120 
AMERICAN POMOIvOGlCAR SOCIETY 
©f investigation in South Europe, North Africa, the Mediterranean Islands, 
and our own South and West. (Exhibits slides.) 
THE FUTURE OF THE PERSIAN WALNUT IN THE UNITED STATES. 
Claud D. Tribble, Elk Grove, California. 
The ancient history of the Persian or so called “English’' Walnut is of 
special interest to those who study horticulture and nut-culture. To sum- 
marize briefly: We find it mentione|fl in the Old Testament, and it is probably 
a native of the mountains of Armenia in the southerp. portion of the 
Caucasus along the Caspian Sea; in the northern Himalayas and in Burmah. 
The East Indians cultivated the walnut in very early times, the terri- 
tory being confined to the northern part of India. The Chinese* have 
cultivated it for many centuries and it is now extensively grown in many 
districts of China and Manchuria. Prom these districts the United States 
draws a part of its imports of this nut. 
The walnut is said to have been introduced into Western Europe at a 
very early period by the Romans and particular attention was given it by 
the Gauls, at which time it was known as the “Gaulnut” which is perhaps 
the origin of the present name. Prom this source walnut culture has ex- 
tended to all the countries of Europe, North and South America, Africa, 
Australia and other places adapted to its culture. 
Its history and introduction into the United States probably dates with 
the Missions in California more than a century and a half since. California 
produces most of the walnuts grown in the United States, though Oregon 
and Washington are coming to have a commercial crop of some moment. 
Only a short while since it was considered that Southern California was the 
only section of the United States that was adapted to extensive culture 
of the walnut, and for many years the culture was not taken up elsewhere. 
In the northern part of the State many individual trees have been producing 
for sixty years or longer; but it is only since the introduction of the better 
varieties by such men as John Rock, Felix Gillette, and G. H. Kerr (who 
have passed to their reward) that the culture in this section has been 
going forward very rapidly. Over twenty years ago experiments in graft- 
ing these varieties on the black walnut stock were begun and the recent suc- 
cesses of this operation has contributed to the development of the walnut in- 
dustry in the more northern districts. 
Nut Culture to be Extensive. 
The possibilities in the extension of walnut culture is unknown. We 
find individual trees thriving and bearing in localities and countries where 
ft was formerly supposed that this tree would not grow. Notable examples 
