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CHAPTER XXIi 



OF WALNUTS. 



Different Sorts described.,-,,.Their Propagation^ Plantings and 

 Trimming;*, Great Utility of the Timber, ;, Method of keep^ 

 ing Walnuts in Winter,, 



TThE Walnut, Juglands, is a risltive of Persia j and the time 

 of its introduction here is not known with certainty. It belongs 

 to the twenty-first class of Linnseus's System, Moncecia Po- 

 lyandria. 



Those commonly cultivated in this country are the fol- 

 lowing varieties of the common walnut, viz. the Double Wal- 

 nut, the Large Walnut^ the French Walnut, the Thin-skinned 

 Walnut, and the Late Walnut. The Hickery Nut from North 

 America, the fruit of which is small but well flavoured, is also 

 raised here, as is the Black Virginia Walnut 5 but this latter is 

 cultivated chiefly for its timber. There are several other sorts 

 from North America, which are planted for Variety^. 



The best way of raising these trees is from the nut, which 

 should be gathered when full ripe : Those with thin shells are 

 to be preferred for this purpose. Walnuts, unless a sharp frost 

 sets in, which is very seldom the case before they are ripe, 

 should be suff"ered to remain on the trees till they begin to drop 

 of themselves i Shaking of the tree will then bring them down. 

 Beating them down with poles, as is usually done, injures the 

 trees very much^ by breaking the young shoots : Beside, the 

 huts never will keep well when they are thrashed down too 

 early. 



The nuts may be sown in drills in the same manner as ches- 

 liuts : The best time for doing this, if the season be dry, is au- 

 tumn ; and the nuts must be thoroughly dry, otherwise they will 

 be apt to rot before they vegetate. If the autumn be wet, they 

 may be sown in the month of February or the beginning of 



* These latter are the different sorts of what is called the Butter Nut, in 

 America. They seldom bear, in England, and the fruit is good for nothing. 



