The Walnut and Its Culture. 253 



summer and sunlight in winter this tree is found always satisfac- 

 tory. It makes a splendid growth in California and has been 

 known to have a spread of sixty feet in less than twenty years. 

 The English walnut has proved very profitable along the coast in 

 this state, but at the same time a great many fine groves in the in- 

 terior give promise of heavy yields. It does best where a deep, rich, 

 moist and loamy soil is to be found, but is doing very well in this 

 climate where the soil is less favorable. Where water is to be had 

 and irrigation is carried on splendid walnuts can be raised on any 

 of the foothills and uplands, but moisture must be had, and a dry 

 .and neglected place will not do for the walnut. 



The trees are propagated from the seed, which usually come true, 

 being tirst planted about a foot apart in the nursery row. (The 

 month of January is best for planting). When the seedlings are one 

 vear old they may be transplanted into orchard form, and should 

 be set from forty to sixty feet apart each way. Some orchardists 

 advocate leaving the walnut tree in the nursery row until it attains 

 the age of three to five years, but experience will soon show the fal- 

 lacy of this operation. On the other hand if the seed is planted in 

 orchard form and the seedling never molested, better results will 

 undoubtedly be attained. 



Some experimenting has been done at different times in the way 

 of grafting and budding the walnut and the result has well repaid the 

 trouble as several new varieties have been secured that are improve- 

 ments on the old sort. One new variety that has come into promi- 

 nent notice is Ford's Improved Soft Shell, which, without doubt, 

 has more excellent qualities than any other. The kernel is of excel- 

 lent flavor, firm, and always fills the shell well, and is a good keeper 

 as well as a good shipper. Of other varieties we quote from Wick- 

 son's "California Fruits.*' 



Common English Walnut: — This is the ordinary English wal- 

 nut of commerce and is considered very desirable for its shipping 

 qualities, being medium hard shelled, The tree is not as reliable a 

 bearer as the newer sorts and for that reason is not as widely 

 planted as some others. 



Santa Barbara Soft Shell:— The soft shell is a little later start- 

 ing in the spring than the common nut, and blooms about ten days 

 later. It fruits at from four to six years from seed, and usually pro- 

 duces a full crop every year. 



This variety is not as strong a grower as the common walnut, 

 and more trees can be placed to the acre, and more nuts can be pro- 

 duced. The kernel is white and very fine. The shells are thin and 



