PLANT CHESTNUTS 
For Heavy and Regular 
Bearing 
Requiring but occasional thinning, no 
spraying, no propping, no ladder climbing— 
the Chestnut is produced at very low costs. 
After the tree has been in three or four 
years no pruning is necessary. Let it grow 
naturally. Old trees should have the bushy 
growth removed from inside every four or 
five years. According to age, yields of 
2000 to 5090 pounds per acre may be expect¬ 
ed. At a 'minimum price of 10c per pound, 
the cash return will run from $200 to $500 
per acre. Chestnuts bloom in June and 
are never injured by frost. 
'During depression years price 
has fallen below 10c but once. 
Chestnuts 
For Profit 
and 
Home Use 
HOW TO PLANT AND GROW THE CHESTNUT 
Where to Plant —This is a regular mountain tree and in the Sierra Nevada 
Mountains wherever the Black Oak is found will be ideal conditions. They 
are also at home in the Valleys and are doing well near the coast. Immense 
trees can be expected on the deep, heavy soils. They take kindly to adobe. 
How to Plant —On heavy, rich soil plant 60x60 feet. Poorer land 50x50, or if 
space is limited, 40x40. The chestnut requires plenty of light and air. Sixty 
feet between the rows and 30 feet apart in the row is the best plan. This 
takes 24 trees to the acre. Take out every other tree in row before they 
crowd. This plan allows inter-cropping of the wide row for a number of 
years. Seedling trees may be used for the interplants. 
Soils —The chestnut does best on soils that are slightly acid, deep and 
fertile. This tree can not be expected to resist Oak Root fungus. 
Cross-Pollination— More than one variety should be planted, both for bene¬ 
fits of cross-pollination and to lengthen out the harvest season. Our Quercy 
and French Marron varieties have an abundance of pollen. 
Planting —Dig holes 2x2 feet all around. With sharp knife remove broken 
roots and cut ends of all roots to sound wood. Remove all buds below 
ground-line. Plant tree not deeper than before. Use only top soil (well 
firmed with ball of foot) about the roots. Tie tree firmly to stake soon as 
planted. Set stake while planting to avoid driving it into roots. Cut back 
whip trees one-half and allow one strong shoot to grow to six feet where it 
may be headed. Branched trees cut back to 3 or 4 branches and head in 
branches to 3 buds from trunk. Encourage growth to one central leader. 
Let grow naturally. DON’T TRAIN TO VASE FORM. Shade trunk for first 
few years with Yucca Tree Protectors (see page 16) or two thin boards. 
Irrigation— When well established they will bear bountifully without irri¬ 
gation. If water is available, irrigation should be practiced. Heavy irriga¬ 
tion followed by cultivation three weeks before nuts begin to fall is highly 
desirable, to loosen nuts from burr. 
Cost to Plant —60x60 ft. square method takes 12 trees. Triangle method, 14 
trees per acre, which costs only $7.00 to $15.00 per acre for grafted trees. 
♦CHESTNUT SURVEY IN CALIFORNIA 
shows - - - - “Infectious diseases were found to be relatively unimportant or 
rare. The satisfactory condition and heavy production of same of the plant¬ 
ings lend considerable encouragement to the future of chestnuts in the 
State. There seems no reason to be unduly fearful of chestnut blight in 
California, though we should not minimize its seriousness should it become 
established. - - - - There appears to be an opportunity, if proper planting 
sites are chosen and suitable varieties are planted, for the development of a 
crop which cannot now be produced profitably in the heavily diseased areas 
of the East.’’ 
♦Monthly Bulletin of State Dept, of Agriculture, 1935, pages 190-191. 
I«r THE BLIGHT-RESISTANT MOLLISSIMA 
Have a number of this desirable sort grown from seed, about 2 ft. high. 
35c each; $3.00 per 10; $25.00 per 100. (See description under grafted trees.) 
— SEEDLING CHESTNUT TREES — 
Caliper in Inches Height 
1 Vib to % inch 6 ft. and up... 
%6 to 11 /io inch 5 ft. and up. 
Vi to %6 inch 4 ft. and up.. 
% to Vi inch 3 ft. and up. 
V* to % inch 2 ft. and up.-.. 
Five of different varieties at 10 rate. 
French Marron —Seedlings of Quer¬ 
cy, one of the best of the large Mar- 
rons. Regular bearers of large, fine 
nuts. They do well under California 
conditions and are best for planting 
in Coastal counties. 
Italian or Spanish —Seedlings of the 
European chestnut. While not so 1 
Each Per 10 Per 100 
.80 .70 .55 
.70 .60 .50 
.60 .55 .45 
.50 .45 .35 
.40 .35 .25 
30 at 100 rate. 
large as the Marron type, they bear 
good quality nuts of fair size and do 
well under severe conditions. 
Hybrid —These are from our Large 
American Sweet variety. Trees of this 
type are likely to produce fine new 
sorts. Most of them drop free from 
burrs and are of sweet taste. 
PRICE LIST AND DESCRIPTION OF GRAFTED TREES 
COLOSSAL. Our own introduction. Extremely 
large nuts that FALL FREE FROM THE BURR. 
Ripens in September and brings high prices, be¬ 
ing first in the market. Quality good. Quercy pol¬ 
linates it. This variety produces BIG PROFITS. 
The nuts are big, the crop is big, the profits are 
big. Matures nuts in September. Whole crop is 
down in 10 days or two weeks. Original tree pro¬ 
duces 175 to 200 lbs. every year and it is a small 
tree, compared with other chestnuts. 
Note: Colossal is 25c per tree higher than list. 
Boone. Medium large size. Ripens 
early. Bear early and abundantly. A 
Japanese-American Hybrid of fine qual¬ 
ity. This nut peels easily, keeps well, 
and does well under both valley and 
mountain conditions. 2 to 3 and 3 to 
4 ft. size only this season. 
Quercy. A French Marron of large uniform 
size. Nut is round and glossy, dark rich brown, 
selling instantly on its appearance. Of heaviest 
consistent bearing. The mast precocious bearer 
we have ever seen. Sets burrs three months from 
the graft. Matures nuts late and is in prime con¬ 
dition far the holiday trade. While not as good 
eating quality as the others listed, it can be 
counted on to stack up tonnage and profits. 
80% fall free from burr. 
Fuller. A hybrid sweet of finest qual¬ 
ity. Medium large size. Matures mid- 
seasan. Easily kept in good condition 
until spring. Not so heavy a bearer 
as some, but makes up for it in qual¬ 
ity. Nuts fall free from burr. 
One Year Tops, Two 
Year 
Roots 
Caliper in Inches 
Height 
Each 
10 
100 
Vi to 1 inch... 
.6 ft. up.... 
..$1.50 
$1.25 
— 
11/16 to Vi inch.... 
...5 ft. up.... 
.. 1.25 
1.15 
1.00 
l /i to 11/16 inch.. 
... 4 ft. up ... 
.. 1.00 
.90 
.80 
7/16 to l /i inch ... 
... 3 ft. up ... 
.. .90 
.80 
.70 
5/16 to 7/16 inch. .. 
....2 ft. up.... 
.. .80 
.70 
.60 
5 trees at 
10 rate; 30 
at 100 
rate. 
Note: Higher prices an Colossal and Mollissima. 
COLOSSAL. Actual Size. 
YOU CAN PLANT 
All varieties listed for 
California; with prefer¬ 
ence to Quercy and 
French Marrons for coast 
counties. 
All varieties listed, for 
Eastern states and Paci¬ 
fic Northwest, except 
QUERCY, which may, 
however, be used as a 
pollenizer. 
LARGE AMERICAN SWEET 
Covers 50-Cent Piece 
— 3 — 
Castiva. Our introduc¬ 
tion. About the size and 
shape of Large American 
Sweet. Of fine quality. 
Sweet. Pellicle peels free 
from kernel. Matures ear¬ 
ly in season. Quercy pol¬ 
linates this variety. Ori¬ 
ginal tree has 60-foot 
spread. Bears heavily. 
Nuts fall free from burr. 
CASTIVA 
Mollissima. Known as “Chinese Hairy 
Chestnut,” and bears quite young. Nuts 
large, good quality with easily peeled 
skin. It is more blight-resistant than 
any other species. Is much in demand 
and present supply very limited. Place 
orders early, please. Grafted stock in 
medium size trees only, $1.50 each. 
Large American Sweet. Five times the 
size of native American sweet and 
nearly as good quality. Matures very 
early, bringing top prices. Very at¬ 
tractive in form and color. A good 
bearer and strong grower. Nuts fall 
free from burr and are uniform in size. 
We strongly recommend this variety. 
QUERCY 
Covers a Silver Dollar 
