PROCEEDINGS OF THIRTY-THIRD FRUIT-GROWERS ' CONVENTION. 231 



State. The pecan is very often dioecious, which accounts for single 

 specimens frequently being barren. This is a reason why the pecan 

 is so often said "not to do well in California." 



While our summers are long, the usually cool nights retard growth, 

 and in consequence the nuts do not ripen near the coast. A rich soil, 

 plenty of moisture, and a hot summer form a combination congenial to 

 pecan culture. The river bottoms of the Sacramento and San Joaquin 

 valleys form an ideal location for this tree. This is no theory, but a 

 statement based on observation, for any one may see the pecan flourish- 

 ing and ripening good crops of excellent nuts from Oroville, Butte 

 County, to Tulare and Kern. But, as with the walnut, it does not 

 necessarily follow that varieties or fixed types succeeding well in Texas 

 or Florida, will do equally well in California. The conditions being so 

 different, it is more than likely that what is best in Florida would be a 

 partial failure here. Therefore we want to raise our own seedlings, 

 and by selection, produce types worthy of varietal propagation. 



I would strongly recommend that the pecan be planted extensively 

 in the interior valley as a street and avenue tree, its symmetrical, 

 upright growth being so much in its favor. A double purpose would 

 then be served, as in the course of time varieties would thus be found 

 suited to our climate and meeting the requirements of the market. 



Chestnuts deserve more attention. The European varieties, or those 

 imported from Japan, form highly ornamental trees, and, with the ever- 

 growing demand for nuts as food, they will have added value. The 

 chestnut stands heat well, some of the largest trees in the State being 

 in the Thermalito Colony, near Oroville. 



Filberts have not been much of a success thus far, though Mr. Felix 

 Gillet reports them as bearing well at Nevada City. There is no doubt 

 that the nut trees (excepting, of course, the almond), while in some 

 instances dioecious, or bearing staminate and pistillate blossoms on 

 different trees, more often suffer or fail to bear good crops through a 

 lack of simultaneous blooming of the male and female blossoms. 



Pistachio. — Pistachio, or green almond (Pistacia vera), has been 

 grown to a limited extent in California for many t years. G. P. Rixford 

 of Sonoma was perhaps the first to grow the nuts, having a crop from 

 his trees in 1881. The tree is very ornamental, and well suited in 

 every way to the climate of California, or to those regions where the 

 almond tree thrives. It is an exceedingly deep and rapid rooter, 

 succeeding well in dry locations. On its own root it makes rather a 

 low, spreading tree, although from a lot of young trees I have growing, 

 from seed produced in Fresno County, they are by no means dwarf in 

 character, properly selected. Pistacia vera belongs to the sumach orders 

 and is distinctly dioecious, producing nuts on the pistillate trees only. 



The future of the nut industry in California is very bright. To avoid 



