34 THE WALNUT HARVESTING. 



handled, and hauled to a sunny place to dry, and should be placed on elevated plat- 

 forms made of narrow boards, with spaces of one fourth of an inch between each board. 

 The platform should be about 8 feet wide and 40 feet long, or as long as two men can 

 handle a canvas to cover the beds, which should be done every night the dew falls. The 

 nuts should be stirred in these beds once or twice each day, and with favorable weather 

 they will dry sufficiently in three days, and are ready for market. 1 have always dried 

 my walnuts by the sun and they have given good satisfaction, and for small orchards 

 I think it is the cheapest and best way. Some dry by evaporation and claim it is 

 preferable to the sim ; that it sets the oil quickly and prevents the nut from becoming 

 rancid. Others claim that it makes them so ; but be this as it may, those having large 

 orchards cannot depend on drying all by natural heat, and the drier will have to be 

 used, even if it is not so good for the nut." 



*" In handling the nuts, I cure in dry-houses by artificial heat, heating sufficient to 

 evaporate the water and set the oil of the nut. When this is done the nuts will keep 

 sweet for an indefinite time. I have kept them as an experiment, in my store-house, 

 which is of concrete, for five years, and at the end of that time they were as sweet as 

 when first cured. With my facilities, I cure them in eight hours. In preparing them 

 for market, I have a washing apparatus— invented by Mr. Cooper— which I use if the 

 nuts are discolored, as they often are by coming in contact with leaves or shucks when 

 there Is dew or rain. Directly after washing they are thoroughly dried and cured in the 

 dry-house." 



t " In gathering soft-shells, the nuts should not be left long on the-ground, as the sun 

 and fog will cause the shell to crack and the nut to become ruined. They should not 

 be left long in the gathering-sacks, as they will then sweat and turn black. If the nuts 

 are to be washed it should be done as soon as emptied from the picking-sacks, as they 

 will then clean much easier. After this, spread in trays for drying. If to be bleached 

 they should be thoroughly dry before. We use trays 3 by 6 feet, with sides 4 or 6 

 inches high, and a slat bottom with %-inch space between slats. For the past few 

 years all walnuts grown in Rivera have been scoured by placing them in a wire cylinder, 

 washing them and revolving it for five or ten minutes, or longer if necessary to make 

 them clean, then throw on water enough to wash clean before taking out of washer. 

 This greatly improves their ajjpearance, removing all fiber and pieces of hull that might 

 be sticking to them. It also gives them a much smoother appearance. Now place them 

 in trays, and dry." 



ANNUAL AND BIENNIAL CHOPS. 



During many years the opinion entertained by many, that the walnut 

 was a biennial bearer — that is, a crop cotild only be expected every 

 other year — became prevalent, and was generally believed. This idea 

 originated in the minds of some who could not be satisfied unless they 

 saw all trees heavily laden with walnuts every year, and also owing to 

 many of the orchards being planted to those singular and unproductive 

 trees referred to elsewhere. On this account — the idea having become 

 general — many hesitated about going into the business. As a rule, fruit- 

 growers are not accustomed to wait for results, as one must do in the 

 case of the walnut. Since the principal walnut plantations have come 

 into bearing, this idea has been dispelled, it having been proved a fallacy. 

 For about twelve years the orchards of twenty years ago have been bear- 

 ing, and while they prove to be regular bearers, show that one year they 

 bear a heavy crop, and the next one not so heavy, but a crop may be 

 depended on every year; so that the walnut, while it may be considered 

 a biennial bearer, must be classed as a tree producing regular crops, or 

 a good bearer. 



COMMEECIAL GEADES. 



The walnut crop of the State is classified commercially under the 

 following category, viz.: 



Hard-shells include all nuts having a hard shell; these take in the 

 numerous varieties of the so-called " English " walnut. 



*Hon. Russell Heath, essay before Eleventh State Fruit-Growers' Convention, 1889. 

 t C. A. Caufman, of Rivera, in "California Cultivator and Poultry Keeper," October, 

 1896-. 



