730 
Crops for Pickling and Preserving. 
Walnut-trees are almost always planted singly, or in very 
small clumps, and rarely on any recognised plan. Hence an 
account of a case in which they were planted on a definite 
system may not be without interest. In 1831, Sir William Long 
planted a field of some 6 or 7 acres in extent with walnuts ; 
it is said, because he had an idea that walnut-wood was likely to 
become scarce, and would, when arrived at maturity, be in great 
request for gun-stocks. He calculated that while the wood was 
maturing the land would pay its way by means of the fruit. The 
field is, naturally, a rich loam resting on gravel, at Kempston, near 
Bedford. Several varieties of walnuts were selected, and the trees, 
365 in all, were planted " on the square," 21 yards apart. So 
they remained until some fourteen years ago, when about two- 
thirds of them were cut down, as it was found they were too close 
to flourish. In order that the land should not be out of profit 
while the trees were making no return, it was planted with 
hops — some of the last grown in Bedfordshire — and they stood for 
about ten or a dozen years, when they were stocked up and the land 
seeded down to grass, in which it still remains. At present the 
trunks measure from 3 to 5 feet in circumference at 4< feet from the 
ground, and from the ground to the fork 14 feet. Since the trees 
began to bear they have averaged about 2,000 nuts per tree ; 
whilst the biggest yield, in 1870, was 5,000 per tree. Of course, 
as yet, the trees have but little felling value ; but this they will 
acquire as time progresses. Meanwhile, the grass and the nuts are 
making a fair return per acre ; so that, like much other fruit- 
planting, this has not been a bad investment, though the ultimate 
return is still a long way off. 
Pickling offers an additional opportunity for disposing of 
the fruit. In very fruitful years the quality of the nut is im- 
proved by thinning ; and as the fruits for pickling must be 
small, and not old enough to have a shell inside them, it is 
altogether expedient to pickle a portion of the immature fruit. 
Crops for Preserving. 
Peas. — Green peas, when shelled, are pi'eserved in tins in such 
a way as to retain to a considerable extent their original flavour. 
This mode of preservation is, of course, not pickling; for, after 
particular treatment, the peas are packed in tins or cans, and 
kept good by the exclusion of air, and not by the presence of 
vinegar. This business might well be extended, for compara- 
tively few housekeepers are aware what a valuable addition 
canned peas make to the vegetables available for winter 
consumption, although in hotels they are largely consumed. 
