12 rOKESTRT MANUAL. 



Judge "Whiting gives this opinion as to value of timber for posts, and mode 

 of keeping and planting nuts : 



It is very durable, if put in the ground dry, for posts. Fifteen years ago 

 I planted cedar and walnut posts at the same time, and also posts of "White 

 oak. All are now decayed about equally. Always plant the walnut where 

 you want it; will transplant well, but loses, in losing its tap-roots, years of 

 growth. Seven bushels of walnuts, with the shucks on, will plant an acre. 

 During the winter I put in trenches, not too thick, and cover with leaves. 



Plant before sprouting, if possible. Mark the ground as for ash, and plant 

 the nuts early and deep, so that they will not dry. 



BTTTTEBNUT. 



This well known tree of the Northern States does well on about all our 

 varied prairie soils, either in groves or planted singly, if in not too exposed 

 positions. "Western experience makes it certain that propagated from seed, 

 with culture when young, the nuts may be much improved ; as the shell be- 

 comes thinner, the kernel becomes larger and richer and it is much easier 

 taken from the divisions of the shell. It is well worth planting around our 

 prairie homes for its fruit. Fuller says: " Farmers, remember that a few 

 butternut trees may cause your sons and daughters' to send a thought or 

 blessing back to the old homestead, when far away and surrounded by the 

 cares and anxieties which we all experience in our journey through life." 

 ■ When dry, the wood lasts well for posts, and the poles, when large enough 

 to split, where they run up straight in the close plantings, are durable and 

 strong for fence rails. The nuts are prepared for planting and they are 

 started the same as Black walnut. 



HONEY LOCUST. 



This fine native tree has received more attention in Europe than here. It 

 lias there sported in distinct varieties, with extremely varied habits of 

 growth. This tendency to variation is exhibited in growing its seedlings, 

 and we even notice that our native trees are varied in time of flowering, 

 color of petals, habit of growth, and even in hardiness of tree when grown • 

 on the prairie. -Our correspondence continually indicates a common belief- 

 that this is atrue locust, and that like the Black locust, it is noted for sprout- 

 ing and liable to the attack of the borer. "We wish to repeat that it does not 

 sprout any more than the maple, and that no form of insect has yet molested 

 it, except a long-necked beetle often found on potato vines, called by Harris, 

 Cantharis Cinerce. Plants in nursery and young hedges are sometimes set 

 back by these hungry fellows at work on the foliage. The only effect, aside 

 from a brief check in growth observed, is that the plants so treated become 

 more thorny than those unmolested. "We have experience with this timber 

 as a fence material dating back near twenty-five years. Fence rails of 

 that age, made from tough native timber, nailed on posts, have outlasted 

 three sets of posts and two sets of Red oak rails, and the locust rails are yet 



