana, Posey, Busseron, Butterick, Greenriver and 

 Warrick. However, for the present these should not be planted in lati- 

 tudes greater than that of Vincennes, with the expectation of regular crops 

 of nuts. If set in suitable soil the trees should thrive and live to a great 

 age much farther north, but crops of nuts even from the forest trees are 

 quite irregular beyond that point. 



The Almond. — Culturally speaking, this nut is not of much interest 

 to a great part of the United States. Its exactments for cultural success 

 preclude its general planting over any large portion of the United States. 

 It requires a fertile, moist, yet very well-drained soil and a dry atmosphere 

 in a section quite free from late spring frosts. The commercial plantings 

 of this country are in the Sacramento Valley of California, where the 

 orchards are usually equipped with fire-pots as a protection against frost 

 at blossoming time, and in northwestern Utah. A number of large young 

 orchards just beginning to bear are on the highlands of Klickitat County 

 in south central Washington near the Columbia River. The principal 

 varieties are the Nonpareil, I. X. L., Ne Plus Ultra, Drakes and Languedoc. 



The almond is propagated by budding on stocks preferably of its own 

 species, although peach stocks answer nearly as well. 



At least one variety of hardshell almond (the Ridenhower, of south- 

 ern Illinois) is being propagated by eastern nurserymen for variety plant- 

 ing about the home grounds in sections adapted to the more hardy varieties 



