364 
THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN 
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and suburban tracts are bcj^inning to set out large orchards, 
in ])reparation for the immense demand that is already being 
shown for this most edible of all nuts. 
It is only a few years ago that the cultivation of the 
English walnuts for the market started in California, and 
today they are shipped from that state in car and train 
loads. To show, however, that the supply does not begin to 
meet the demand in this country, it may be stated that the 
United States consumes- more than 50,000,000 pounds of 
English walnuts a year, and that about 27,000,000 pounds of 
these have to be imi)orted every year. And when it is known 
that the price is steadily advaneing, it will very readily be 
seen that the possibilities of commercial success arc unusually 
great. 
In California the nut industry is rivaling that of the 
orange; and even now, there arc more dollars worth of nuts 
shipped from the state per 
yield yearly. As a food, nuts arc becoming less a luxury and 
more a staple article of diet. Their value is being recognized 
and they arc being used more and more as a substitute for 
meat, one pound of walnut meat being said to equal eight 
pounds of steak, in nutriment. 
. Most growers have found that two to four-year-old trees 
are most readily transplanted. At this age most of their 
growth has been in roots, and removal causes them to throw 
out additional roots, and thus give increased vigor to the 
tree. Then again, the smaller the tree, the more safely may 
it be packed and shipped to its destination. 
The Eastern grower has many advantages over his rival of 
the West. First of all, there is the consideration of freight 
charges, which on a carload from California amounts to such 
a sum that added to the cost of the nut, naturally increases 
the price per pound several cents over the variety grown in 
the East and placed in an 
year than there are of 
oranges. This statement is 
meant to include all varie¬ 
ties of nuts, although the 
English walnut figures 
largest in the proportion. 
As to ]ilanting and culti¬ 
vating, English walnut trees 
seem to require no particu¬ 
lar soil, but should not be 
set out where it is low and 
wet. The trees should be 
planted 40 to 50 feet apart 
each way. A cultivated 
crop, such as corn or pota¬ 
toes, with small fruit trees 
for fillers, can be made to 
yield an income for the brief 
period, comparatively, be¬ 
fore the walnuts begin to 
bear. The pruning should 
be done between fall and 
spring, only such branches 
as would interfere with culti¬ 
vation being removed. 
In planting on the lawn 
the ground about the base of the tree should be kept spaded 
for three feet in circumference, and after the first year some 
well-rotted manure should be worked into the soil around the 
tree. No cultivating should be done after the first of August, 
as it would encourage further growth, and from then until 
winter the annual growth of wood is ripening and hardening. 
The English walnut makes comparatively no litter, has 
a light, clean bark, and bears a heavy foliage with a rich, glossy 
leaf. They are almost immune from insect pests, a certain 
alkali sap which they possess serving to drive away the para¬ 
sites which are so ruinous to the chestnut and nearly all other 
fruit trees. 
In the English walnut at its best, the male and female 
blossoms mature at the same time, insuring perfect fertiliza¬ 
tion. Under favorable circumstances, the trees will bear 
nuts three to five years from transplanting and increase in 
Eastern Market. 
A California grower of 
English walnuts who recent¬ 
ly visited an orchard in 
Western New York declared 
the specimens which he saw 
there to be “the very finest 
I have ever seen. You have 
a better flavored nut and 
you have proved beyond a 
doubt that the variety is 
thrifty and hardy,’’ were his 
exact words. This same 
grower said that his few 
acres of young California 
trees gave him in i g 11 a 
crop which he sold for 
$10,000. 
A-. 
5..-a ' .A’*. .... ^ 
Bearing Six Year Old Walnut Tree 
NOTICE TO SUB¬ 
SCRIBERS 
We shall be glad to try 
and identify any plant sent 
to us. If we do not know 
it we will tell you so 
candidly. 
flowers and fruit if at all 
Specimens should have 
liossible and it should be stated if the specimen is from a 
tree, shrub or herb, also if growing wild and where. 
Information as to method of propagation or culture of any 
particular plant will be gladly given to subscribers, through 
the columns of The National Nurseryman. If we cannot 
give you the infonnation ourselves, we can at least advise 
you where you can obtain it. In other words, we wish to 
establish a bureau of information on horticultural subjects for 
the benefit of our subscribers that will be active and helpful. 
Address communications to Editor, The National 
Nurseryman, Flourtown, Penna. 
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The Eleventh Annual Convention of The National Nut 
Growers’ Association will be held at Gulfport, Miss., October 
30-31 and November ist, 1912. 
