July, 1891. 
123 
WVV/WVVAA./VWW ' 
ORCHARD 
GFYRDE N 
5 © 
Nut Culture. 
There is a large part of our country suit- 
able to the culture of several kinds of nuts; 
and already the chestnut, pecan, Madeira 
nut, and almond are being planted. The 
industry is only now well started. We an- 
nually import large quantities of almonds, 
Madeira nuts, and filberts; and there are no 
climatic reasons why all that our markets 
need may not be grown at home. The two 
former are grown in California for the 
market to some extent. One grower has 
about 1000 acres planted to the almond 
alone. The filbert is not grown here, ex- 
0 cept an occasional plant; but there is good 
reason to believe that it will flourish, espec- 
ially in the Puget Sound region, and I am 
taking steps to have the trial made. 
THE PECAN. 
The Hickoria pecan is one of the best of 
all nuts, and is found wild only in North 
America. It abounds in the rich river and 
creek bottom lands of the Mississippi Val- 
ley, especially in Texas, Louisiana, Missis- 
sippi, Indian Territory, Arkansas and Mis- 
souri. Even as far north as southeastern 
Iowa it grows wild; but the region of pro- 
fitable culture does not probably extend so 
far north as the other species of the hickory 
family. In the Gulf States is found the 
best climate for this nut, and already there 
are considerable orchards of it planted 
there. It is needless to expect success in 
poor soil, for like all nut trees the pecan 
grows to the greatest perfection in rich 
moist alluvium. Many of the lands subject 
to periodical floods along the Misssissippi 
River and tributaries might be planted 
V to the pecan with great profit. Once well 
established these orchards in rich bottoms 
would yield large quantities of the very 
best nuts, and would not be injured by the 
floods, which usually occur long before the 
time of gathering the crop. There is great 
variation in the nuts as to size, shape, 
thickness of shell, and quality of the kernel. 
THE CHESTNUT. 
In my report last year I mentioned this 
nut and gave an illustration of Paragon, a 
chestnut which was brought to notice by H. 
M. Engle, of Pennsylvania. I then thought 
that it might be partly of foreign stock, and 
now am sure that it is nearly or entirely so. 
It is better in quality than the other varie- 
ties I have tested of either European or 
Asiatic parentage, but it is now quite well 
established that W. L. Shaffer, of Philadel- 
phia, planted an European nut, from which 
the original tree of this variety came. The 
same may be said of a variety mentioned 
* in my report of last year under the name of 
Dupont, which is a Delaware seedling from 
a foreigh nut. Recent investigations prove 
that its true name is Ridgley and that Du- 
pont is only a synonjm. There are a num- 
ber of very large varieties of foreign chest- 
nuts in the hands of Samuel C. Moon, of 
Pennsylvania, and William Parry, of New' 
Jersey, wdio both sent me samples this year. 
It is, however, my belief that we should 
look chiefly to our native species for the 
choicest kinds, although not the largest. 
During the investigations of this year 
there have been found a number of very 
large wild varieties and some very early in 
ripening. In due time they will all be 
brought to public notice and full informa- 
tion will be given about them. 
THE ALMOND. 
I only mention this nut to state to all ex- 
perimentors that it is useless to try to grow 
the almond of commerce this side of the 
Rocky Mountains, except, possibly, in New 
Mexico and southwestern Texas. This is 
thoroughly established by many reports 
from those who have tried it in nearly every 
State and for many years past. It is too 
tender in the North and does not bear in 
the South. In California it is an eminent 
success. 
The flavor of the hard-shelled almond, so 
far as I have tested it, is little or no better 
than a peach kernel, and is therefore prac- 
tically worthless. The tree of this variety 
is about as hardy as the peach and bears 
quite freely. The attention paid to the al- 
mond in the Atlantic and Central States 
might well be given to other nuts. 
PROPAGATION. 
It is generally known that the tx - ees of all 
the walnut, hickory, and chestnut families 
are hard to transplant, because of their 
deep tap roots. While it is true that by 
proper treatment in the nursery they may 
be forced to develop branching roots, it is 
the surest way to plant the nuts where the 
trees are to stand. If transplanted at all 
the trees should be very young. 
The variation of seedlings is so great that, 
with nuts as well as with other fruits, the 
only sure method of reproducing a variety 
is by budding or grafting. This is a more 
difficult operation with nut bearing trees 
than with most others. However, it can be 
done, and with each year we are learning 
better how to do it. In my annual report 
for 1888 something was said on this subject, 
but since then additional experience has 
furnished considerable knowledge. 
At present the best known method is to 
work upon one or two year old seedlings, 
either in nursery rows, or where seeds have 
been planted in the orchard. They should 
be cut some two or more inches below the 
surface of the ^ ground, or just above 
where the roots begin to swell, and a scion 
inserted not less than 5 or 6 inches long and 
having a terminal bud if possible. The 
“tongue” graft is the best for small stocks. 
No wax is needed for this underground 
grafting, but some bandage should be used 
to hold the parts firmly in place. Cotton 
strips dipped in hot grafting- wax and then 
dried arc very good. A ball of wet clay 
may be pressed about the wound and the 
earth packed to near the top of the scion to 
stop evaporation. A very important point 
and one that must not be overlooked is that 
the scions should be cut early, before any 
signs of starting, and put in some cool, damp 
place until after the stocks have begun to 
grow. In the sawdust of an ice-house is a 
safe place, or buried in earth where the sun 
will not warm it early; otherwise they 
are apt to start too early. 
Mr. W. N. Irwin, of Ohio, has succeeded 
in budding the black walnut by using scions 
so held back until the stocks peeled easily 
in the spring. — H. E. VanDeman, U. S. Po- 
mologist. 
The Home of the English Walnut. 
The so-called English and French walnut 
or Madeira nut is not indigenous to either 
of the countries named, but is a native of 
the mountainous regions of Persia, Tartary 
and China. It was early introduced into 
southern Europe, extending westward and 
into Gaul (France) , from whence the En- 
glish obtained it, the present name of wal- 
nut being merely a corruption of the older 
one of Gaul nut. The generic name, Jug- 
lans, is from Jovis glans, or in good En- 
glish, “Jove’s acorns.” As Jove’s acorn 
grows wild in as cold a climate in some 
parts of Asia as the common butternut does 
in North America, there is no good reason 
why it should not be as hardy, provided we 
obtain trees or nuts from northern local- 
ities. 
Orchard and Garden Clubbing List. 
We offer special inducements for subscriptions to 
other periodicals in combination with Orchard 4 Gar- 
den. This we do for the benefit and convenience of 
our readers. In many cases both papers may be secured 
for the price of one and always for less than the two 
papers can be obtained separately. Remit to us the 
amount named in the right hand column, and both pa- 
pers will then be sent, postpaid, for one year; Orchard 
and Garden from us aud the other directly from the 
place of publication. Should more than one paper be 
desired, with Orchard and Garden, add the corres- 
ponding prices of each paper (at the right hand column) 
and deduct 35 cents for each paper additional to the 
two. 
Cash must accompany the order in all cases, address- 
ed to 
ORCHARD and GARDEN, 
Little Silver, Monmouth Co., N. J. 
Money Order Office: Red Bank, N. J. 
i I 
1 1 
u\ 
s, 
Name of Paper. 
Our Price 
for the two 
$1.50 
American Agriculturist 
1.50 
1.00 
American Bee Journal (weekly) 
1.40 
.25 
Beekeeper’s Magazine 
.75 
4.00 
Century Magazine 
4.00 
2.50 
Country Gentleman 
2.50 
.50 
Farm and Fireside 
.90 
.50 
Farm and Home (semi-monthly) 
.75 
.35 
Fancier’s Review, 
.75 
.50 
Farm Journal 
.75 
4.00 
Garden and Forest 
4.00 
1.00 
Gleanings in Bee Culture 
Green’s Fruit Grower 
1.40 
.50 
.75 
.50 
Home and Farm, semi-monthly, 
.90 
4.00 
Harper’s Weekly 
Harper’s Magazine 
4.00 
4.00 
4.00 
3.00 
Horticultural Art Journal 
3.00 
.50 
Housewife, monthly 
.70 
5.00 
North American Review 
5.00 
1.25 
Ohio Farmer 
1.40 
1.00 
Orange Judd Farmer, weekly 
1.25 
2.00 
New England Farmer, weekly 
2.00 
1.25 
Poultry Monthly 
1.40 
2.00 
Prairie Farmer 
2.00 
2.00 
Rural New Yorker 
2.25 
1.00 
Southern Cultivator and Dixie Farmer. 
1.50 
3.00 
Scribner’s Monthly Magazine 
3.00 
3.00 
St. Nicholas 
3.00 
1.25 
Vick’s Monthly Magazine 
1.30 
1.65 
Western Rural.. 
1.90 
1.75 
Youth’s Companion (new subscribers) . . 
1.75 
1.75 
YouthsCompanion(renewals ortranifers 
from one family member to another)... 
2.25 
