20t)4 



ENCYCLOPEDIA OF PRACTICAL HORTICULTURE 



tate the selection of blight-resistant va- 

 rieties for planting hereafter. 



The best-bearing English walnut trees 

 in Prance are between 100 and 200 years 

 old, and some trees are of astonishing 

 old age and great size and yet immensely 

 productive. 



There are but few more handsome or- 

 namental trees than thrifty English wal- 

 nut trees, and, planted either for the 

 house, the yard or lawn, they add much 

 to the beauty and value of a home. 



Propagation of Walnuts 

 A Method of Budding the Walnut 



Many difficulties have confronted the 

 nurserymen and the orchardists alike in 

 the propagation of the best varieties of 

 English walnuts. Various methods of 

 nursery grafting and budding have been 

 employed with varying success. In gen- 

 eral the percentage of unions has been 

 very small, resulting in a consequent 

 high-priced tree. The method of budding 

 as outlined in the following paragraphs 

 consists in the combination of the old 

 principles adapted to new subjects and 

 conditions. By this method, and the ex- 

 ercise of ordinary care, with good buds, 

 and one-year-old seedlings, at least 70 to 

 90 per cent of the buds should take and 

 Corm satisfactory trees. 



Stocks 



Various stocks have been employed, 

 and among these may be mentioned the 

 English, the American Black and the 

 hybrid between the California Black and 

 the English. The best of these is the 

 California Black, and the least desirable 

 the English. The hybrid is very fre- 

 quently used, but in some cases is not 

 dependable, such stocks being very vari- 

 able, some giving a good root system and 

 others poor. 



Buds Used 



Up to the present time usually buds of 

 the current year's growth have been em- 

 ployed in attempting to bud the walnut. 

 This is unsatisfactory from several 

 standpoints. In the first place the bark 

 on the current year's wood is exceedingly 

 tender, and the outer layers are very 



Japanese Walnut Grown Near North Yakima, 

 Washington. 



apt to be rubbed off in handling. Sec- 

 ond, the leaf stem is attached below the 

 bud, and if this is removed before the 

 bud is inserted a large scar is left, which 

 is a source of oxidation and loss of mois- 

 ture, both of which tend to prevent a 

 satisfactory union. If this stalk is left 

 on the bud it is very difficult to tie prop- 

 erly. This difficulty has been avoided 

 somewhat in the past by cutting off the 

 leaf several days before the buds were 

 taken for budding, and the remaining 

 leaf stalk soon shrivels and falls away. 



In the method as outlined in this ar- 

 ticle buds one year old are used. These 

 will be found at the base of the current 

 year's growth. Only those plump buds 

 which have remained dormant are to be 

 employed, although if material is scarce 

 smaller buds may be used, but they do 

 no break with the same ease that the 

 larger buds do. 



