The Walnut Tree. 



water, in the manner directed for the Beech, in paragraph 

 145, should be made perfectly dry, and then preserved in 

 dry sand, in the manner directed for the Beech, in paragraph 

 145. They may be kept in this state until the month of 

 March or April, when they must be sowed in beds formed in 

 just the same manner as the beds are formed for the sowing 

 of the Ash, to which I have so frequently referred that the 

 reader will, by this time, remember the directions per- 

 fectly well, I hope, without reference to the particular 

 paragraph. 



548. But, as to the depth, that is different in this case ; 

 for the Walnuts are large things and require comparatively 

 a deep covering. They should be scattered upon the beds 

 rather thinly ; and that being done, they should be patted 

 down well into the ground with the back of the spade ; for, 

 otherwise, heavy rains will lay them bare before they have 

 struck root; or they will be moved by worms, which is 

 pretty nearly as bad. Rooks and jackdaws will hook them 

 out of the ground if they perceive them ; and if they have 

 begun to open, they will split them with their beaks, and 

 then peck out the kernel. I have seen them do this 

 several times with my American Walnuts, which are 

 much harder, and more closely put together, than the Wal- 

 nuts of this country. Therefore, they should be fixed afe 

 firmly in the ground as possible, before the earth be laid on 

 them, and they should not be sowed too near to the edge of 

 the beds, for fear of washing out by the rains. 



549. When they are well and firmly placed upon the 

 beds, they should be covered with earth pretty nearly three 

 inches deep, and the earth should be made very fine, level, 

 and smooth, /fhey will come up very boldly in the month of 

 June, they ought to be kept constantly clear of weeds dur- 



