THE JAPANESE WALNUT. ( Jiiglans Sicboldiana, Maxim. j 



Fig. /, Frontispiece. 



THE JAPANESE walnut, which is now at- 

 tracting some attention, appears to have 

 been introduced into the United States 

 about 25 years ago. The oldest trees 

 are at Tower House, Shasta county, California, 

 the property of Charles Camden. There are two 

 trees. " They bore nuts at eight years of age," 

 Mr. Camden writes. " The trees grow very thriftily 

 and are handsome in shape, and are very full and 

 regular bearers." The illustration is made from 

 specimens from these trees. 



Some 15 years ago Mr. Camden sent trees to 

 General Bidwell, at Rancho Chico, and they are now 

 bearing. These and the two original trees are the 

 only ones yet fruiting in this country. The tree 

 is now offered by some Eastern nurserymen, and 

 we shall soon hope to know something definite as 

 to its hardiness and capabilities. The species 

 grows in Northern Japan and is said to be as 

 hardy as an oak. 



Juglans Sieboldiana is closely allied to J. Mand- 

 chourtca, another species of Eastern Asia, though 

 it is not recorded as a cultivated plant in Japan. 

 Dr. Maximowicz, the author of both species, says 

 that he has often seen them growing and knows 

 of no good distinction between them, except the 

 characters of the nuts. J. ATafidchonrica has ob- 

 long and ridged nuts, while J. Sieboldiana should 

 have short and smooth nuts. In shape, the nuts 

 of the specimens figured (see frontispiece) are 

 very like those of J. Mattdchozwica, but their 



smoothness places them in the other species. It 

 is very likely, as Dr. Sereno Watson suggests to 

 me, that the two species run together, and that 

 the California trees represent a variation towards 

 J. Mandchonrica. 



The species might be called with better pro- 

 priety the Japanese butternut. The nuts are 

 borne in long clusters which often hold from 1 5 

 to 20 specimens. Nuts are shown natural size, 

 with the husk on and removed, in the illustration. 

 The shell is thinner than that of our butternut, 

 and the kernel is sweet and rich, much as in our 

 species. The tree itself is attractive. It appears 

 to be one of the most promising of recent acqui- 

 sitions. 



According to Luther Burbank, "the species is of 

 easy culture. It accommodates itself to the same 

 soils as its congeners, and grows with great vigor. 

 It is easily grafted by approach upon our common 

 walnut [English walnut ?], and its trunk retains the 

 same dimensions as the stock ; but it is by seed that 

 it should be multiplied. It reproduces itself per- 

 fectly true, and if the young plants remain bushy 

 during the first years, the tree shoots afterwards, 

 and, thanks to its rapid growth, promptly assumes 

 large dimensions." Professor Wickson says, that 

 the species first gained prominence in 188 1, when 

 the California State Horticultural Society referred 

 the question of its botanical affinities to G. P. Rix- 

 ford. R. J. Trumbull & Co., California nursery- 

 men, first catalogued it. L. H. B. 



" True Taste is an excellent economist. She confines her choice to fevi objects, 

 and delights to produce great effects by small means ; while False Taste is forever 

 sighing after the neu' and rare ; and reminds us of the scholar of Appelles, who, 

 not being able to paint his Helen beautiful, determined to make her fine" 



