130 FOREST TREES OF CALIFORNIA. 



This graceful Summer-green tree is mantled like the " Ori- 

 ental Tree of Heaven" (Ailantus), only more delicately, and 

 equally velvety. In general outline it is somewhat oblong, 

 or about twice the height of its breadth. This long leafage 

 is exceedingly lovely, whether admired as to particular leaf- 

 let or compounded leaf, or the general flossy masses umbrel- 

 ing twigs, and everywhere preserving their curves and the 

 great crowning line of beauty that domes the top. So, also, 

 in every motion, waving to the wind, from the least leaflet 

 to the greater leaf and greatest mass thereof, ever responsive, 

 as it were, with moving tongues of love; for the foliage is by 

 far more yielding than the willows by the brooks with which 

 they congregate, bending in pliant loveliest grace — no rustle, 

 no murmur, quiet as a lamb — fascinating and gentle as the 

 dove of the dawn, or en rapt in ecstatic flight, their wings 

 kissing each other, as saith the prophet. The blossoms 

 tassel the tips of the twigs with long ornamental catkins, two 

 to four inches in length ; the fertile females are in a small 

 terminal group or solitary. 



The spherical fruit, like other walnuts noted, consists of an 

 undivided husk, from one and a half to two inches in diam- 

 eter, which gradually decays, after falling, leaving a round- 

 ish nut somewhat variable in size, form spheroidal, shell 

 thick and very hard indeed, kernel of sweet nutty fine flavor, 

 surface so slightly vein-channeled, or rather marked, as to be 

 nearly smooth ; the meat is thick, broadly and evenly wing- 

 •lobed, covered with a dark pellicle of skin ; the size and form 

 of the nut varies, say from one and three fourths to less than 

 an inch in diameter. This extreme thickness and hardness 

 of shell preserves the vitality of the nuts for many years. 

 Were they securely stored by squirrels and gophers — or 

 ''topers," as the right title is — they would, if kept perfectly 

 cool and dry, last for ages; at least no nut-producing tree 

 with which we are acquainted preserves the perfect plump- 

 ness, softness, and sweetness of the kernel like the California 

 Walnut. Should a thinner shell be deemed advisable or 

 desirable at any time, the male catkins can be cut away, in 

 part, if not entirely, the moment they appear, or selections 

 from seedlings which show most markedly a tendency by 

 nature to a paucity of male plumes, and more feminine ten- 

 derness of shell, and propagate from those. At present we 

 do not urge either its merits or future probable possibilities, 

 as an edible nut of much economic value. It is, however, 

 worthy to be borne in mind, that the Prionus already threat- 

 ens the destruction of the imported English Walnut by 

 boring the root base and poisoning the sap, so that they often 

 die outright.* Therefore the inquiry may yet arise whether 



* We saw these trees planted many years ago, and the barbarous chopping of roots 

 may have been the real predisposing cause. 



