SB 401 
 .L54 
 Copy 1 
 

54 
 
 >y 1 
 
 CALIFORNIA 
 
 WALNUT INDUSTRY. 
 
 COMMERCIAL IMPORTANCE, LONGEVITY, POLLINATION, VARIETIES, PLANTING, 
 
 SOIL, PROPAGATION, BUDDING, GRAFTING, PRUNING, HARVESTING; 
 
 ENEMIES OP THE WALNUT, AND REMEDIES; AREA OF 
 
 WALNUT CULTURE IN STATE, IN AMERICA, 
 
 AND IN EUROPE, ETC. 
 
 By B. M. LELONG, 
 
 Secretary State Board of Horticulture of California, and Chief Horticultural Officer. 
 
 Author's Edition, from Report State Board of Horticulture for 1895-6. 
 
 EXCHANGED. 
 
 SACRAMENTO : 
 
 S A. J. JOHNSTON, 
 
 : SUPTERINTENDENT STATE PRINTING. 
 1896. 
 
V 
 
CALIFORNIA 
 
 STATE BOARD OF HORTICULTURE. 
 
 ELLWOOD COOPER, President Santa Barbara. 
 
 Commissioner for the Los Angeles District. 
 
 MARK L. McDONALD, Vice-President Santa Rosa. 
 
 Commissioner for the Sonoma District. 
 
 FRED C. MILES, Treasurer Penryn. 
 
 Commissioner for the El Dorado District. 
 
 R. D. STEPHENS, Chairman Executive Committee Sacramento. 
 
 Commissioner for the State at Large. 
 
 FRANK A. KIMBALL. National City. 
 
 Commissioner for the State at Large. 
 
 SOL. RUNYON Courtland. 
 
 Commissioner for the Sacramento District. 
 
 BEN M. MADDOX.... Visalia. 
 
 Commissioner for the San Joaquin District. 
 
 A. BLOCK Santa Clara. 
 
 Commissioner for the San Francisco District. 
 
 FRANK H. BUCK Vacaville. 
 
 Commissioner for the Napa District. 
 
 B. M. LELONG, Secretary... Ex officio Chief Horticultural Officer. 
 
 ALEXANDER CRAW .....Quarantine Officer. 
 
 ELLA F. HALLAHAN Clerk. 
 
 OFFICES: 
 
 State Capitol Sacramento, Cal. 
 
 Branch Office: 
 Clay-Street Dock, San Francisco. 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 Page. 
 
 COMMERCIAL IMPORTANCE 5 
 
 THE "ENGLISH" OR "PERSIAN" WALNUT 5 
 
 LONGEVITY OP THE WALNUT 8 
 
 POLLINATION 9 
 
 ORIGIN OF IMPROVED HOME VARIETIES 12 
 
 VARIETIES OF THE WALNUT (Juglans regia, Linn.) 13 
 
 PLANTING, SOIL, AND. OTHER REQUIREMENTS 19 
 
 PROPAGATION 25 
 
 BUDDING THE WALNUT.. 26 
 
 GRAFTING THE WALNUT 27 
 
 THE BLACK WALNUT {Julans nigra, Linn.) 30 
 
 PRUNING THE WALNUT 32 
 
 HARVESTING 33 
 
 ENEMIES OF THE WALNUT 35 
 
 AREA OF WALNUT CULTURE IN STATE _ 39 
 
 CULTURE RANGE OF THE WALNUT {Juglans regia) IN THE UNITED 
 
 STATES 41 
 
 WALNUT-GROWING IN EUROPE. 42 
 
An Eight-Year-Old Walnut Tree. 
 From the seed; being the age seedling walnut trees begin to bear. 
 
THE WALNUT. 
 
 By B. M. LELONG, 
 Secretary State Board of Horticulture, and Chief Horticultural Officer. 
 
 (1) COMMERCIAL IMPORTANCE. 
 
 Holding a prominent place among the fruit products of California, 
 stands the walnut. This position has been attained in the past few years, 
 and is due to the results of experience — and many failures — which have 
 shown the proper conditions under which this fruit will thrive, its require- 
 ments in soil, climate, and location, and the production of varieties 
 adapted to the peculiarities of our State. The old-time saying that the 
 area of walnut culture in the State " is very limited " and confined to 
 any particular section, has, by happy chance, proved a fallacy, and is 
 disproved by the numerous productive orchards that bear witness to its 
 successful culture. While the early plantings were made in the southern 
 counties, where the culture of the walnut is pursued with great magni- 
 tude, the industry is gradually spreading and broadening. While the 
 walnut will withstand a very low temperature, it is very susceptible to 
 sudden changes, and a hot day suddenly following a frosty night will 
 chill the young wood, and often proves fatal to a young orchard, setting 
 it back a season's growth. The same is true in the springtime on the 
 opening of the flowers or catkins — a chill will frequently cause them all 
 to drop and render, the crop a failure. For this reason a location free 
 from prevailing frosts, or one where the sun will not strike the trees 
 until the effects of the cold have been overcome, is very desirable. The 
 latter trouble can be largely overcome by planting some of the late- 
 blooming varieties, which do not send forth their catkins until danger 
 from frosts is largely past. 
 
 California walnuts are fast supplanting those from foreign countries. 
 Only a few years ago the growers of these nuts here had a very hard 
 struggle to introduce them, being obliged to accept the humiliating price 
 of from 3 to 6 cents a pound less than that paid for imported walnuts. 
 Gradually, however, a reduction came, in favor of the California product, 
 and now Eastern dealers will take our best walnuts at prices equal to, 
 and in many cases exceeding, those obtained for those coming from 
 abroad. Our State affords a splendid field for the walnut industry, and 
 although thousands of trees have been planted, and the acreage is being 
 extended every year, it is believed that overproduction need not be feared. 
 Our producers have all America for a market, and they are not slow to 
 appreciate the advantages of their position. 
 
 (2) THE "ENGLISH" OR "PERSIAN" WALNUT. 
 
 The walnut (Juglans* regia, Linn.) is a native of Persia, and is sup- 
 posed to have been introduced into our State by the Franciscan monks 
 
 * Juglans is a genus of trees consisting of six species ; three are natives of the United 
 States, viz.: J, nigra, or black walnut; J. cinerea, or butternut, and J. fraxinifolia, or 
 ash-leaf walnut. The otber three species are J. regia, "English " or "Persian " walnut; 
 J. pterocarpa grows on Mount Caucasus, and J. baccenta in Jamaica and Spain. 
 
i; THE WALNUT — " ENGLISH " OK "PERSIAN." 
 
 during the establishment of the California Missions in 1769. Records 
 of its early history are scant, but mention is made of walnut trees grow- 
 ing about' the Missions by most of the writers of the "Record of the 
 Founding of Missions," and the " History of Franciscan Missions of 
 Californi:i,*' and, therefore, it is safe to assume that with the advent of 
 the Missions dates the introduction of this valuable tree. In the Mission 
 yards are yet to be seen walnut trees of those early plantings, and while 
 age began to tell on these many years ago, they still live and bear nuts, 
 but few in number and small in size. 
 
 *" When I first arrived in Los Angeles, in December, 1854, there were numerous small 
 bearing 'English ' walnut orchards and sundry isolated large trees which could not have 
 been less than ten years old, and some of which must, I am confident, have been more 
 than twenty-five (25) years old. 
 
 "In talking to-day with Mr. Stephen C. Foster, he fully corroborates my view, that 
 the English walnut was first brought to Los Angeles, or to California, by the Missionary 
 Fathers, or by individual laymen during the missionary era. Mr. Foster says that when 
 he came here, in 1847, there were several large English walnut trees here, that he is 
 certain were not less than twenty years old. One of these was on the old Pryor place, on 
 Alameda Street, which I remember well, and another on the old Louis Vigne property, 
 etc., which would make their planting extend back to 1827, or before. So that i think it 
 would, without doubt, be historically true to say that the cultivation of the so-called 
 'English' walnut was commenced in California as early as the first quarter of this 
 century (and possibly still earlier) by the Mission Fathers, or under their patronage and 
 encouragement. 
 
 " It would have been a very easy and natural thing to do, for persons coming here by 
 sea to have brought a few walnuts, and for the Friars to have planted some of them. 
 What could have Deen more natural than for the priests or other officials, civil or military, 
 who came from Spain, to desire to raise, in this fertile country and mild climate, all those 
 useful fruits and food products that they were familiar with in their native land ? We 
 are all compelled to admire the practical forethought of the organizers of even the very 
 first expedition in 1769, Galvez, Serra, etc., in this respect." 
 
 The most careful research as to the early walnut plantings has been 
 made, showing that among the first walnut orchards of early history, 
 planted outside of the Missions, were those of the late Col. J. J. Warner, 
 in San Diego (supposed to have been planted in 1843, on a ranch named 
 after him, and which name it still bears — "Warner's Ranch"), the 
 Pryor, Vigne, Wolfskill, Dalton, Boyle, Shaw, Childs, and Briswalter 
 orchards at Los Angeles, the Temple orchard at La Merced Ranch in the 
 San Gabriel Valley, the Heath orchard at Carpinteria, and the Wilson 
 and Kewefl orchards at San Gabriel. A small planting was made in 
 1846, near Calistoga, by Frank E. Kellogg, Sr. The largest of these 
 plantings are the Heath, Briswalter, and Temple orchards. The Bris- 
 walter is of most recent planting; the Heath orchard is the largest in 
 the State of early history. It is impossible to ascertain the exact years 
 these orchards were planted, as all the persons above mentioned (except- 
 ing Mr. Heath) have since passed away. These orchards are said to 
 have been set out from 1850 to 1865; however, the only authoritative 
 information I can find is the statements of several persons, whose minds 
 are not clear as to the exact time. 
 
 t"ln 1858, the year 1 obtained in y walnut seed of Mr. Wolfskill, of Los Angeles, I 
 had no knowledge of walnuts being planted in this State, except those planted by the 
 Mission Fathers. The trees from which my seed was taken were planted by the Fran- 
 ciscan Fathers. The Wolfskill place, in Los Angeles, was an old garden of the Mission. 
 Mrs. Wolfskill was a native Spanish lady of Los Angeles, and informed me that the vine- 
 yard and walnuts were bearing when she was a small child, in fact she did not know the 
 age, they were large trees. Judging from the oldest trees 1 have at present, I think those 
 walnut "trees must have been over fifty years old in 1K58. 1 made inquiry for walnut 
 trees with the view of purchasing, and could not find any one who had tried their culture 
 
 * Letter from H. D. Barrows, a pioneer, February 29, 1896. 
 
 t Letter from Hon. Russell Heath, of Carpinteria, February 27, 1896. 
 
THE WALNUT — " ENGLISH " OR "PERSIAN." 7 
 
 «xcept the Mission Fathers. I was advised to plant walnuts by Reverend Father Gon- 
 zalez, head of the Franciscan Missions, who resided for many years in Santa Barbara. 
 P'rom him I obtained much of its history taken from documents in his possession. The 
 nuts were brought from Spain, first planted in Mexico, and taken from there to South 
 America. The first planting in California was at San Diego ; two at San Gabriel, Los 
 Angeles County, three in Los Angeles. From my information, I think the Wolfskill 
 place was one of the first planted in what is now the City of Los Angeles. After 
 the Mission at Santa Barbara was established, there was a propagating garden estab- 
 lished and seeds and plants brought from the Mission south. Father Gonzalez told me 
 no walnuts were planted, but almonds were, but they were not considered a success and 
 were abandoned, while the olive, grape, fig, pomegranate, and some other fruits were 
 cultivated with great success. There was no record of the walnut having been planted 
 north of the Mission of San Buenaventura, where I saw for the first time a walnut 
 tree in 1852." 
 
 *" Father never spoke to me of the ' English' walnut orchard that was set out; but 
 speaking to Don Ramon Valenzuela, who was in father's service in 1849, he said that in 
 that year he plowed the orchard, and that then a few of the trees were commencing to 
 bear. As you know how long it takes the trees to bear.t you can judge how old they 
 were at the time. Don Miguel Pryor had just one walnut tree older than ours, but 
 father was the only owner of an orchard at the said time." 
 
 X " I think Mr. Wolfskill's orchard (now dug up and land turned into streets and 
 building lots) had been planted at least ten years at date of my arrival here, last of 1854, 
 and Mr. Elijah Moulton is of the same opinion. Mr. Coronel, Colonel Warner, and Gov- 
 ernor Pico would probably have known, but all three of them have died within the past 
 two years. The Andre Briswalter walnut orchard of 1,000 trees must have been planted, 
 I think, as early as the 60's, if not in the late 50's. J. R. Barton, Sheriff, had planted a 
 walnut orchard on his ranch at Los Nietos River before he was killed by the bandits in 
 January, 1857." 
 
 In almost every county of the State are found large walnut trees 
 showing great age, planted very irregularly among other trees, indicating 
 that no attempt had been made to produce a walnut orchard by itself, 
 but were planted by the growers to experiment as to their growth and 
 furnish walnuts for the table. 
 
 At Knight's Ferry, Stanislaus County, is a seedling walnut tree of 
 enormous size, the property of Asa Collins, planted by W. E. Stewart in 
 1858. The seed was brought from France by a French sailor. Out of 
 the three walnuts he brought only one grew, which is the parent tree of 
 many plantings. 
 
 §"In 1873, Mr. Finch, of Alameda, ordered from Messrs. Rose & Grant, of Topeka, 
 Kansas, fifty trees of a so-called ' Persian' walnut, introduced by them from Persia, one 
 year old, which sold for $10 each. The order could not be filled, so he only obtained 
 thirty-six, of which Mr. Latham bought ten, Mr. Selby two, J. D. Roberts four, and Win. 
 Meek twelve. The sale of the balance was withheld." 
 
 IT "Mr. D. C. Vestal has a walnut tree at San Jose\ about sixty feet high, bearing 
 medium thin-shelled nuts. The nuts from which this tree was produced came from 
 Chile, and were planted about thirty years ago by Mr. Vestal, where the tree now stands. 
 He has gathered from it yearly about a barrel of nuts." 
 
 In 1883, Mr. Kelsey, of Fresno, reported to the State Horticultural 
 Society that he had at Fresno two trees of the so-called "English" 
 walnut, that were then about six feet in circumference and about fifty 
 feet high. 
 
 I "At Mud Springs, El Dorado County, are to be seen several large ' English' walnut 
 trees." 
 
 In Winters, Solano County, at the John Wolfskill place on Putah 
 Creek, are many large trees that yearly produce medium-size nuts of 
 
 * J. W. Wolfskill, letter of March 13, 1896. 
 
 t Trees of this so-called " English " walnut come into bearing at the eighth year 
 from the planting of the seed ; therefore, the orchard must have been set out about in 
 1841. 
 
 X H. D. Barrows, letter of March 14, 1896. 
 
 § Pacific Rural Press, 1873, p. 193. 
 
 If Proceedings State Horticultural Society, April 27, 1883. 
 
 1 Pacific Rural Press, 1871, p. 460. 
 
8 THE WALNUT — LONGEVITY. 
 
 fair quality; these, however, were grafted on the black walnut, and are 
 about thirty years old. 
 
 * " My father, P. E. Kellogg, settled in Napa Valley about midway between the present 
 towns of St. Helena and Calistoga, in 1846. In 1848 he planted some walnuts in his 
 nursery. When the trees were two years old (in 1850) he planted them about his door- 
 yard (ten or twelve in number), where some of them remained for more than forty 
 years. From time to time, father added to the number of his walnut trees, but never 
 planted a very large orchard of them. Some of the trees in my orchard here in Santa 
 Barbara County are from nuts taken from the old trees in Napa Valley." 
 
 The largest walnut orchard of early planting in the northern part of 
 the State is located near Los Gatos, in Santa Clara County; it is about 
 thirty years old, and produces fair crops yearly. The largest orchards 
 of recent planting are in Lake and Sonoma counties. In San Lorenzo, 
 on the Win. Meek estate, is an extensive walnut orchard of early plant- 
 ing. In Sonoma, at the Vallejo place, and at Mission San Jose, are 
 many walnut trees that show great age and are healthy in appearance. 
 General Bidwell, at Chico, has a considerable number of walnut trees, 
 all vigorous and fruitful. Many such trees are to be found in Napa, 
 San Jose, Santa Clara, Merced, Modesto, Fresno, and Visalia. Along the 
 coast, in almost every county, are to be seen large walnut trees of early 
 planting. While these early plantings were small, and many consisted 
 * of isolated trees, as were those in the Mission gardens, yet those trees 
 mark a special epoch in the horticultural history of our State, as they 
 have proved the great longevity of the walnut, and enlightened the 
 growers as to their culture and future possibilities. 
 
 (3) LONGEVITY OF THE WALNUT. 
 
 The great and prodigious age attained by the walnut can only be con- 
 ceived from records of its early history. All the early botanical writers — 
 English, French, Italian — point out the fact that the walnut, in their 
 respective provinces, does not bear until it has reached the age of fifteen 
 to twenty-four years, and hardly becomes a paying investment until it 
 attains a prodigious age. In California, the walnut begins to bear at 
 the eighth year from the seed, and from that time on the crop increases, 
 and the orchards become remunerative. It is now not uncommon to see 
 walnut orchards from thirty to forty years old, in the prime of health, 
 producing every year bountiful crops. 
 
 + " In Persia, the tree comes into bearing at eight years from the planting of, the seed ; 
 in Italy, Spain, and the Island of Madeira, in about sixteen years; in France— the 
 southern part— in eighteen years; in England, in twenty-four years, and in California 
 in eight years, the same as in Persia. So, 1 take it, the* southern part of this State is 
 nearest its home." 
 
 'X "After fifteen or twenty years from the time of planting, the walnut gives only 
 hopes, so to speak, for its yield is yet so small that its value can hardly be reckoned ; it 
 is only from thirty to sixty years' that this tree can offer each year a product sufficient 
 to increase the income of the landlord. It takes a century, and over, before the wood is 
 good to be used in the arts." 
 
 § "Walnut trees are spoken of that bear, in good years, 50,000 to 100,000 nuts; such 
 trees are truly very rare, and their trunks are not less than 15 to 20 feet in circumference." 
 
 * Frank E. Kellogg, of Goleta, letter of March 12, 1896. 
 
 t Hon. Russell Heath, in essay before Eleventh State Fruit-Growers' Convention, 1889. 
 % Maison Rustique, Vol. 2, Chapter XLl, 
 § Maison Rustique, Vol. 2, p. 143. 
 
THE WALNUT (Juglans Recjia). 
 
 PLATE II. 
 
 Walnut Branch. 
 
 Shoving development of male flowers, or staminate catkins, with the first period of growth two 
 
 weeks before the appearance of the female flowers or pistillates. 
 
THE WALNUT {Juglans Regia) 
 
 PLATE III, 
 
 Walnut Branch. 
 J^? W \ n ? b0 . t i 1 stami »ate or male catkins and pistillates or female flowers in full bloom havin? 
 ^flfnf d th2 S , ether ' 0r n t ea - rly so - The male organs or catkins emanate from the budSs in thl 
 of^e^e^V^^rt^e^b^oS^ 118 S ™ r > - d the '«»ale flowers at the^S'rilnffi 
 
THE WALNUT (Juglans Regia). 
 
 PLATE IV. 
 
 Walnut Branch. 
 Showing male flowers or staminate catkins after blooming, and the female flowers or pistillates 
 (and embryo nuts) above, just in bloom, having made their appearance two weeks later, and ready 
 for fertilization. 
 
THE WALNUT — POLLINATION. 9 
 
 *"In the village of Beachemwell, in Norfolk, may be seen a walnut tree (Juglans 
 regia) which spreads its 'softly swelling hills' of leaves over the church-yard of All 
 Saints Church, now in ruin, as ff it sought to mingle leafy dust and human ashes. When 
 this tree is arrayed in all its honors ' fresh and green ' it is an object interesting by its 
 symmetry and gigantic proportions. The crumbling walls of the ruin, throwing their 
 shadow far away and standing out in gray relief from the green turf, beneath which 
 the good forefathers of the village sleep in peace, offer a striking contrast to the huge 
 mass of walnut foliage, presenting a specimen of its kind seldom equaled. This tree 
 has produced in one season 54,000 nuts, and its dimensions are as follows: Circumference 
 of the body of the tree near the ground, 32 feet ; height of trunk, 10 feet ; the circumfer- 
 ence of the five large branches is 16 feet, 14 feet, 9 feet, 8 feet, 8 feet; the circumference 
 of the extreme spread of the tree is 120 yards, and its estimated height is 90 feet." 
 
 t"On the road from Martel to Gramat (Lot) is to be seen a colossal walnut tree at 
 least three hundred years old. The height of this tree is about 55 feet; its branches 
 extend to a distance of 125 feet ; the trunk, 14 feet in diameter, is only 20 feet high, but it 
 sends out seven immense branches. It bears on an average each year 15 bags of 
 walnuts." 
 
 X "An Italian architect mentions having seen at St. Nicholas, in Lorraine, a single 
 plank of the wood of the walnut, 25 feet wide, upon which the Emperor Frederick III 
 had given a sumptuous banquet. In the Baidar Valley, near Balaklava, in the Crimea, 
 stands a walnut tree at least 1,000 years old. It yields annually from 80,000 to 100,000 
 nuts, and belongs to five Tartar families, who share its product equally." 
 
 (4) POLLINATION. 
 
 Until recent years no attempt was made to improve the varieties of 
 the walnut in cultivation by cross-pollination, but the universal prac- 
 tice has been to plant the nuts selected from fruitful and rapidly grow- 
 ing trees, and the seedlings grown therefrom, on not becoming regular 
 bearers, were dug up, as were also all trees producing inferior nuts. 
 Trees producing nuts deficient in kernels were not uncommon, but were 
 frequently reported, and many such trees still exist. From past 
 experience it is readily to be seen how important it is for the grower to 
 study and know the varieties, so as to plant and locate them in the 
 orchard so that they may assist in the pollination of one another. 
 In fact, the study of pollination becomes essential as the first step to 
 successful fruit culture. 
 
 In all catkin-bearing trees — as the walnut — or of monoecious flowers, 
 the flowers necessarily differ and have their sexes separated, but are 
 borne by the same tree. The incoherent pollen is produced by the male 
 flowers (pendulous green cylindrical catkins), which is distributed 
 and comes in contact with the female flowers by the aid of insects, 
 the air and wind, by fall of gravity, or by friction, thus insuring a 
 crop. The male flowers, or staminate catkins, are the first to appear, 
 and come out generally together with the first growth of the tree, 
 although in many instances they appear before the trees put forth, but 
 about the time they begin to show signs of growth. The female blos- 
 soms, or pistillates, appear much later, from one to three weeks inter- 
 vening. In some of the European varieties the difference is very slight, 
 the pistillates appearing about 'the time the staminates are in full 
 bloom. Instances of this nature with the " English " walnut are very 
 rare. 
 
 The male flowers, or staminate catkins, after blooming lose hold and 
 drop, and, coming in contact with the limbs, thus distribute their pollen 
 amongst the foliage of the trees. The pollen is also distributed and 
 
 * Gardener's Chronicle, London, 1857, p. 694. 
 t Gardener's Chronicle, London, 1852, p. 568. 
 X Gardener's Chronicle, London, Vol. VII, 1877, p. 310. 
 
10 THE WALNUT POLLINATION. 
 
 adheres to the limbs and leaves during the blooming period of the male 
 catkins. . The fertilizing power of the pollen is not lost, but is preserved 
 for an indefinite period, and a mere speck falling on the stigma of the 
 female blossom is ample to render it fertile. 
 
 In many instances it has been observed that some trees will produce 
 at times an abundance of flowers of one sex, and few or none of the 
 other sex. Trees — as the walnut — that mature their pollen before the 
 female flowers on the same tree are ready for fertilization, are called by 
 botanists jiroterandrous; while others, called proterogynous, have their 
 stigmas mature before the pollen is ready. The purpose of this curious 
 functional difference obviously is in favor of cross-fertilization, by pollen, 
 of flowers borne by other trees of the same species. 
 
 According to the Gardener's Chronicle, in 1888, reports became cur- 
 rent of trees in portions of the walnut sections of France bearing a full 
 crop, but the nuts failed to harden, the husks when about half 
 grown withering up, and few good nuts were found. The kernels which 
 were formed were soft and insipid. Reports made throughout were that 
 "while there were plenty of nuts there was nothing in them," and after 
 assigning different reasons for this failure, conclude "probably from 
 imperfect fertilization of the flowers." Many other similar instances 
 are reported as occurring in different groves. 
 
 * " It is a common occurrence for the walmit to be deficient in producing either the 
 male or female blossoms, which it bears, both of which are essential to its producing 
 and ripening nuts. I have a tree, now about twenty years old, which began a few years 
 ago to show blossoms, but those merely female, without one male catkin appearing on 
 the tree, and the consequence has been that after the flowers faded the fruit regularly 
 dropped off. This season, there being a considerable show of female blossoms but no 
 male ones, I thought of trying the plan followed by gardeners in the case of melons and 
 other fruits where fertilization is not freely effected by nature, and having seen abun- 
 dance of male catkins on a tree at a friend's, I asked him to send me some, and he accord- 
 ingly sent me a small paper-bag full, which I dusted and threw over such of the female 
 blossoms as were within my reach. The consequence has been that I now have about a 
 dozen fine nuts, swelling out regularly, with every appearance of coming in due time 
 into maturity. All the embryo fruit not fertilized have fallen off as usual. I am 
 pleased with the success of my experiment, and mean, should my tree still prove 
 deficient in male blossoms, with the assistance of my friend's, to supply its wants, and, 
 by taking a little more trouble, 1 have no doubt 1 shall be able to render every female 
 blossom fruitful." 
 
 As showing this curious functional difference in our own State, a few 
 facts are cited. A nurseryman at Ventura observed a large seedling 
 walnut tree, which, from its luxuriant growth and symmetrical form, he 
 believed w T ould be a variety worthy of cultivation. Accordingly, in the 
 spring of 1886, he planted forty pounds of nuts gathered from that tree. 
 When the seedlings bore, none of them produced nuts of any commercial 
 value. This, of course, proved to be a sad disappointment to him, and, 
 after waiting ten years for a crop, he dug up most of them. Some of the 
 trees had become of large dimensions and had long, spreading branches, 
 and were always quite full of nuts, but without kernels — all hull and 
 shell. This functional difference was investigated; the trees were found 
 to produce an abundance of flowers of the same sex, but few or none of 
 the other, through which imperfect fertilization of the flowers the kernels 
 in the nuts did not form — they were wanting. It is also interesting to note 
 that no attempt was made to correct this curious phenomenon by artificial 
 cross-pollination, by distributing pollen from staminatc catkins, or male 
 flowers, of other trees, before digging up the trees. 
 
 ♦Gardener's Chronicle, London, 1847, p. 541. 
 
THE WALNUT— POLLINATION. 11 
 
 Through the continuous planting of the seed (as mentioned else- 
 where), without regard to the laws of nature, has come about the 
 degeneration of the species in many sections. Trees are frequently 
 reported as having "never borne nuts"; others "bloom profusely, but 
 are blooms of only one sex; the nuts have never set, and have become a 
 barren waste." This is a summary of the reports that have been con- 
 tinuously received for years past. In recent years more attention has 
 been paid to the morphology of the walnut, and it is now better under- 
 stood. 
 
 *"I have a few trees of the ordinary 'English' walnut. In 1878 the staminate 
 blossoms came out in the latter part of March ; they dropped off and perished on the 
 ground. About the 15th of April the pistillates made tbeif appearance. The result was 
 the nuts dropped off. The next year the staminates made their appearance the 1st of 
 April ; they dropped off by the 10th, and between the 12th and the 15th the pistillates 
 made their first appearance. The result was I had no walnuts. The next year, 18S0, I 
 found that the blossoming period came closer together, within a few days. About the 
 1st of April the staminate blossoms dropped off, and in a few days the pistillates began 
 to make their appearance. I looked over the trees and found a few stunted staminate 
 blossoms. I gathered them very carefully, and shook them over the trees. The result 
 was that every tree over which I distributed the pollen was laden with walnuts." 
 
 Incidentally, I may mention that almond-growers were in a worse pre- 
 dicament, and in many sections the culture of the almond was abandoned. 
 The Languedoc, a variety first introduced, was found to produce an 
 extraordinarily large number of flowers of one sex, and few of the 
 other. The morphology of the almond was studied, with wonderful 
 results, and many of these same localities are again planted to the 
 almond, and are among the leading almond-growing sections of the 
 State. It was also found that by planting different varieties in an 
 orchard alternately, the pollen would intermix and aid in the setting of 
 the fruit. This, however, was done in many cases without studying 
 their blooming period, and consequently failure resulted. For instance, 
 seedling trees of the bitter almond were planted in the orchard, as they 
 were profuse bloomers, but the time of blooming was not considered. 
 Seedling trees of the bitter almond are among the first to bloom, and 
 put forth two weeks or more ahead of the standard varieties, so that 
 when the latter came into bloom the pollen of the bitter almond had 
 either been washed off by the early rains, or lost through other unfavor- 
 able conditions, preventing its action on the other flowers. In order to 
 accomplish the results aimed at, the varieties so intermixed must bloom 
 together, or nearly so. I know of no instance where this has been tried 
 on the walnut, but it is certainly worthy of trial, as it may tend to cor- 
 rect this curious phenomenon, prevalent among some of our walnut 
 orchards complained of, consisting of trees grown from seed. Of course, 
 with the almond the experiment was much easier, because, after testing 
 a certain variety, and its merits becoming fully known, they were repro- 
 duced by budding. The long period required by the walnut to come 
 into bearing was a bar to any experiments in this line, and it was grown 
 from the seed almost altogether. But this is no longer so. Fruit cul- 
 ture has reached the height of perfection, and is now being conducted 
 on broad lines and scientific principles. Inferior seedlings are giving 
 way to grafted and budded trees of the choicest kinds, or to seedlings of 
 choice selection; their habits are studied, and the novice or the grower 
 does not have to wait and undergo years of toil and anxiety to acquire 
 
 *W. H. Jessup, of Haywards, in essay read before State Horticultural Society, April 
 27, 1883. 
 
12 THE WALNUT — IMPROVED HOME VARIETIES. 
 
 results, but can profit by the experience of others who have made fruit 
 culture the study of their lives, and who show their liberality and 
 warmheartedness by sharing this knowledge with their neighbors. 
 
 (5) ORIGIN OF IMPROVED HOME VARIETIES. 
 
 While large walnut orchards were set out, and many new plantings 
 made every season, consisting mainly of seedling trees produced from 
 seed from the old historic trees of early introduction, no attempt was 
 ever made to produce improved varieties by cross-pollination, and none 
 are yet recorded. Only recently have improved varieties become known, 
 and these originated from chance seedlings. In 1867, Mr. Joseph 
 Sexton, of Goleta, Santa Barbara County, purchased in San Francisco 
 a sack of walnuts supposed to have come from South America, labeled 
 " English walnuts," from which he raised about 1,000 trees, and the 
 spring following (1868) planted 200 of these trees in orchard form at 
 Goleta. Sixty proved to be of a soft-shell variety. Later, he planted 24 
 trees raised from soft-shell nuts from his original trees; of this number 
 21 came true (the same) to the parent.tree, and 3 made a much stronger 
 growth, commenced fruiting in the sixth year, and produced a soft-shell 
 nut* and an improvement over the original trees. The first he named 
 " Santa Barbara Soft-Shell," and the latter " Improved Soft-Shell," by 
 which names they are now known. In 1859, Hon. Russell Heath, of 
 Carpinteria, furnished Mr. Stowe, at Santa Barbara, with a large 
 quantity of walnuts from his orchard of so-called " English" walnuts, 
 for planting. Among the trees that Mr. Stowe raised from that seed, 
 one produced soft-shell nuts. It is Mr. Heath's firm belief that this nut 
 must have come from a chance seedling produced by him from seed 
 which he procured from the orchard of the late Wm. Wolfskill, at Los 
 Angeles, from whom he obtained his first seed. There is no instance 
 on record where any soft-shell walnuts had been produced prior to that 
 time. 
 
 Mr. George W. Ford, of Santa Ana, originated soft-shell walnuts, 
 which he christened " Ford's Eureka" and " Ford's Improved Soft-Shell." 
 They were produced from seed grown by Mr. Sexton, of Goleta. Mr. 
 Felix Gillet has originated the " California Paper-Shell," the " Colum- 
 bus," the " Cluster Prceparturiens," and the " Mayette-Shaped Prcepar- 
 turiens." Many other varieties have been catalogued, mostly because 
 they were " new," but were never passed upon by any competent 
 authority, or their merits determined. Most of these trees, on coming 
 into bearing, produced a nut similar to that of the tree from which they 
 originated as chance seedlings. These various types, not being dis- 
 tinctive enough to be classified by themselves, are all labeled " English 
 walnuts." 
 
THE WALNUT (Juglans Regia). 
 
 PLATE V. 
 
 Walnut Branch. 
 Showing the mature nuts through the cracking of the husks, ready for harvesting. 
 
THE WALNUT (Jugtans Regia). 
 
 PLATE VI. 
 
 Fig. 1. —Branch of walnut showing character of growth and an extraordinarily large 
 amount of male, or staminate, catkins; reduced. 
 
 Fig. 2.—" Root knot" on voung walnut. 
 
THE WALNUT — VARIETIES. 13 
 
 (6) VARIETIES OF THE WALNUT {Juglans regia, Linn.). 
 
 ENGLISH.* 
 (Plate X, Fig. 2.) 
 Synonyms: Madeira, Naples, Los Angeles, Common, Chile, Mission, etc. 
 
 This walnut was the first introduced into our State; from it innumerable 
 varieties have sprung, and of which the principal orchards of the State 
 consist. The name is applied to any variety of the so-called " English" 
 walnut. It would be difficult to determine the particular variety to 
 which this name belongs; however, it is a name applied by common 
 consent to any and all varieties that have originated from the so-called 
 " English " walnut, and really is more of a commercial name through 
 which the product is marketed. 
 
 The principal orchards of the State consist of trees grown from seed 
 of the so-called " English " walnut, and while the walnut comes truer to 
 seed than most fruits, it could not be claimed that all the orchards of the 
 State are of this particular variety, simply because the trees were raised 
 from seed of the original stock. In almost every orchard of the State 
 of early planting are trees bearing nuts wholly unlike the nuts pro*- 
 duced by the parent trees, and they can only be classified as types of 
 the original nut, showing the great variation produced from planting the 
 seed. Many of these orchards, however, consist of types of.rare quality, 
 such as the orchards in the Los Nietos Valley, Santa Ana Valley, San 
 Gabriel Valley, Carpinteria, Santa Barbara, etc. While most of the 
 types that originated from the seed grown on trees of early planting 
 produced a hard-shell nut, there were many that produced a thin or 
 soft-shell nut. The best and most productive orchards to-day consist of 
 trees grown from seed of the original trees. 
 
 To describe the so-called " English " variety would be as difficult as 
 to describe the seedling orange and its many types. Oranges cultivated 
 from seed are known as " seedlings," but as the seed from these seedlings 
 has been planted continuously, and though the trees so produced bear 
 fruit so distinct and so variable, they are only seedlings from seedlings, 
 and are accepted under that name without regard to variety. 
 
 Among those trees of early history were many that produced large, 
 clear, hard-shell nuts, which were greatly sought in the market. The 
 nuts of this type were in great demand for planting, although by con- 
 tinuous propagation from the seed for nearly a half century, without 
 regard to the degeneration of the species, many of these types have 
 been allowed to degenerate until thejr cultivation •has been almost 
 abandoned. 
 
 While seedling trees and small orchards of this so-called " English " 
 walnut, or " Los Angeles nut," are met with in almost every county of 
 the State, the successful culture of this nut and its many varieties has 
 been confined to the lower counties — from Santa Barbara t6 San Diego. 
 Trees grown from seed of this nut — "English" — in many sections have 
 proved too tender to withstand the cold of winter and the heat of summer. 
 
 * For want of a better name, and to indicate the locality from whence it came (as it is 
 supposed by all the earliest British botanical writers to have first been introduced into 
 England by the Romans), it was called commercially the "English walnut." 
 
14 tin: WALNUT — VARIETIES. 
 
 They generally get cut back by frostsf in the spring, asthey put forth 
 too early to escape them. The trees keep growing quite late in the 
 season, and the tender shoots and undeveloped growth suffer from the 
 extreme heat, and are nipped by the frost in the fall. 
 
 Of late years several late-blooming varieties produced by chance have 
 come into prominence, having most of the essential qualities required, 
 and which are proving successful everywhere, and will hereafter, no 
 doubt, supplant all others of this species. 
 
 While the walnut has reproduced itself, that is, " come the same," from 
 seed, it has a tendency to revert to the wild state, as is the case with all 
 trees when continuously propagated from seed. A variety can only be 
 reproduced and remain constant by budding and grafting. In this State 
 many such instances have been cited and recorded. 
 
 EUROPEAN VARIETIES. 
 
 The varieties described in this chapter have proved most promising 
 of the numerous kinds introduced into our State in recent years. The 
 descriptions given are by leading growers, whose opinions are worthy 
 of fullest consideration: 
 
 Persian. — Generic commercial name, applied by common consent to 
 all varieties of the Juglans regia. 
 
 * Chaberte. — (Plate XI, Fig. 9). — An old and most valuable variety; 
 late in budding out. The nut is well shaped, roundish-oval, and of fair 
 size; the kernel is of extra fine quality; good bearer. The Chaberte orig- 
 inated in France over a century ago, by a man named Chaberte, hence 
 its name. 
 
 "The Chaberte is a good and thrifty variety." — West. 
 " The tree is very productive, developing its leaves and bloom late in 
 the spring." — Rock. 
 
 * Franquette (Plate X, Fig. 5). — Blooms late in spring. Originated 
 about the same time as the Mayette, in the southeast of France, by a man 
 named Franquet. It is quite large, of an elongated oval, and very 
 attractive; kernel full-fleshed and sweet, and of rich, nutty flavor. It also 
 buds out late in the spring, being as hardy as Parisienne and Mayette. 
 Very desirable as a market nut. 
 
 " Nuts very large and long; one of the finest for dessert." — Rock. 
 
 * Mayette (Plate X, Fig. 3). — This is one of the finest dessert and 
 market nuts grown; it is quite large and uniformly so, well shaped, with 
 a light-colored shell; the kernel is full-fleshed, sweet, and nutty. But 
 what renders this valuable kind more valuable yet, is that it is very 
 hardy, being late in budding out, which enables it to escape uninjured 
 the disastrous effects of late fronts in the spring; it is also an abundant 
 bearer. This is the nut imported into the United States under the name 
 of Grenoble, but on account of duties to pay, and the nut being high- 
 
 * Described by Mr. Felix Gillet. 
 
 + On March 2, 1S96, the northern and central portions of the State were visited by a 
 severe frost and snowstorm. On the morning of the 3d I examined the growth of the 
 English walnut in several orchards, which had already grown about 4 to 6 indies, and 
 found much damage done to botli the growth and the male catkins. The European 
 varieties did not show any signs of starting. On March 15th the pistillates of the 
 'English " walnut made their first appearance, but all the male (lowers, or staminate 
 catkins, had dropped off. On .March 22d the European varieties began to put forth. 
 As a consequence there was no crop of "English" walnuts, but the European varieties 
 set well. 
 
THE WALNUT VARIETIES. 1& 
 
 priced in its home in France, a common and cheaper grade is often 
 mixed with it, to the disgust of nut importers in New York and Chicago. 
 The Mayette was originated by a man of the name of Mayet, one hun- 
 dred and thirty years ago, having ever since been a great favorite as a 
 market nut. 
 
 " My trees did not produce until the sixth year. They are a large, 
 excellent nut." — West. 
 
 "One of the finest dessert nuts grown; large, full-fleshed, and sweet. 
 Very late in budding, thereby escaping injury from late frosts."— Rock. 
 
 *Mesanqe.— This nut has a very thin shell, and derives its name of 
 Mesange from a little lark of that name that goes to the kernel through 
 the tender and thin shell; very productive. This may be regarded as a 
 first-class family nut, but I would not recommend it as a market nut, 
 on account of its rather small size and thinness of shell. 
 
 * Vourey. — This new and valuable variety of recent introduction origi- 
 nated near Vourey, France, hence its name. The nut has the shape of 
 the Mayette, but is more round and smaller; the shell is thin, light 
 colored, and smooth, and the kernel exceedingly sweet and nutty; very 
 hardy. 
 
 " The nuts are very large and the shell well filled with a sweet, rich 
 kernel. The leaves and flowers are produced late." — Rock. 
 
 Grenoble (Plate XI, Fig. 5). 
 
 *Meylan. — A new and very attractive variety, originated near the 
 little village of Meylan, in the walnut district of France. The nut is of 
 fair size; the smoothest one of our collection, very thin shell, and of 
 excellent quality; buds out late. 
 
 *Serotina (St. John) (Plate XI, Fig. 3). — I find this variety not 
 to be so late in budding out as to not be sometimes injured by late frosts 
 in the spring. The nut is of medium size, well shaped, with a very 
 sweet, nutty meat; enormously productive. 
 
 "This variety came into bearing the fifth year from planting. It is 
 of less value than others grown by me. Its flavor is not quite so deli- 
 cate, and the shell a trifle harder, but as it is a week later in showing 
 leaf in the spring, it will suit frosty localities." — West. 
 
 " Leaves and flowers of this variety are not developed until all danger 
 of frost has passed; very productive." — Rock. 
 
 Mobart (Plate XI, Fig. 2). 
 
 * Vilmorin, or Cross-Bred. — This curious variety was obtained by 
 " hybridizing " years ago, in France. It is a cross between the English 
 walnut and the Eastern Black walnut, and was called Vilmorin after 
 the leading member of the well-known seed firm of Vilmorin, Andrieux 
 & Co., of Paris. The nut is small, and has the shape of the English 
 walnut, but the furrows of the Black walnut; it is darker than the Eng- 
 lish and lighter than the Black. It can hardly be called an improve- 
 ment on the Black walnut; surely it is not on the English. It is a 
 very odd sort, having no commercial value whatever. We have fruited 
 this cross-bred walnut for the last seven years, and find that either as 
 a family or market nut this cross-bred variety is entirely worthless. It 
 must be regarded and propagated, therefore, simply as an ornamental 
 variety. 
 
 * Weeping Walnut. — A new and very curious kind of walnut, highly 
 ornamental, the branches drooping down like those of the weeping-wil- 
 
 * Described by Mr. Felix Gillet. 
 
16 THE WALNUT — VARIETIES. 
 
 low. We have had limbs on some of our weeping walnuts growing to 
 eight feet through the summer, drooping straight down, with the ends 
 dragging on the ground, and even trailing on it to a length of twelve to 
 twenty inches. The nut is of fair size, oblong, thin-shelled, and of good 
 quality. It looks to be a very abundant bearer. 
 
 Rivera Hard-Shell (Plate XI, Fig. 7). 
 
 Rivera Soft-Shell (Plate X, Fig. 8). 
 
 *Laciniated, or Ash-Leaved. — The foliage of this kind of walnut is so 
 delicate, so finely cut up, that it makes of it a most graceful ornamental 
 tree, worthy to be planted conspicuously in the garden or front yard. 
 The nut, besides, is exceedingly pretty, of fair size, round, with a very 
 smooth shell and sweet kernel. The tree is claimed to be an abundant 
 bearer. 
 
 *Parisienne. — Large, excellent, starts late in spring. This beautiful 
 nut, also one of the finest for dessert and market, was originated in the 
 southeast of France, and not in the neighborhood of Paris, as its name 
 would imply ; its beauty made it called Parisienne, in honor of the 
 capital of France. The nut is large, broader at the small end than the 
 Mayette and Franquette, and has a very pretty shape. It is as late as 
 the Mayette, and as desirable for market. 
 
 " A most beautiful nut; one of the largest and best for dessert, broad 
 arid large, with full-fleshed kernel. Bears early and regular." — Rock. 
 
 * Alpine, or Wonder of the Alps. — A new and very rare variety orig- 
 inated not long ago in the Alps Mountains, in France. Next to the 
 Mammoth it is the largest walnut grown on my place. Though the 
 shell looks a kind of rough, it is perfectly soft and thin, and the meat 
 sweet and filling well the shell. 
 
 *Lanfray. — A newly originated variety. Very pretty nut, oval in 
 shape, of fair size and first quality. 
 
 *Poorman. — A new kind, of recent introduction. 
 
 Fertile (Plate XI, Fig. 1). 
 
 * Prceparturiens or Fertile, First Generation. — This variety was intro- 
 duced into the State by me, in the winter of 1870-71, and in my grounds, 
 2,600 feet up in the Sierra, are the first trees of that kind that ever pro- 
 duced fruit in this State. Described as follows: The Prceparturiens was 
 originated in France, in 1828; from the fact that it first bore nuts while 
 being but two years old, the Latin name of Prceparturiens was given to 
 it from Parturiens, bearing, Pros, before — bearing before the usual time. 
 It was also called Fertile, on account of its surprising fertility. The nut 
 is small, though thin-shelled, and very sweet ; it is this nut that pro- 
 duces " Second Generation " trees. 
 
 * Prceparturiens or Fertile, Second Generation. — The Second Generation 
 Prceparturiens, the kind we recommend to plant, has retained all the 
 characteristics of the original, only the nuts are much larger, and larger, 
 too, than those of the third and fourth generations, seventy-five per cent 
 of the trees bearing nuts from medium to large, and twenty-five per cent 
 from small to medium, and of all sorts of shapes — all, however, being 
 thin-shelled and of first quality. The Prceparturiens is one of the most 
 productive kinds, and bears heavy crops from the start, and it may be 
 regarded as the best variety of walnut to plant for family use ; the 
 largest Prceparturiens nuts, though, being well marketable. 
 
 ♦Described by Mr. Felix Gillet. 
 
THE WALNUT — VARIETIES. 17 
 
 * Third Generation Prceparturiens. — The kind mostly sold in California 
 under the generic name of Prceparturiens, and grown from nuts borne 
 on Second Generation trees. The nut is generally small — too small for 
 market, but of first quality. 
 
 * Mammoth Prceparturiens. — A large-fruited variety of Prceparturiens, 
 originated in France. The nut is extraordinarily large; soft shell, and 
 with a full-fleshed kernel. 
 
 Prceparturiens (Plate XI, Fig. 8). — "This variety has proved exceed- 
 ingly satisfactory. It will bear in nursery rows when not more than 
 four feet high, and continue to have a crop every year, and has never 
 been injured by spring frosts. On my place are seedlings of the second 
 and third generations, which still convey their fertile and early-bearing 
 qualities. The nuts on mature trees are of good size and of the best 
 quality." — West. 
 
 Gant (Syn. Bijou) (Plate XI, Fig. 4).— "Nuts very large, twice 
 or three times larger than the common walnut, and sometimes square or 
 oblong in shape." — Rock. 
 
 "The Bijou is the largest walnut known. This variety began to bear 
 when it had been planted four years, and has constantly increased its 
 yield. In 1890 it bore a large crop, and in 1891 it set its fruit so quickly 
 that I thought best to remove at least one third of it. The reputation 
 of this tree in its home — France — is that of a shy bearer. The quality 
 is excellent, superior to anything I have seen." — West. 
 
 * Mammoth, or Jauge. — This is an immense nut, the largest yet origi- 
 nated. So large is the shell of some of them that " ladies' companions " 
 are made out of the shells by fancy-goods manufacturers wherein to 
 stow away gloves and handkerchiefs. The nut, though of such large 
 dimensions, has a thin shell, and the kernel is of first quality. 
 
 * Cluster (Juglans Racemosa) (Plate X, Fig. 7). — This remarkable 
 kind of walnut, introduced some twenty years ago into this country, is 
 a worthy rival of the Prceparturiens for productiveness, but superior for 
 the beauty of the nuts. It derives its name of Juglans racemosa from 
 the Latin word racemosus, meaning abundant in clusters, full of clusters, 
 which is the main characteristic of that most beautiful variety. The 
 nuts, when the tree is in full bearing, grow in long clusters of 10, 15, 
 and even 25 to 28 nuts. The Cluster, like the Prceparturiens, repro- 
 duces itself well enough from the seed, provided that the nuts be gathered 
 from trees grafted from the original. The nut is thin-shelled, of fair size, 
 hermetically closed, with a smooth, white shell; in fact, a perfect beauty. 
 
 *Barthere. — "A singularly shaped nut, elongated, broad at the center, 
 and tapering at both ends; the shell is harder than that of other sorts." 
 
 Kaghazi. — Of doubtful origin; grown about Niles, in Alameda County. 
 
 Grand Noblesse. — Described, in " Nut Culture in the United States," as 
 having originated by L. L. Bequette, of Los Nietos, but is very little 
 known by the growers of that section. 
 
 VARIETIES OF HOME ORIGIN. 
 
 The chapter on pollination of the walnut illustrates how varieties 
 originate by accident, or from chance seedlings. The following varieties 
 originated in that way; they have been fully tried and their merits have 
 become known, and are therefore entitled to be placed among the list of 
 varieties worthy of cultivation: 
 
 * Described by Mr. Felix Gillet. 
 
 2— W 
 
18 THE WALNUT — VARIETIES. 
 
 •California Paper-Shell (Plate X, Fig. 1).— Originated by Mr. 
 Felix Gillet. A nut borne on a grafted Chaberte, the tree being, there- 
 fore, a Second Generation Chaberte. The nut is only of medium size; 
 shell very thin and almost white; kernel full-fleshed, exceedingly sweet 
 and nutty. 
 
 * Columbus. — Originated by Mr. Gillet. Produced from a Second 
 Generation Mayette. The nut is very large, exceedingly pretty, round- 
 ish, with smooth, light-colored shell, and kernel of first quality. Named 
 Columbus in honor of the World's Fair in 1893, the year that my second 
 trees of that kind went into bearing. 
 
 *Mayette-Shaped Prceparturiens. — Originated by Mr. Gillet, some 
 twenty-five years ago. A large nut, sitting on its end like the Mayette, 
 hence its name. Full-fleshed kernel of first quality; heavy bearer. 
 Solely propagated by grafting. 
 
 * Cluster Prceparturiens. — A variety of Prceparturiens said to be very 
 fine, also originated by Mr. Gillet. Nut large, oblong, smooth surface, 
 perfect soft-shell; kernel fine and sweet. Growing in clusters. 
 
 Soft-Shell. — Originated from seed, by Mr. Joseph Sexton, of Goleta, 
 Santa Barbara Count} 7 , in 1868. The seed he procured in San Francisco, 
 which was labeled " English," and was supposed to have been imported 
 from Central America. Mr. Sexton describes this variety thus: "Nut 
 looks very much like the imported Chile walnut, having the shape and 
 color. The objection to this variety is that as the trees grow older the 
 nuts grow smaller — diminish in size — and are not as salable as larger 
 nuts." 
 
 Improved Soft-Shell (Santa Barbara Soft-Shell) (Plate X, Fig. 10). — 
 Originated by Mr. Joseph Sexton, of Goleta, Santa Barbara County, in 
 1870, from seed of the " Soft-shell," crossed with the hard-shell or 
 "English" walnut. The nut in outer appearance resembles the 
 " English " or hard-shell, but the shell is as thin as the " Soft-shell," 
 and the kernel or " meat " is a beautiful white color. Tree productive, 
 uniform, and symmetrical in growth. 
 
 Ford's Improved Soft-Shell (Plate X, Fig. 6).— Originated in 1877 
 by Mr. George W. Ford, of Santa Ana, from seed he obtained in San 
 Francisco, and supposed to have come from Mr. Joseph Sexton, of Santa 
 Barbara. Out of the twenty-five pounds of walnuts he obtained, one 
 hundred of the largest and finest nuts were picked out, and from these 
 twenty large nuts selected. These were planted, and from which origi- 
 nated this " new " improved nut. The nut resembles the " Soft-shell." 
 It is a large, clear nut, separates easily; the meat is very white, and the 
 tree is a handsome grower. 
 
 Ford's Eureka (Plate XI, Fig. 6).— Originated by Mr. George W. 
 Ford, of Santa Ana, from soft-shell nuts procured from Mr. Joseph 
 Sexton, of Goleta. The nut is almost round, meat white, and very fine. 
 Tree vigorous, and a fine grower. 
 
 ORIENTAL VARIETIES. 
 
 Among the most beautiful trees are the Japanese walnuts. Two 
 varieties are known in this State, One (J. Sieholdiana) being grown for 
 more than twenty years. While it has been grown successfully, its 
 
 ♦Described by Mr. Felix Gillet 
 
THE WALNUT — PLANTING, SOIL, ETC. 19 
 
 economic importance has not as yet been determined. The nuts differ 
 greatly from the varieties of /. regia, and present curious forms; they 
 are, nevertheless, valuable, for the kernel is oily and sweet. The tree 
 is very handsome, requires no pruning, is a strong grower, and very 
 symmetrical in form, which, with its large, glossy leaves, of extraordi- 
 nary size, render it most beautiful and especially suited for roadways 
 and avenues. The tree is also valuable for stocks, as they " take " easily 
 and are always healthy and of thrifty growth. 
 
 Japanese (Juglans Sieboldiana, Maxivi) (Plate X, Fig. 4). — This 
 variety has been cultivated very successfully in this State for more than 
 twenty years. It is a beautiful ornamental tree, indigenous to Japan. 
 The leaves are of enormous size. The nut is small and elongated, quite 
 hard, but with a sweet kernel ; of very little commercial importance. 
 
 Heart-Shaped (Juglans Cordiformis, Maxim). — This variety is also 
 indigenous to Japan, and of recent introduction. The tree is similar in 
 appearance to J. Sieboldiana. The nut is small and " heart-shaped," 
 with a sweet kernel, said to be easily extracted by boiling for five minutes 
 and then cracking. 
 
 Chinese (Juglans Mandshurica, Maxim). — This nut is also of recent 
 introduction, and is indigenous to eastern Asia. Resembles closely the 
 Eastern butternut in habit of growth and foliage, and is said to resemble 
 it in the form and appearance of the nut. 
 
 (7) PLANTING, SOIL, AND OTHER REQUIREMENTS. 
 
 There is considerable difference of opinion among growers as to the 
 proper age to plant walnut trees in orchard. Many contend that trees 
 of three years' growth are best, while others contend that the seed should 
 be planted where the tree is intended to grow, that it should never be 
 transplanted, as in doing so certain roots, and especially the tap-root, 
 have to be cut, which is detrimental to the growth and fruiting quali- 
 ties of the tree. Others hold this practice to be a fallacy, and contend 
 that the tree should be grown in the nursery until the sixth or eighth 
 year, as is practiced in some countries. 
 
 *" I commenced transplanting trees in my nursery at one year old ; each year I renewed 
 my nursery rows, planting each year so as to enable me to have trees for my own land, 
 which I was obliged to clear in order to prepare it for the orchard. I planted after 
 the first year, and after the second year, and continued planting year by year, from these 
 different nurseries of different ages. When 1 arrived at the ninth year of planting my 
 trees had then been in bearing one year in the nursery. The trees that 1 planted out 
 one year will bear fruit the seventh year. Eight years is as soon as I ever had them 
 bear in my orchard from the seed. My experiments proved that the first or second 
 year is an unnatural time to transplant the walnut. Why ? There are two periods 
 that the walnut ought not to be transplanted, that is, the second and after the fifth year; 
 the root starts the second year and makes a partial growth, and then it divides itself 
 between top and root. The walnut will start and grow in root the first year without 
 starting at the top, until it has made a certain period of growth, and then the root grows 
 if not forced. I can force a walnut and make it grow ten feet the second year, but I say 
 that is an unnatural growth and it ought not to be indulged in. The second year I say, 
 then, is dangerous ; it is the period between the top and the root, and when you take it 
 up you destroy that growth. The third year it makes top alone, comparatively no root ; 
 it is then that your little tree, twelve inches high, grows up to the height of six to twelve 
 feet. It is the top that it is making that year, and of course you do not desire to trans- 
 plant a tree that is all to top and not to root, because when you take it from the nursery 
 rows you must allow that tree to go down and make the root first, before it can make 
 the top. After the third year you can transplant it with safety. Why ? It has made 
 
 *Hon. Russell Heath, of Carpinteria. (Remarks apply to varieties of the "English" 
 walnut, hard and medium shell nuts.) 
 
20 THE WALNUT — PLANUM.. BOIL, ETC. 
 
 its top. The fourth year its tendency is to root and not to top, because the fourth year 
 it makes its spurs two inches on the side of that growth of the third year. The tendency 
 of that year is all root, and if you want to transplant a young tree, then take up your 
 three-year-old tree and transplant it and you will get your fruit then as quickly as the 
 age of the tree will allow it to bear. After the fifth year, their tendency is not to make 
 root ; then is the time when those little branches two inches long send out the long arms 
 to the distance of seven or eight feet; then it is that your tender shoots, especially in 
 exposed conditions, are liable to be cut upon the end by the frost; then it is, if you are 
 in the interior, that one hot blast will kill the ends of your trees, because it will have 
 vigorous growth growing after the fifth year, and about t he sixth, and the only remedy 
 is the knife, because then the tree is touched by either cold or heat. 
 
 "Transplanting walnut trees, my experience is that I never had a nut from my trees 
 that I transplanted from one vear old to seven, without waiting six years. The best 
 success I have had, and which plan I have followed, has been when I have transplanted 
 trees in orchard form after they had passed the age of bearing in my nursery rows. I 
 transplanted eight hundred eleven-year-old trees and did not lose one in transplanting. 
 It does not cost much to cultivate trees for such a period in the nursery— a thousand 
 can be cultivated in a day— and if they were in orchard the expense would be very 
 great; and while the cost of transplanting trees at this age is probably ten times more 
 than for three-year-old trees, you save more than ten times that amount in the cost and 
 care through those years while in orchard." 
 
 * " I have raised trees from the seed and transplanted all the way from a year old up to 
 six ; and while they have grown and done well, I prefer to move them at three years of 
 age, or about that time. The best trees that I have were transplanted at three years old." 
 
 t " I want one-year-old walnut trees one to three feet, two-year-olds four to six feet, 
 and three-year-olds seven to nine feet, all of the above to be good stocky trees. The 
 root of a three-year-old walnut is but a little longer than a one-year-old, though it is 
 certainly larger. Of course, the root will grow in proportion to the top of the tree, for 
 when a walnut commences to branch — which is about four years from the seed— then 
 the* root will commence to throw out laterals." 
 
 X "The usual custom is to set out two-year-old trees. In setting out young trees they 
 should be inclined toward the coast or prevailing winds, and in trimming always try to 
 keep them in that position. By using these precautions, and insisting on having the 
 tap-root left at least three feet long when the trees are dug in the nursery, you will be 
 likely to have your orchard in good shape when it is grown." 
 
 § "The best aged tree to plant is two years old ; not that I think the age makes any dif- 
 ference, but the trees at that age are of a size that they can be seen, and run no risk of 
 getting damaged while being cultivated. In careful hands, I believe one-year-old trees as 
 good or better, and perhaps it would be better still to plant the seed where you want the 
 orchard trees to grow, but if planted in this way great care must be taken for two years 
 in cultivating, that they do not get trodden down and the tops broken off, which makes 
 the orchard uneven and unsightly. When planting two-year-old or larger trees, they 
 should be selected, planting the largest trees first, and keep on doing so until the orchard 
 is finished. By so doing you can get trees of equal size together. Some say it will not 
 do to plant the seed where you want the tree to grow, that it must be transplanted, and 
 the tap-root cut to make it fruit. I have tested this claim and found it a fallacy, and find 
 that nuts planted alongside of one-year-old trees have produced prolific crops, and are 
 larger trees than those one year older." 
 
 H " The plan of propagation is to plant the nut in nursery form in the spring of the 
 year, in well-cultivated, sandy loam, about six inches deep. The first year they will grow 
 from six inches to one foot high; the second, from one and a half to three feet; the 
 third, from five to six feet. At this period it is considered the best for transplanting to 
 permanent sites." 
 
 The walnut does best on a moist, warm, sandy loam, well under- 
 drained. It is a very vigorous grower, and requires ample root room, 
 vertically and horizontally, and unless this is furnished the tree will 
 not do well. Soil, therefore, which has a hardpan near the surface, 
 heavy clays, or soils which hold too much moisture, are to be avoided. 
 A fairly light, friable loam, of good depth and easily worked, offers per- 
 fect conditions in the matter of soil for the walnut. 
 
 *0. N. Cad well, of Carpinteria. (Also refers to varieties of the "English " walnut, or 
 hard-shell nut.) 
 
 t George W. Ford, of Santa Ana. (Remarks apply to improved varieties on the 
 "English " walnut, or soft-shell nuts.) 
 
 X A. Dorman, of Rivera, with reference to hard, medium, and soft-shell nuts. 
 
 § Joseph Sexton, of Goleta, with reference to improved varieties of the "English" wal- 
 nut, or soft-shell nuts. 
 
 t Hon. Ellwood Cooper, of Santa Barbara, with reference to varieties of the " English" 
 walnut, or hard and medium-shell nuts. 
 
THE WALNUT — PLANTING, SOIL, ETC. 21 
 
 At a recent convention of walnut-growers, the consensus of opinion as 
 to the best soil for the walnut was in favor of a rich, deep, sandy loam, 
 affording good drainage, and from 16 to 18 feet to surface water. This, 
 however, met with opposition from some growers, who claimed to have 
 attained equally good results with walnuts growing in. soils principally 
 adobe and with copious irrigation. It was also claimed that a rich 
 alluvial soil, with a slight mixture of adobe, with water about from 15 
 to 20 feet from the surface, was one of the best and strongest soils for the 
 walnut. Mr. Ford, of Santa Ana, has some twenty-year-old walnut trees 
 very thrifty and bearing heavy crops every year, in land where the 
 surface water is only 3 feet below; but time can only determine how long 
 they will thrive under such conditions. 
 
 *"The walnut should be planted for profit and best results on deep, rich loam, with 
 no hardpan, stiff clay, or impenetrable soil nearer than 12 feet. I would select locations 
 naturally moist in preference to land requiring irrigation. A temperature of 60° to 80° 
 in summer, I regard as more favorable than other localities, although they thrive and 
 are profitable in much hotter places." 
 
 t"In this part of the State (San Joaquin County), the walnut requires a deep, rich 
 soil, one in which the roots will strike deep, so that there can be no pinch in the hot 
 summer months." 
 
 Mr. West has grown the "English" walnut and various French 
 varieties for over twenty years. No irrigation is practiced by him, and 
 unless the walnut finds the conditions mentioned, it is subject to a 
 sudden check of the flow of sap during the summer, which has frequently 
 occurred. The leaves fall and the nuts are left exposed to the hot rays 
 of the sun, and invariably sunburn. 
 
 X "In planting trees in orchard, first of all plow the ground deep and then go over it 
 with a harrow or pulverizer. Fortv feet apart, giving twenty-seven trees to the acre, is 
 the best distance to plant the Improved Soft-Shell walnut. Dig large and deep holes ; 
 plant 2 or 3 inches deeper than the trees grew in the nursery ; lean them to the pre- 
 vailing summer winds, and vou will not have to stake your trees to make them grow 
 straight. Press the soil firmly around the roots, and if not very moist, give each tree 
 about ten gallons of water, which is sufficient to settle the soil around the roots. Culti- 
 vate your orchard to the depth of .5 or 6 inches. If your soil is moist enough to keep 
 the trees in good growing condition during the summer months, irrigation is unneces- 
 sary, but to make a first-class walnut, in size and fullness of kernel, if the ground is not 
 naturally moist enough, irrigation will have to be adopted. Small grain snould not be 
 planted in a walnut or any other orchard. If corn is grown, leave 8 feet on each side 
 of your trees clear, though I am of the opinion that potatoes, peanuts, or beans are less 
 injurious to the trees." 
 
 § "The usual custom has been, until the last few years, to set two-year-old trees 40 
 feet apart each way, and plant corn among them as long as it would make a paying 
 crop ; experience, however, has demonstrated the fact that it is better to set the trees 50 
 feet apart each way and reduce the number of rows of corn planted between them each 
 year until it is finally omitted altogether, giving the trees full possession of the soil. 
 This mode of culture usually includes irrigation as long as corn is planted. I think 
 that if the corn and irrigation were left out after the first five years, and the land given 
 clean and thorough cultivation, it would be more profitable for the owners. Shallow 
 cultivation is advocated by the most successful walnut-growers in the valley after the 
 trees have arrived at a bearing age. The old orchards are nearly all planted too close 
 together, and it is reasonable to expect that they will fail to produce good crops sooner 
 than they would if they had been given more room. An examination of any old 
 orchard will show that the outside rows are larger and bear better crops of nuts 
 than the inside ones. Trees twenty years old often have a spread of branches 50 feet 
 across, and I think it safe to say that the roots extend twice as far as the limbs. I have 
 broken roots as large as a pipestem in plowing 25 feet from a tree that has been set seven 
 years. In setting out young trees they should be inclined toward the coast or prevail- 
 ing winds, and with a little care thev can be kept in that position. By using these pre- 
 cautions and insisting on having the tap-root left at least 3 feet long when the trees are 
 
 *Hon. Russell Heath, of Carpinteria 
 t George B. West, of Stockton. 
 i George W. Ford, of Santa Ana. 
 § A. Dorman, of Rivera. 
 
22 THE WALNUT — PLANTING, SOIL, ETC. 
 
 dug in the nursery, you will be likely to have your orchard in good shape when it is 
 grown. No limbs should be allowed to grow within at least 6 feet of the ground, as 
 they would interfere with the cultivation of the orchard." 
 
 * "The orchard should be thoroughly plowed with a turning plow, early in the spring 
 as soon as the ground is sufficiently dry to work pleasantly. Care should be taken not 
 to plow so deep as to cut the roots, and as the trees are approached the furrows should 
 be shallowed. In some cases fall plowing is practiced, turning the soil from the middle 
 toward the rows and leaving a dead furrow in the middle. In the spring the operation 
 is renewed and the ground left smooth for the summer. This is a good practice on dry 
 land as it enables the soil to retain a larger part of the winter rainfall. After the spring 
 plowing the land should be thoroughly harrowed and left. Where irrigation is prac- 
 ticed the orchard should be cultivated after each application of water, usually from five 
 to seven times in the season. Where irrigation is not followed the cultivator and weed- 
 cutter should be used as often as necessary, in order to keep down the weeds that would 
 rob the trees of their necessary moisture and plant elements. The great object of culti- 
 vation is to keep the surface soil in a loose condition and prevent the evaporation of the 
 moisture required by the trees for their growth. Of course, where inter-tree crops are 
 grown in the orchard, these rules will have to be modified to suit the crops." 
 
 + " That the walnut will grow more luxuriantly and bear larger crops at' comparatively 
 earlier age in deep and rich bottom land, well drained, well protected, and with plenty 
 of moisture, is an obvio\is fact ; though there arises another question : whether it is 
 advisable to plant walnuts— a class of trees requiring so much space and with so little 
 regard to the nature of the soil— in our richest land so well adapted to the growing of 
 other valuable crops that have absolutely to be raised in rich land t My experience in 
 walnut culture, and for twenty years I have imported, propagated, and fruited the lead- 
 ing varieties of Europe, besides "having collected a large amount of data on that subject 
 from nut-growing countries, warrants me to say that walnut culture can be successfully 
 carried on on the whole Pacific Coast, provided we plant none but hardy kinds ; in fact, 
 the success of walnut culture in California lies exclusively in the hardiness of the kinds 
 to be planted." 
 
 WALNUTS IN OAK LAND. 
 
 There has been considerable doubt entertained by growers as to the 
 outcome of walnut orchards planted on oak land. It has been contended 
 that walnut orchards so planted will never be a success; that the roots 
 of the oak remaining in the soil generate poisonous gases, which event- 
 ually kill the roots of the walnut with which they come in contact. 
 Various orchards in the vicinity of Santa Barbara are cited as examples. 
 
 J "The walnut requires well-drained, deep, sandy bottom land, well protected, and 
 where no 'live oak' trees have grown within the last century. Everywhere where the 
 live oak has been recently rooted out, the walnut tree will die about the time it bears 
 the second crop, perhaps earlier. The second planted to replace will die in about the 
 fifth year ; the third, in the first, second, or third year. I doubt if any walnut trees will 
 do well where an oak forest has recently existed. The elder Pliny, in his work on Nat- 
 ural History, written nearly two thousand years ago, speaks of this fact existing on the 
 northern coast of the Mediterranean, and cautions planters from attempting fruit- 
 growing where an oak forest has recently existed. There are other causes, no doubt, 
 that will prevent success. Trees will die apparently without cause, and the planter, after 
 waiting ten or a dozen years, will be compelled to root them out and try something else. 
 One half of the orchards that have been planted will never be a success." 
 
 § " I have noticed in the vicinity of Santa Barbara quite a number of ' English' walnuts 
 and other fruit trees being planted on land recentlv covered by live oak. These orchards 
 can only result in failures, which the owners can ill afford. The precautions laid down 
 in my essay before the Sacramento Convention in 1886 should not be disregarded until 
 it is practically demonstrated that they are without foundation." 
 
 IT" With regard to planting the 'English' walnut on oak land, it is a question that I 
 approach with a great deal of "delicacy, especially as I am led to differ from our President 
 (Mr. Cooper), a gentleman whom I esteem as high as any man in the State, as to the 
 poisoning of walnuts. My place of two hundred acres was one mass of oaks, and there 
 is not one single acre of the one hundred and eighty acres now in walnuts but what had 
 
 * Wm. Moss, of Rivera. 
 
 t Mr. Felix Gillet, of Nevada City. 
 
 % Hon. Ellwood Cooper, essay before State Fruit-Growers' Convention, Sacramento, 1886. 
 
 §Hon. Ellwood Cooper, address before State Fruit-Growers' Convention, Santa Bar- 
 bara, 1888. 
 
 If Hon. Russell Heath, address before State Fruit-Growers' Convention, Santa Barbara, 
 1888. 
 
THE WALNUT — PLANTING, SOIL, ETC. 23 
 
 oaks that would cut from four to fifteen cords of stovewood, and yet I never lost a tree 
 planted among the oaks. Now, whether the oak is poisonous in the soil occupied by Mr. 
 Cooper's orchard and not in Carpinteria, is a question that only the analyzation of the 
 soil can prove ; but in my locality the oak is not poisonous to the young walnut. The 
 great mistake, in my opinion, in the raising of the walnut, is that a suitable locality is 
 not obtained. 
 
 "Since the above was submitted, I have made thorough examinations of the effects, if 
 any, of the oak on the walnut, and remain of the opinion that the oak does not contain 
 any substance poisonous or detrimental to the walnut. If dead timber is allowed to 
 remain on land, in the decayed trunks may often be found a large worm that feeds oti 
 the decayed wood. In my examinations I have never found an instance where these 
 grubs interfere with the living wood of the walnut or any other tree. That many wal- 
 nuts planted within the last five years have failed to become profitable, and in many 
 instances have died, I think is very easily to be explained. 
 
 "The most suitable land for the walnut is the sandy loam ; a light, deep, rich soil, with 
 water not nearer the surface than 12 or 15 feet. Many of the planters have disregarded 
 this requirement, and from this cause can be attributed a great proportion of the loss 
 of trees. 
 
 "In the Carpinteria Valley the water has been gradually rising. In my orchard in 
 front of my house, where the water was about 18 feet deep when I planted that part 
 of my orchard, it is now less than 6 feet, and I have lost about twenty acres of twenty- 
 five-year-old trees, by the rotting of the roots. I caution all planters to be careful 
 abotit the depth of water from the surface. In one part of my orchard I had about 
 twenty acres of soft-shell walnuts all in bearing ; these trees have died to such an extent 
 that I do not now replace with that variety. I can find no cause for the dying of these 
 trees, and have concluded, with many others in the same fix, that the soft-shell walnut 
 is a short-lived tree." 
 
 The writer, in 1886, visited Mr. Cooper's extensive orchards at Ellwood, 
 near Santa Barbara, and he very kindly showed me the walnut orchards 
 where trees had died, and which land was formerly occupied by live 
 oaks. The then existing conditions fully corroborated Mr. Cooper's 
 views, and my observations pointed strongly to two causes: first, oak 
 roots remaining in the soil, which generated poisonous gases that have 
 a deadly effect on other roots; secondly, shallow soil and imperfect 
 drainage, through which causes scores of trees have died all over the 
 State. That poisonous gases are generated by roots of forest trees 
 remaining in the soil, has been fully proven in other parts of the 
 State. As an example, I will cite the orchard of Dr. Edwin Kimball, 
 at Haywards. The land formerly contained many huge sycamore 
 trees; these were dug up and the land planted to prunes, peaches, and 
 apricots. When the apricots attained the bearing age and were in full 
 fruit, they suddenly died down. The exact spot where a sycamore stood 
 is shown by a vacant circle, upon which no tree of original planting- 
 stands. Nearly ten years after large roots were unearthed, which still 
 showed life, and upon being exposed emitted a strong, disagreeable, and 
 unbearable odor. There are many other similar cases on record. This 
 same sad experience was met with by other growers, who neglected to 
 extract from the soil the greater portion of the roots, not only of oaks, 
 but also of pines, sycamores, etc. Even willows have been the cause of 
 much trouble. On the other hand, the greater portion of the largest 
 orchards in the State are located where large oaks, pines, and sycamore 
 trees once stood, but care and precision were exercised in removing the 
 roots from the land. There are many who contend that no trees have 
 died in their orchards from this cause, and they ascribe the death of 
 such trees to the time of year the forest trees have been dug up. It is 
 said that if the trees are dug up during the growing period, the roots 
 remaining in the soil will decay in one or two seasons, acting, in this 
 respect, similar to the tree itself when cut back while growing, being 
 full of sap the sudden check causes death; whereas, if dug up in the 
 dormant state, in winter, the roots act as a cutting, keep alive for many 
 
24 THE WALNUT — PLANTING, SOIL, ETC. 
 
 years, and are only prevented from putting forth growth by being under 
 ground. While the theories advanced are logical, and be the causes 
 what they may, success can only result where precision is applied. In 
 places where roots remaining in the ground have caused trouble, the 
 growers have found that it is best to let the oaks stand, and plant trees, 
 around them. They are headed back to prevent too much shade, but as 
 they continue growing the roots do not interfere with the growth of the 
 orchard trees. 
 
 SOIL EXHAUSTION THROUGH THE CULTURE OF THE WALNUT, AND FERTILIZERS 
 
 TO USE, ETC. 
 
 By Prof. S. M. Woodbridge, Ph.D., Agricultural Chemist, Los Angeles. Prepared 
 
 by special request. 
 
 The walnut crop is involved in more or less mystery, and is little 
 understood in the abstract, or from a chemical standpoint, although 
 from a practical standpoint the matter of maintaining the original 
 integrity of the soil, and in fact the building up of a poor soil, is well 
 understood and readily accomplished. 
 
 To give an illustration, let us look at the orange. In an orchard in 
 the San Gabriel Valley the soil analyzed 1.14% in potash. Taking the 
 soil to a depth of only 2 feet, an acre of ground would contain about 
 100,000 pounds of potash; this potash would be enough to supply an 
 annual crop of 20,000 pounds of oranges for more than 2,000 years; the 
 figures from which the above conclusion is drawn are taken from the 
 report of the State Analyst. Before the orchard was fifteen years old, 
 it showed marked signs of degeneration. The practical application of 
 potash in conjunction with nitrates and phosphates, some five years 
 ago, revived the orchard, and the annual application of a complete 
 fertilizer has since kept it in a most flourishing condition. 
 
 Again, it is a w r eli known fact that in new ground, suited to the pur- 
 pose, from 400 to 500 bushels of potatoes can be raised the first year; 
 the second year scarcely one half that amount can be raised, and the 
 third year the field would hardly give its seed back; and yet the soil of 
 such a field would analyze practically the same at the end of the period 
 as it did at the beginning. Nevertheless, the soil is exhausted from the 
 practical standpoint of the farmer, that is, he cannot raise a paying 
 crop of potatoes; and yet from the standpoint of the chemist the soil is 
 as rich in plant-foods as ever — the little that would have been with- 
 drawn by three such crops, as are above described, being only the ten 
 thousandth part of the plant-food in the soil. 
 
 What is true in regard to the exhaustion of the soil by an orange or 
 potato crop is also found to be true in practice in regard to the walnut. 
 
 Chemical science has settled the fact that nitrogen, phosphoric acid, 
 and potash are the only three expensive elements that any soil is likely 
 to become deficient in; therefore, as a general rule, those are the only 
 elements that must be added in order to do everything that is known to 
 science in order to properly feed any crop, In order, however, to make 
 these elements, when applied, most effective, the soil must contain a 
 sufficient amount of humus (decomposing vegetable or animal matter). 
 
 It is a well-known fact that the best results are attained in horticul- 
 ture where circumstances admit of a rotation of crops, the same crop 
 not being reached oftener than once in four or five years. In an orchard 
 
THE WALNUT (Juglans Regia). 
 
 PLATE VII. 
 
 1. i 
 
 Root-Grafting the Walnut. 
 1 Root, with cion inserted, ready for waxing. 
 2. Root grafted, tied, and waxed over, ready for planting. 
 
THE WALNUT — PROPAGATION. 25 
 
 it is impossible to rotate a crop, as the trees are set for a lifetime; but 
 the next best thing to a rotation is in keeping up a rotation of green 
 crops for plowing-under, and in this way keep supplying the humus and 
 nitrogen at a nominal cost. These crops, of course, are planted during 
 the fall, and are grown at a time when the tree is dormant. 
 
 In order, then, to get the best results from a walnut orchard two 
 things are necessary: (1) Prevent the soil from becoming exhausted; 
 and (2), keep a due amount of humus in the soil. 
 
 The first proposition can be done by applying annually these elements 
 in the proportion in which the crop, the wood, and leaf growth may 
 remove them. It would be both amusing and interesting for a rich 
 chemist with little to do and who might own a walnut orchard to ascer- 
 tain these facts by a collection of all the leaves, new growth, and crop 
 over a series of years, and his report might be most interesting to the 
 few chemists who would read the same, but the farmer could scarcely 
 keep awake over it. What the farmer desires to know is which and 
 how much of the essential elements need to be added, and the cost of 
 such application. To this question the answer can be given by the crop 
 and trees themselves, although the experiments have not been carried 
 over a series of years; but for two succeeding years excellent results 
 have been attained by using to every 4 pounds of nitrogen, 9 pounds of 
 phosphoric acid and 5 pounds of potash in the form of muriate. The 
 phosphoric acid should be in the form of a super-phosphate, that is, 
 treated with sulfuric (sulphuric acid), which renders the phosphate 
 readily soluble in water so that it may be immediately available. 
 
 A ton of fertilizer containing the fertilizing elements in the above 
 proportions of 4% nitrogen, 9% phosphoric acid, and 5% potash, should 
 not be worth to exceed $35, freight paid. 
 
 Now, as to the amounts to be applied : 5 pounds to a tree three years old 
 appears to be the limit from which any good can be derived; 12 pounds 
 per tree to an eight-year-old orchard produces good results, some of the 
 trees yielding 100 pounds and all the trees averaging over 75 pounds of 
 nuts; on eighteen-year-old trees 25 pounds (per tree) was applied with 
 satisfactory results. Taking the case of the eight-year-old trees, the cost 
 of fertilizing an orchard, where the trees were twenty-eight to the acre, 
 would be $5 60, or about 3^% of the value of the crop. 
 
 (8) PROPAGATION. 
 
 The raising of walnut seedlings is very simple, but great care and 
 attention are required in all points bearing on the germination of the 
 nuts. There are various methods used, but the most simple is as fol- 
 lows: The walnuts are placed in sand, preparatory to planting. A 
 frame, consisting of 12-inch boards set on edge, of any size desired, and 
 resting on the ground, is half-filled with sand; the nuts are then spread 
 thickly (4 to 6 inches) and covered with about 3 or 4 inches of sand. 
 The sand is kept moist, but not too wet, and in case of lack of rain, is 
 watered. An embankment of earth is made all around the frame to 
 prevent the nuts from drying. They are examined from time to time, 
 and as soon as the nuts indicate or show signs of sprouting they are 
 taken up and planted in nursery rows, from 12 to 24 inches apart. 
 
26 THE WALNUT — BUDDING. 
 
 After the first and second years' growth the plants are of a suitable 
 size to bud or graft, or are left in the nursery as seedlings until large 
 enough to transplant into orchard form, the second or third year. 
 
 (9) BUDDING THE WALNUT. 
 
 There are several methods employed in budding the walnut, among 
 which the following, by the writer (published in 1889*), has proved 
 very successful: Trees are budded in July, August, and as late as Sep- 
 tember. The bud is cut (shown in Fig. 1) about 1^ inches long. In 
 cutting the bud from the stick the cut is made deep into the wood, the 
 object being to give the bud as much bark as possible. The wood in 
 the bud is then partly removed; it is gouged out with the sharp point 
 
 ' •''. 
 
 v 
 
 Fig. 1. The bud, Fig. 2. The bud, transverse Fig. 3. The bud, 
 
 front view. section. side view. 
 
 of the budding-knife. This is done to allow the inner bark of the bud 
 to unite with the inner bark of the stock, which union would be pre- 
 vented if the wood in the bud should be allowed to remain. After the 
 wood has been partly removed (as shown in Fig. 2), the bud is inserted 
 into the slit made in the stock, the same as is done in the ordinary 
 method of budding practiced on fruit trees. The bud is then tied tight, 
 with heavy budding twine of at least 18-ply. Three weeks or so after- 
 ward, if the bud has " taken," the twine is untied and tied over again; 
 this is done in order to prevent the twine from cutting into the bark. 
 This, however, is not required to be done if the trees are relaxing in 
 growth, or are of such age as to have a bark thick enough to stand the 
 pressure without injury. On young and thrifty growing trees it is best 
 to loosen the twine at the third week, and it should be removed alto- 
 gether at the fifth or sixth week. The buds are then allowed to lie 
 dormant until spring, when the stocks are cut back to force the bud to 
 start in the month of March or April, according to locality. As the 
 
 * Annual Report of State Board of Horticulture, 1889, p. 137. 
 
THE WALNUT — GRAFTING. 
 
 27 
 
 walnut does not put forth until late in the spring, walnut stocks should 
 not be cut back until they show indications of a rise of sap; with me 
 this has been the most successful time. As soon as the stocks begin to 
 put forth they are cut back and the buds allowed to grow. In cutting 
 back the stocks great care must be exercised. They must not be cut 
 back too close to the bud so as to endanger it, as the stocks invariably 
 have a tendency to die back at the tip, at least an inch or more. As the 
 buds start they are allowed to grow at will until they become hardy; 
 they can then be trained to the remaining portion of the stock or to a 
 stake, in order to produce a straight tree. After the first year's growth 
 they can be transplanted to orchard form. 
 
 ANNULAR OR RING BUDDING. 
 
 This method is one of the simplest and safest to use on the walnut, 
 and especially adapted to young trees of two or three years old, and to 
 smooth limbs of large trees. In this method a ring is cut right around 
 
 Fig. 4. 
 A. The stock prepared. B. The bud. 
 
 the stock, about an inch long. Then a ring of about the same size 
 is taken from the cion, containing a bud, which is slipped into the 
 corresponding space in the stock, and then bound tightly with soft cot- 
 ton twine or cloth, covering it up to exclude the air. The operation 
 should be performed when the trees are in full growth, during July, 
 August, or September, and left to lie dormant through the winter, to be 
 started in the spring. 
 
 (10) GRAFTING THE WALNUT. 
 
 Walnut-grafting is not as easily performed as budding. Great care 
 must be exercised in the time and manner in which the operation is per- 
 formed. The walnut, as a rule, cannot be grafted successfully by the 
 ordinary methods practiced on fruit trees. The reason is that the cions 
 contain but little wood, the pith in them being much greater than in 
 cions of other trees; and when the cion is prepared (wedge-shaped) very 
 little wood is left in it and the bark is so thin that, when inserted, it 
 cannot unite with the stock, not being held firmly in position. Terminal 
 shoots, however, have a thicker bark and more wood and are most success- 
 
28 THE WALNUT — GRAFTING. 
 
 ful in grafting. Side grafting is accomplished with success, but can only 
 be performed in the spring, when the sap in the stock begins to rise; this is 
 necessary, as the cion must be inserted when the bark peels, in the same 
 manner as a bud. The walnut does not put forth until quite late in 
 spring, and to secure good, firm wood it becomes necessary to gather the 
 cions before the trees start; and that they may be kept dormant are 
 covered with moist sand and placed in a cellar or cool place. In this 
 way they can be kept until the stocks have made sufficient growth so as 
 to facilitate grafting. I have experimented in grafting the walnut for 
 over twenty years, and the most successful method with me has been the 
 prong graft or prong bud (of my own origin). (See Plate IX, Figs. 1 to 
 5, illustrating prong budding.) In this method the small prongs found 
 at the extremity of the shoots are used. (Fig. 2, Plate IX, illustrates 
 the prong — cion — used, and how cut from the branch, reduced one half.) 
 The prong is cut as a bud, as shown in the illustration, and the wood is 
 partially removed with the point of a budding-knife, the same as in the 
 method of budding herein described. The stock is first prepared by 
 cutting off with a sharp saw and smoothing over with the knife; a 
 vertical incision is made on the side, and the cion inserted and tied tight 
 with strong budding twine of at least 18-ply. The cuts are waxed over 
 with grafting wax. After the cion has started the graft is examined 
 from time to time, and if it is found that the twine begins to cut into 
 the stock, it is untied and tied again; this will prevent any injury to 
 the stock or cion. The twine, however, should be allowed to remain as 
 long as possible, as it prevents the bark surrounding the slit made on 
 the stock from opening and unseating the cion, which is apt to occur 
 from the action of the atmosphere causing the cion to dry out and die. 
 When the cions have grown from 6 to 12 inches and assumed the 
 functions of the top, this precaution is no longer necessary, and the 
 twine is then removed altogether. The growth of the cions at this time, 
 however, is very tender, and they may be broken off by the slightest 
 touch; as a protection it is well to drive a stake at their side, to which 
 they are tied with some loose material or cloth strips. When this 
 method is employed on large limbs, or on the tops of trees, it is well to 
 tie a piece of limb or wood of any kind on the side of the branch and to 
 which the growth of the cion should be tied. Another good protection 
 is to take a piece of green shoot and tie both ends to the branch so grafted, 
 forming a loop over the bud, to prevent birds, etc., from sitting on the 
 graft and thereby disturbing it. 
 
 CLEFT ROOT GRAFTING. 
 
 One of the most satisfactory methods practiced on small walnut 
 stocks is the cleft root graft, and its application does not differ mate- 
 rially from the method practiced on pear and apple roots. 
 
 The small plants (only one-year-olds are used) are taken up and 
 grafted indoors. (See Plate VII, Figs. 1 and 2.) They are cut off 
 at the crown and split obliquely and the cion (wedge-shape) inserted and 
 immediately tied with 6-ply or 8-ply budding twine or cloth, and waxed.* 
 They are then heeled in sand in some convenient place, exempt from 
 
 *Only wax the- parts cut or exposed, so that on planting the string or cloth on the 
 parts not waxed may decay and not bind the stock. It is also advisable to cut the twine 
 or cloth on planting. 
 
THE WALNUT (Juglans Regia). 
 
 PLATE VIII. 
 
 2 3. 
 
 Grafting the Walnut. 
 
 1. The cion prepared. 
 
 2 The cion inserted in the stock, ready for waxmg. . . 
 
 3. A cion Wed and waxed over ; growing ; three weeks after bemg grafted in the sprnig.-lrom 
 photographs ; natural size. 
 
THE WALNUT — GRAFTING. 
 
 29 
 
 draughts and sunlight, as follows: On the floor of a propagating house 
 or shed moist sand is spread out from 6 to 12 inches deep; then the 
 grafts are put into it standing, thickly, and covered with sand. The 
 entire graft to within an inch or two of the top is covered without injury 
 to it. The sand should always be kept moist, but not too wet, 
 as the bark of the graft is liable to decay; and again, the sand 
 must not be allowed to get dry, as the bark of the graft will 
 shrivel and avoid adhesion. They are kept thus stored from four 
 to six weeks, during which time the parts (cion and stock) 
 callous over; they are then planted in nursery rows, and soon 
 after begin to grow. 
 
 TRIANGULAR CROWN GRAFT. 
 
 Like the preceding method (cleft root graft) this, too, has 
 proved successful. The stocks (a year old) are not split, but 
 instead a triangular incision is made in the side of the stock, as 
 shown in Fig. 5 at C, about 1 to 1-| inches long. At this point 
 the wood of the stock is generally quite solid and the pith very 
 small. This cut rather consists of taking 
 out of the stock a triangular piece, into 
 which space a cion is inserted of the same 
 shape and size. D shows the space; A the 
 cion prepared for insertion. The cion (from 
 terminal shoots preferred) is prepared to fit 
 the corresponding space, as shown at B, and 
 fitted into the cleft. It is then tied with 
 cloth or twine and waxed over. 
 
 This method is also employed with suc- 
 cess in the field. The earth is removed 
 from around the stocks and the tree is cut 
 smoothly about the crown or where the 
 swelling of the root begins. The graft 
 being inserted, it is tied with cloth, and 
 waxed. The soil is then banked up against 
 it, covering the graft and stock to within 
 an inch or two of the top of the cion. For 
 making the cleft and facing the cion it is 
 important that the knife be sharp to make 
 a smooth cut. This operation (in the field) 
 is best performed, and most successful, 
 when the stocks begin to show signs of 
 growth late in the spring. The cions are 
 cut late in the fall, or early spring, and 
 kept in sand preparatory to using. 
 
 CLEFT SAP GRAFT. 
 
 Much credit is due to Mr. Felix Gillet, of Nevada City, who has 
 experimented with all sorts of grafting on the walnut for many years, 
 for having given the public the results attained by him in the use of this 
 method. The operation is performed early in the spring when the sap 
 is commencing to flow, and can be used on large limbs from 3 to 5 inches 
 
30 THE WALNUT — BLACK. 
 
 in diameter. The limb is sawed off and smoothed as for ordinary cleft 
 grafting; instead, however, of making a single cleft through the center, 
 two are made, one across the stub at each side of the center, the clefts 
 then being in sapwood instead of through the heartwood and pith. The 
 cion is prepared as for ordinary cleft grafting, for which purpose it is 
 best to use terminal shoots. In cutting the cion great care must be 
 exercised to cut only into the pith of one side. The cion having been 
 inserted, the wound is bound well with cotton cloth and thoroughly 
 waxed. 
 
 (11) THE BLACK WALNUT (Juglans Nigra, Linn.). 
 
 The relative merits of the black walnut for stocks to graft onto have 
 been under consideration for many years, and this root has been exten- 
 sively tried in this State, with satisfactory results. The variety mostly 
 used is the Juglans Califomica, or California black walnut. (Plate X, 
 Fig. 11.) In a few instances Juglans Americana, or Eastern black wal- 
 nut (Plate X, Fig. 9), has been tried, but preference was given to 
 the former, being indigenous to our State. The Japanese walnut 
 (Juglans Sieboldiana) has also been tried, and has proved quite satis- 
 factory, but is not as strong a grower as the Califomica. For a time I 
 vr&s loath to believe the stock would influence the graft and cause it to 
 produce nuts of a dark shell. Experiments, however, have proved the 
 contrary. Trees now in bearing for over twenty years show no varia- 
 tion in color of shell, but an improvement in kernel and quality of the 
 nuts. The stocks are thrifty and healthy, easy of propagation, and 
 easily budded and grafted. Some twenty years ago I commenced experi- 
 menting in grafting and budding the wild walnut, with very satisfac- 
 tory results. A plot of Juglans rupestris, growing along the mountains 
 in Los Angeles County, was worked over to different varieties very satis- 
 factorily, but the stock is quite scrubby and of such dwarf habit that it 
 can only be recommended for dwarf purposes. The grafts took well and 
 made splendid growth. In all tests made on trees in the wild state, 
 nuts were produced on buds and grafts the second and third years. In 
 some cases the nuts were quite small, due perhaps to the stunted con- 
 dition of the stocks, for all must have been ver}*- old. The buds and 
 grafts that made the strongest growth were on stocks which did not look 
 so aged. These are now producing fine nuts, equal to those from the 
 parent tree. 
 
 The oldest walnut orchard budded on the Califomica is at Winters, 
 Yolo County, and the trees are over twenty years old. This orchard has 
 produced fine crops yearly and the nuts show a marked improvement 
 over those produced by the parent trees. 
 
 At Vacaville two rows of large black walnut trees (/. Califomica) 
 were worked over to different varieties of the " English " or " Persian " 
 walnut very successfully, by the prong bud method, described else- 
 where, and the ordinary cleft sap graft. The trees were planted some 
 thirty years ago for shade along the roadside. In the winter of 1892 
 the limbs were cut back to the crotch or main stem. In the spring they 
 put forth numerous shoots, which wore thinned out to a dozen or so to 
 each tree, according to the spread of the branches. These new shoots 
 were budded in the summer. Those that did not " take " were grafted 
 in the winter. Thus a fine stand of buds and grafts was obtained, 
 
THE WALNUT — BLACK. 31 
 
 which commenced to bear the second and third years. They now form 
 large spreading heads, and bear regularly. 
 
 The process of converting these apparently worthless trees, except for 
 shade, into fruitful trees, was very simple, and has proved remunerative 
 and entirely satisfactory to its projector. 
 
 In Ventura County are to be seen many walnut orchards of recent 
 planting budded and grafted on this stock. This was brought about by 
 the satisfactory results obtained from walnut orchards so worked of 
 early planting. In the past few years large plantings of walnuts have 
 been made, and many growers have given preference to trees grafted 
 and budded on this stock — /. Calif omica. 
 
 VARIETIES OF THE BLACK WALNUT. 
 
 Since the relative merits of stocks for the walnut have been discussed, 
 it is deemed proper to append a list of varieties with which further 
 trials can be made. The following varieties and their description 
 (marked with*) are taken from a bulletin on "Nut Culture in the 
 United States," issued by the Division of Pomology of the Department 
 of Agriculture: 
 
 * Gordon. — "Size large, form cubical, slightly conical at each end, 
 shell of medium thickness, cracking qualities good, kernel light-colored, 
 plump, quality excellent." — Virginia. 
 
 *Missouri. — " Size medium, form oval, compressed, with quite smooth 
 shell, cracking qualities good, kernel light-colored, plump, flavor pleas- 
 ant, quite free from the grossness characterizing the species; quality 
 very good." — Missouri. 
 
 * Peanut. — " A rather small pyriform nut. The shell is thin and 
 easily cracked, while the kernel, which is in the larger end of the nut, 
 comes out entire. ' The kernel is white and of delicate flavor." — Ohio. 
 
 *Nurza. — "A large nut with thin shell, kernel large and of good 
 flavor. Also a strong grower." — Ohio. 
 
 * Taylor. — "A quadrangular-pointed nut of good size. The shell is 
 thin and easily broken with a slight blow. The kernel is large, coming 
 out in halves; the meat is white and of fine quality." — Ohio. 
 
 * Thomas. — "Size large, form oblate, compressed, slightly pointed at 
 base, considerably so at apex, shell medium to thin, cracking qualities 
 medium, the kernel not easily removed in perfect halves from the shell, 
 flavor sweet, rich, quality good to very good." — Pennsylvania. 
 
 American {"Eastern") (Plate X, Fig. 9). — So called by reason of 
 having been produced from seed imported from the East. The tree is 
 large and handsome, and reproduces itself or " comes the same " from 
 seed. The seed germinates easily, and the plants stand transplanting 
 and are easily budded and grafted. It makes a beautiful shade tree 
 along driveways and avenues. The nut is of medium size, very dark, 
 and somewhat furrowed, and hard. 
 
 California (Juglans Calif omica, Watson) (Plate X, Fig. 11). — A 
 rapid-growing tree, indigenous to the central and northern parts of the 
 State. It occurs nowhere below the Sierra Madre Mountains and Coast 
 Range in the wild state. " Comes the same " from seed, stands trans- 
 planting, and is easily budded and grafted. The nut is of medium size, 
 shell quite hard, and smooth! The kernel is quite rich and oily. This 
 
32 THE WALNUT —PRUNING. 
 
 stock has come into great favor for budding and grafting onto. The 
 tree attains great height, and many trees are to be seen over 100 feet 
 high, and of great dimensions. This species has been confounded with 
 the Dwarf or Wild Walnut (/. rupestris) indigenous to the southern 
 part of the State, extending from the Tehachapi Mountains into Arizona 
 and Mexico. 
 
 Dwarf or Wild Walnut (Juglans rupestris, Eng.). — This species is 
 indigenous to the southern part of the State, extending from the Tehach- 
 api Mountains to the south. It is a small, dwarfish tree, but a vigorous 
 grower. " Comes the same " from seed, and is easily budded and grafted, 
 also bears transplanting. The nut is quite small, very hard and smooth, 
 but of little or no commercial value. 
 
 (12) PRUNING THE WALNUT. 
 
 * " During the first year constant pruning is necessary to have the tree properly shaped. 
 I have pruned in a summer as many as four or five times. Branches are apt to grow too 
 rapidly, bear down with their own weight, and break off during high winds, destroying 
 the symmetry of the tree and occasioning much loss of time. All lateral branches 
 growing from the leader should be cultivated to assume an upward angle of about 15° to 
 45° from the main leader. This can be done by clipping off all branches growing under, 
 and at times cutting off .the ends. A trunk should be maintained free from limbs Z\i 
 to 4^ feet from the ground. Earth should be kept away from the trunks, and if the top 
 roots near the trunk are exposed, so much the better ; it will assist the tree in breathing. 
 The most careful cultivation is necessary, and nothing, after the fifth vear, should be 
 grown between the rows, unless you have plenty of water to irrigate by flooding all 
 the ground once every eight weeks ; if you are so prepared, sow your orchard in alfalfa, 
 and do no cultivating." 
 
 t " Pruning the walnut is extremely simple and can be done by any one. When plant- 
 ing the tree, don't cut the top off of one-year-old trees, but it is absolutely necessary 
 to cut back a two or a three-year-old tree ; in fact, the finest young walnut orchard I 
 know of in Orange County (and we have lots of fine ones down this way) was grown 
 from two-year-old trees from 8 to 10 feet high, and cut back to about A\i feet, and all 
 limbs below that trimmed off, except three or four, which were allowed to grow up and 
 make the top of the tree Never prune the trees over 3% feet, as the bark of a tree is 
 easily sunburned, and- thus it is necessary for the foliage to shade the trunk. If the 
 lower limbs extend outward and are in the way of the cultivator, tie them up, for by so 
 doing you can train the lower branches upward, so as to cultivate close to the tree, and 
 when the orchard comes into bearing the limbs growing upward will not bend down to 
 the ground with the fruit, so you cannot get within twenty feet of them with the culti- 
 vator." 
 
 % "In pruning it has been the custom to trim to a height of 6 to 7 feet, but I think 4 
 to 5 feet better. Such high pruning makes the tree top-heavy, and the prevailing winds 
 cause them to lean, exposing one side of the trunk to the sun, thus causing sunburn. I 
 think it best to trim little, if any. It is the nature of the tree to allow the limbs to grow 
 downward and fill any space of account that may have been made by pruning, while 
 if allowed to grow in their natural state, the limbs will start near the ground, growing 
 upward and keeping out of the way much better than when allowed to hang down. I 
 have not been able as yet to grow them just as I would like in this respect, on account 
 of raising crops (mostly corn) between the trees, and I find it very difficult to save the 
 lower limbs while young and tender, as a very little push or strain when plowing will 
 injure them next to the trunk, and they should then be cut off to save the tree from 
 greater injury than the loss of a limb. Avoid crotches or forks. If a tree is about 
 evenly divided the abundance of foliage the tree has in summer will cause it to split 
 with a very little wind, and vou will thus lose the use of the tree for several years, if 
 not altogether. If badly broken, start a new shoot near the ground, and in six years, 
 with care, it will be a bearing tree." 
 
 *Hon. Ell wood Cooper, Santa Barbara, 
 t George W. Ford, Santa Ana. 
 
 X C. A. Cauf man, of IUvera, in "California Cultivator and Poultry Keeper," October, 
 1896. 
 
THE WALNUT (Juglans liegia). 
 
 PLATE IX. 
 
 2. 3. 5 - 
 
 1 Prong-bud growing, showing the stock where first cut back and waxed over ; also the 
 ' twine tied loosely to prevent the opening of the bark and endangering the bud. 
 
 2 The bud prepared, ready for insertion into the slit in the stock. 
 
 3. The stock prepared, ready to receive the bud. 
 
 4. The bud inserted, before being tied. . 
 
 5. The operation complete.— From photographs ; natural size. 
 
THE WALNUT —HARVESTING. 33 
 
 (13) HARVESTING. 
 
 Harvesting the walnut is very simple, as most of the nuts do not 
 have to be picked, for they, of their own accord, drop to the ground 
 at maturity; yet considerable attention must be paid to the gathering 
 of the crops so as to have clean, bright nuts that may command a high 
 price and ready sale. The walnut harvest begins in September and 
 ends in November. In some sections the crop comes in quite early and 
 is gathered in September, overlapping into October; in others, the crop 
 is not harvested so early; but October is the principal month, sometimes 
 overlapping into November. 
 
 Some of the growers collect the nuts from the ground as they fall 
 every day, others collect them every other day, and some every third 
 day, until most of the crop has fallen of its own accord, and those 
 remaining on the trees are knocked down by means of a pole. Boys 
 and men are also employed to climb the trees and shake the nuts down; 
 others agitate the limbs with a long pole having a hook at the end. 
 The nuts that are ready to drop come down easily, and are picked up 
 and dried on trays in the sun. It generally takes from three to four 
 pickings to gather all the nuts from a tree. When the husk inclosing 
 the nut shows no signs of cracking it is an indication that the nut is yet 
 unripe, and when knocked down the kernels of many of these generally 
 dry away and do not fill well. Then, again, if the nuts are allowed to 
 hang on the trees or remain on the ground too long after falling, they 
 absorb moisture and rapidly deteriorate in flavor, color, and keeping 
 qualities. In the walnut sections along the coast damp fogs and dew 
 prevail during the harvest time, rendering the husks quite moist, and 
 the nuts contained inside become stained by the acid juice of the husks, 
 which, if not removed, renders the nuts quite black, and lessens their 
 market value. This acid is very strong and adhesive, and to remove it 
 the nuts have to be washed and afterward dried. Hon. Ellwood 
 Cooper, of Santa Barbara, has a most perfect apparatus for washing 
 and drying the walnut, which is an invention of his own. It consists 
 of an iron cylinder with a long opening on the top side, where the nuts 
 are put in. When the nuts are washed the cylinder will turn with the 
 opening down, thus letting the walnuts and water out. As with all 
 other apparatus of this kind, it has to be seen to be appreciated. They 
 are made by the Fulton Iron Works, of San Francisco, and cost from 
 $125 to $140. 
 
 * "The 'hard ' shells should and the 'soft ' and 'paper' shells must be gathered as soon 
 as possible after dropping from the trees, as it injures the quality and appearance of 
 the nuts to remain long on the ground. They are usually dried on trays about 3 feet 
 wide by 6 feet long, holding about one hundred pounds each. 'Soft' and 'paper' shells 
 should be dried in the shade, and many of the growers have buildings for that purpose. 
 After they are thoroughly dried they are bleached and then run over a screen with a 
 one-inch mesh, into strong sacks of uniform size, each sack bearing the registered trade- 
 mark of the ' Los Nietosand Ranchito Walnut Growers' Association,' and also the name 
 of the individual grower, thereby settling the question of responsibility in case the nuts 
 are not up to the required standard." 
 
 t "There are different modes of gathering - : some clean the trees at once, and others 
 go over them several times. 1 pick what has fallen without knocking. 1 then tap those 
 limbs lightly on which the nuts are ripest, and the third time over I aim to clean the 
 trees. The walnuts are picked up and put in sacks and barrels, so as to be easily 
 
 * A. Downer, of Rivera. _ non 
 t Joseph Sexton, essay before Ninth State Fruit-Growers' Convention, 1888. 
 
 3— w 
 
34 THE WALNUT — HARVESTING. 
 
 handled, and hauled to a sunny place to dry, and should be placed on elevated plat- 
 forms made of narrow boards, with spaces of one fourth of an inch between each board. 
 The platform should be about 8 feet wide and 40 feet long, or as long as two men can 
 handle a canvas to cover the beds, which should be done every night the dew falls. The 
 nuts should be stirred in these beds once or twice each day, and with favorable weather 
 they will dry sufficiently in three days, and are ready for market. 1 have always dried 
 my walnuts by the sun and they have given good satisfaction, and for small orchards 
 I think it is the cheapest and best way. Some dry by evaporation and claim it is 
 preferable to the sun ; that it sets the oil quickly and prevents the nut from becoming 
 rancid. Others claim that it makes them so ; but be this as it may, those having large 
 orchards cannot depend on drying all by natural heat, and the drier will have to be 
 used, even if it is not so good for the nut." 
 
 *" In handling the nuts, I cure in dry-houses by artificial heat, heating sufficient to 
 evaporate the water and set the oil of the nut. When this is done the nuts will keep 
 sweet for an indefinite time. I have kept them as an experiment, in my store-house, 
 which is of concrete, for five years, and at the end of that time they were as sweet as 
 when first cured. With my facilities, I cure them in eight hours. In preparing them 
 for market, I have a washing apparatus — invented by Mr. Cooper— which I use if the 
 nuts are discolored, as they often are by coming in contact with leaves or shucks when 
 there is dew or rain. Directly after washing they are thoroughly dried and cured in the 
 dry-house." 
 
 t " In gathering soft-shells, the nuts should not be left long on the ground, as the sun 
 and fog will cause the shell to crack and the nut to become ruined. They should not 
 be left long in the gathering-sacks, as they will then sweat and turn black. If the nuts 
 are to be washed it should be done as soon as emptied from the picking-sacks, as they 
 will then clean much easier. After this, spread in trays for drying. If to be bleached 
 they should be thoroughly dry before. We use trays 3 by 6 feet, with sides 4 or 6 
 inches high, and a slat bottom with %-inch space between slats. For the past few 
 years all walnuts grown in Rivera have been scoured by placing them in a wire cylinder, 
 washing them and revolving it for five or ten minutes, or longer if necessary to make 
 them clean, then thiow on water enough to wash clean before taking out of washer. 
 This greatly improves their appearance, removing all fiber and pieces of hull that might 
 be sticking to them. It also gives them a much smoother appearance. Now place them 
 in trays, and dry." 
 
 ANNUAL AND BIENNIAL CROPS. 
 
 During many years the opinion entertained by many, that the walnut 
 was a biennial bearer — that is, a crop could only be expected every 
 other year — became prevalent, and was generally believed. This idea 
 originated in the minds of some who could not be satisfied unless they 
 saw all trees heavily laden with walnuts every year, and also owing to 
 many of the orchards being planted to those singular and unproductive 
 trees referred to elsewhere. On this account — the idea having become 
 general — many hesitated about going into the business. As a rule, fruit- 
 growers are not accustomed to wait for results, as one must do in the 
 case of the walnut. Since the principal walnut plantations have come 
 into bearing, this idea has been dispelled, it having been proved a fallacy. 
 For about twelve years the orchards of twenty years ago have been bear- 
 ing, and while they prove to be regular bearers, show that one year they 
 bear a heavy crop, and the next one not so heavy, but a crop may be 
 depended on every year; so that the walnut, while it may be considered 
 a biennial bearer, must be classed as a tree producing regular crops, or 
 a good bearer. 
 
 COMMERCIAL GRADES. 
 
 The walnut crop of the State is classified commercially under the 
 following category, viz.: 
 
 Hard-shells include all nuts having a hard shell; these take in the 
 numerous varieties of the so-called " English " walnut. 
 
 *Hon. Russell Heath, essay before Eleventh State Fruit-Growers' Convention, 1889. 
 t C. A. Cauf man, of Rivera, in "California Cultivator and Poultry Keeper," October, 
 1896. 
 
THE WALNUT — ENEMIES. 35 
 
 Soft-shells include all nuts having a soft shell, and take in the 
 improved varieties of the so-called " English " walnut, and foreign 
 varieties of this texture. 
 
 Paper-shells include varieties of walnuts having an extra thin shell. 
 
 The walnut-growers of Southern California have agreed upon a uni- 
 form method of grading, which is by passing the nuts over a screen with 
 a one-inch mesh, and making two grades only for the market. The 
 paper-shells are kept separate, and sold as a fancy grade. The marketing 
 methods adopted by the cooperative societies are to receive the nuts 
 from the growers as they come from the orchard, and sulphur, grade, 
 sack, and sell them. 
 
 The walnut is marketed in sacks, specially made, and holding about 
 120 pounds. Some, however, use the common grain sack, holding 
 about 65 pounds. Before sacking, many growers place the walnuts in a 
 wire cylinder of one-inch mesh, the friction of which on revolving gives 
 the nuts a smooth appearance, and thus adds to their commercial value. 
 
 (14) ENEMIES OF THE WALNUT. 
 
 The walnut, so far, has fewer enemies than most trees, and the few 
 that attack it are not considered detrimental to its culture in a high 
 degree, for they are easily subdued. These are treated of separately in 
 this chapter. 
 
 RED SPIDER. 
 
 Tetranychus telarius. 
 
 This spider, or mite, attacks different species of trees, shrubs, etc., 
 also the walnut. It is very small, and can hardly be seen without the 
 aid of a glass. 
 
 This insect, while not very troublesome on the walnut, is kept in 
 check by dusting sulphur over the trees. The lime, sulphur, and salt 
 solution, applied in winter, and the summer remedy, given below, have 
 practically exterminated the pest on walnut trees. 
 
 Winter Remedy. — Unslacked lime, 40 pounds; sulphur, 20 pounds; 
 stock salt, 15 pounds; water to make 60 gallons. Place 10 pounds of 
 lime and 20 pounds of sulphur in a boiler, with 20 gallons of water, and 
 boil over a brisk fire, for not less than one hour and a half, or until the 
 sulphur is thoroughly dissolved. When this takes place, the mixture 
 will be of an amber color. Next place in a cask 30 pounds of unslacked 
 lime, pouring over it enough hot water to thoroughly slack it; and, 
 while it is boiling, add the 15 pounds of salt. When this is dissolved, 
 add to the lime and sulphur in the boiler, and cook for half an hour 
 longer, when the necessary amount of water to make the 60 gallons 
 should be added. 
 
 Summer Remedy. — Sulphur, 3 pounds; caustic soda (98%), 2 pounds; 
 whale-oil soap, 25 pounds; water to make 100 gallons. Boil the sulphur 
 and caustic soda together in about 2 gallons of water; when the sulphur 
 becomes dissolved, add the soap and boil until thoroughly dissolved, 
 then add water to make 100 gallons of solution, and apply warm. 
 
36 THE WALNUT — ENEMIES. 
 
 YELLOW SPIDER OR MITE. 
 
 Tetranychus. 
 Apply same treatment as for red spider. 
 
 WALNUT SCALE. 
 
 Aspidiotus Juglans regia, Corns. 
 
 The walnut is subject to infection from this scale peculiar to itself, 
 and known as the walnut scale. The scale, however, has not proved a 
 pest among our walnut trees. The old trees do not suffer from its 
 attacks, as it infests the large limbs principally. 
 
 Remedy (applied when trees are dormant in winter). — Lime, 25 
 pounds; sulphur, 20 pounds; salt, 15 pounds. Take 10 pounds of lime, 
 20 pounds of sulphur, and 20 gallons of water; boil until the sulphur is 
 thoroughly dissolved. Take the remaining 15 pounds of lime and 15 
 pounds of salt, and when thoroughly slacked, mix together and add 
 enough water to make in all 60 gallons of solution; strain -and spray 
 warm. 
 
 BROAD-NECK BORER. 
 
 Prionus lacticollis, Drury. 
 
 This gigantic beetle appears during July and August, but at times 
 much earlier, and also late in winter. The beetle measures from 1^ to 
 
 Fig. 6. 
 
 2 inches in length. Color dark brown, nearly black. Possesses strong, 
 thick jaws. In the male the antennae are rather slender; in the female 
 they are not so stout, and the body is much broader. The larva (Fig. 
 7) is a large borer with a broad neck. It measures from 2-£ to 3 inches 
 in length. The color of the larva is j^ellowish white. The head is quite 
 small and is reddish brown. There is a light blue line down the back. 
 As a rule it mostly attacks trees and vines just below the surface. It 
 bores a hole through the center of the root, or into the trunk. On the 
 trunk of trees and vines it never bores very deep, seemingly preferring 
 
THE WALNUT — ENEMIES. 37 
 
 to work just under the bark. The larva cannot easily be discovered, for 
 the reason that the trees do not begin to show the effects until the larva 
 has had time to develop to its full size, when it becomes a voracious 
 feeder. The larva remains in that state three days, and changes to the 
 chrysalis state about the month of June, as the beetles generally make 
 their appearance in July. 
 
 Remedy. — It is very difficult to ascertain the presence of borers before 
 the trees indicate their presence. Walnut trees sometimes are observed 
 to be bleeding (oozing sap) from a certain spot; this indicates a borer, 
 or having been damaged otherwise. However, the cause should be 
 
 Fig. 7. 
 
 carefully looked into by cutting into the bark, and the borer destroyed. 
 The wound should then be covered over with such material that will 
 prevent the action of the atmosphere from injuring the tree. 
 
 SPAN WORM. 
 
 In 1891 there appeared in this State, at Santa Barbara, a caterpillar 
 commonly known as the "span worm," infesting the walnut in great 
 numbers, and in some places the trees were almost completely defoliated. 
 The insect is easily subdued by the following remedy: Paris green, 1 
 pound; water, 200 gallons. The remedy is applied as soon as the cater- 
 pillars make their appearance in the spring. 
 
 
 
 WALNUT APHIS. . 
 
 This insect attacks the walnut in some sections, and its exudations 
 form on the tree a sort of "honey dew," which forms into a fungus and 
 renders the foliage and husks quite black. 
 
 The black Australian ladybugs, Rhizobius vev trails, Rhizobius debelis, 
 and Rhizobius Toowoombse, have kept this insect in check, through which 
 agencies the injury is not felt. 
 
 WALNUT BACTERIOSIS. 
 
 The only known disease, aside from " root knot," reported as attack- 
 ing the walnut, which has caused some alarm, is a species of fungi. 
 
 *"Ifc is not known as yet whether the primary cause of the trouble is due to some 
 derangement of the vital functions of the plant or to parasitic organisms. The progress 
 and destructive action of the disease are certainly very apparent. A small black spot 
 first appears on the side of the nut husk while the'kernel is still in the milk. The death 
 of tissue beneath this spot gradually extends, spreading inward, and soon reaches the 
 shell. Unless the shell is already hard the decay penetrates through the soft meat of 
 the nut within, and the whole is soon disorganized and turns black. * * * A study 
 
 * Report of Division of Vegetable Pathology. Department of Agriculture, 1893, p. 272. 
 
38 THE WALNUT — ENEMIES. 
 
 of the diseased tissue shows the presence of a hacillus, the organism being constantly- 
 present. Pure cultures of the bacillus have been obtained from spring inoculations, the 
 tissue of the nut husk being too lirm in the latter part of the season to test the action of 
 the organism with any degree of certainty. Observations indicate that unfavorable root 
 conditions for the trees may have an important bearing on the primary development of 
 the trouble." 
 
 This disease was reported as being prevalent among walnut trees in 
 the central part of the State in 1891. Since then, however, the trees are 
 said to have recovered, and, on investigation, it was found that it was 
 not this disease, but the trouble was caused by the soil drying out in the 
 summer, causing the trees to lose considerable of their foliage and the 
 nuts to shrivel. 
 
 This bacterial or mysterious disease has made its appearance in vari- 
 ous walnut orchards in different parts of the State, and threatens to seri- 
 ously affect the walnut groves unless checked by some effective remedy. 
 The disease has been termed Bacteriosis of walnuts, by Prof. Newton B. 
 Pierce, Assistant U. S. Pathologist, and is described* by him as follows: 
 
 " Bacteriosis of walnuts is a bacterial disease of the nut, branch, and leaf parts of the 
 Persian walnut {Juglans regia). Inoculation experiments have demonstrated that other 
 forms of Juglans may also be artificially infected by the organism. Under natural con- 
 ditions the nut of the Persian tree is very commonly infected in the blossom, at or about 
 the time of pollination. Secondary infections may take place through any portion of 
 the hull of the tender nut, especially during the more rapid growth of spring. The new 
 shQots and leaves may be infected at any portion which is tender and rapidly growing, 
 but most of these infections actually take place at or near the growing point of such 
 shoots, and only become distinct to the naked eye after rapid growth has left the infected 
 part some distance down the branch. Injury to the cells of the nut, branch, or leaf parts 
 is effected by the organism by means of an enzym, or ferment. This enzym acts chem- 
 ically upon the tissues surrounding the point of infection, destroying the cells and pre- 
 paring them as pabulum for the multiplying bacilli. This enzym is capable of destroying 
 the tender cells of the hull, newly forming shell, and the contents of the kernel. As any 
 or all of these parts become hard with age, less injury is done through infection by this 
 germ. In case of blossom infection the nut is usually badly diseased, and, in a majority 
 of cases, will fall when one third or two thirds grown. Lateral infection of the hull is 
 less likely to wholly destroy the 7iut, but very commonly causes it to fall or the hull to 
 adhere to the shell in such a manner as to make the nut unfit for market. Wherever 
 the nut becomes infected the parts eventually turn back, owing to the oxidation of the 
 tannic acid. When the disease is actually spreading, however, a circle next the healthy 
 tissue usually assumes a watery appearance, which may be used as a character quite 
 distinctive of this disease. This watery ring is where the enzym is acting upon the 
 healthy cells often in advance of the presence of the organism itself. The characters 
 here given for infected nuts are equally applicable to infected branches. 
 
 "The germs of this disease are capable of wintering either in the diseased branch or 
 nut. 
 
 "The treatment of walnut bacteriosis has already shown some beneficial results. 
 Over forty acres of spraying experiments were set on foot last spring. This work was 
 done with the leading fungicides, but as the disease is now known to be of bacterial 
 nature, it will be attempted to prevent the same by means of some of the leading germi- 
 cides, with which, applied as winter sprays, it is hoped to obtain even better and cheaper 
 results than with the standard fungicides. As this work is still in progress, and certainly 
 cannot be completed inside of another year, it cannot be summarized at this time. It 
 may be said, however, in absence of the perfection of better methods, that the Bordeaux 
 mixture applied to the tree just before the growth of spring starts, and again to the nuts 
 as soon after pollination as possible, will certainly prevent a portion of the infections 
 which would otherwise take place. It has also been found of advantage to gather and 
 destroy diseased nuts, and to prune away diseased branches during the winter. It is 
 hoped that another season given to the testing of germicides may develop some more 
 specific manner of preventing infection. No treatment looking to the cure of diseased 
 nuts or branches may be hoped for ; all treatment must be preventive." 
 
 In the " California Fruit-Grower " of October 17, 1896, Professor Pierce 
 adds to the above the following note: 
 
 "The walnut disease has a wide distribution on this coast, extending as far north as 
 Stockton, and south to. San Diego County. There probably are, however, large inter- 
 vening regions not affected. The disease* does no special damage to the year-old wood 
 
 * In California Fruit-Grower, September 2G, 1896. 
 
THE WALNUT — AEEA OF CULTURE IN STATE. 
 
 59 
 
 only spreading a new growth, hence there is no clanger whatever of the tree being killed 
 outright— it is largely a matter of loss of crop and injury to spring growth. Its spread 
 will largely depend on the atmospheric conditions each spring. Moisture of the atmos- 
 phere is favorable to the disease, and a dry atmosphere is unfavorable to it." 
 
 BOOT KNOT OR GALLS. 
 
 (Plate XVII, Fig. 2.) 
 
 Among walnut trees these so-called " root knots " or " galls " have of 
 late been quite prevalent. The origin of this curious disease is not 
 fully known, but, in some cases, it is the work of a minute insect— the 
 nematode. So far, the best remedy is to cut away the knots or galls and 
 completely remove the affected wood, and apply a solution of blue- 
 stone in the fall, as strong as the water will dissolve. This is applied 
 with a swab, and the earth again thrown back. The safest way to use 
 bluestone is in the form of Bordeaux mixture, which can be applied 
 any time of year. Take sulphate of copper, 16 pounds; lime, 30 pounds. 
 Dissolve the sulphate of copper in 22 gallons of water; in another vessel 
 slack the lime in 6 gallons of water. When the latter mixture has 
 cooled, pour it slowly into the copper solution, care being taken to mix 
 the fluids by constant stirring. 
 
 (15) AREA OF WALNUT CULTURE IN STATE. 
 
 The walnut is now found growing throughout the State in almost 
 every county. In 1892 a tree census was made by the State Board of 
 Horticulture, through agents in the field, and the following acreage was 
 found to be in walnuts: 
 
 County. 
 
 Bearing, 
 Acres. 
 
 Not 
 Bearing, 
 Acres. 
 
 Total Acres. 
 
 Alameda _ 
 
 Alpine 
 
 28 
 
 8 
 
 36 
 
 Amador.. 
 
 Butte 
 
 3 
 
 5 
 
 12 
 
 20 
 
 6 
 7 
 
 11 
 40 
 50 
 
 9 
 12 
 
 Calaveras 
 
 23 
 
 Colusa .. _. ... 
 
 60 
 
 Contra Costa 
 
 50 
 
 Del Norte 
 
 
 
 El Dorado 
 
 3 
 
 10 
 
 30 
 
 3 
 
 1 
 
 30 
 
 5 
 
 60 
 50 
 
 8 
 
 Fresno* 
 
 Glenn 
 
 70 
 80 
 
 Humboldt 
 
 3 
 
 Inyo 
 
 3 
 
 41 
 
 4 
 
 Kern .. 
 
 71 
 
 Kings 
 
 Lake . _ 
 
 
 15 
 
 60 
 
 2 
 
 37 
 
 1 
 4 
 
 75 
 
 Lassen 
 
 2 
 
 Los Angeles 
 
 1,752 
 
 1,789 
 
 Marin .. 
 
 1 
 
 Mariposa.. 
 
 8 
 
 12 
 
 Merced 
 
 7 
 
 7 
 
 14 
 
 Modoc . -- 
 
 
 Mono .- 
 
 
 
 
 Monterey. ... 
 
 7 
 
 12 
 
 13 
 
 1,467 
 
 16 
 
 28 
 
 6 
 
 1,125 
 
 23 
 
 
 40 
 
 Nevada. - 
 
 19 
 
 Orange - 
 
 2,592 
 
 * Before Madera County was formed. 
 
40 
 
 THE WALNUT — AREA OF CULTURE IN STATE. 
 Area of Walnut Culture in State— Continued. 
 
 County. 
 
 Bearing, 
 Acres. 
 
 Not 
 
 Bearing, 
 
 Acres. 
 
 Total Acres. 
 
 Placer 
 
 7 
 
 15 
 
 22 
 
 Plumas 
 
 
 Sacramento 
 
 San Benito .. 
 
 26 
 
 35 
 
 13 L 
 
 389 
 
 27 
 
 245 
 
 18 
 9 
 
 70 
 178 
 
 42 
 234 
 
 44 
 44 
 
 San Bernardino* 
 
 San Diego 
 
 201 
 567 
 
 San Joaquin 
 
 69 
 
 San Luis Obispo 
 
 San Mateo ..- 
 
 479 
 
 Santa Barbara 
 
 1,117 
 
 10 
 
 3 
 
 786 
 
 7 
 
 10 
 
 1,903 
 17 
 
 Santa Clara . 
 
 Santa Cruz . 
 
 13 
 
 Sbasta _ 
 
 
 Sierra 
 
 2 
 1 
 
 12 
 
 38 
 
 
 2 
 
 Siskiyou 
 
 Solano 
 
 1 
 
 57 
 
 42 
 
 3 
 
 2 
 
 26 
 
 2 
 69 
 
 Sonoma 
 
 Stanislaus 
 
 80 
 3 
 
 Sutter 
 
 13 
 4 
 
 20 
 
 4 
 
 7 
 
 997 
 
 15 
 
 Tehama.. 
 
 30 
 
 Trinity 
 
 Tulare 
 
 Tuolumne 
 
 Ventura .. 
 
 20 
 
 8 
 " 6 
 5,308 
 
 12 
 13 
 
 6,305 
 
 Yolo 
 
 Yuba 
 
 5 
 
 3 
 
 8 
 
 
 
 Totals 
 
 6,520 
 
 8,392 
 
 14,912 
 
 No reports were made from Alpine, Del Norte, Modoc, Mono, and 
 Plumas counties, where it is doubtful, on account of climatic conditions, 
 if walnut trees will grow. On the other hand, no reports were received 
 from Mendocino, San Mateo, Shasta, and Yolo counties, where orchards 
 of recent planting are located. Thus it will be seen that the bulk of 
 the walnut orchards are in the lower counties, where the tree finds a 
 congenial home and most favorable conditions essentially required. 
 Ventura County leads, with 6,305 acres; Orange is next, with 2,592 
 acres; Santa Barbara is third, with 1,903 acres; then comes Los Angeles 
 with 1,789 acres, San Diego with 567 acres, San Luis Obispo with 479 
 acres, and San Bernardino with 201 acres. The total acreage in the 
 State in that year was given at 14,912 acres, of which 6,520 were in 
 bearing. Readers no doubt understand how difficult it is to obtain 
 accurate statistics, and while we make no pretention of the above figures 
 being strictly correct, yet we believe they are approximately correct and 
 show to what extent this industry is carried on in the various counties. 
 The County Assessors are obliged to gather a complete tree census every 
 year, and while they endeavor to comply with the law as well as they 
 can, they are hindered from furnishing a true account through the 
 laxity of the growers, who reluctantly give the figures of their orchards. 
 The gathering of such statistics yearly, however, serves a good purpose, 
 as the reports show where fruits of the different kinds are produced 
 and the extensions that are made in this line. 
 
 Before Riverside County was formed. 
 
THE WALNUT — CULTURAL RANGE IN THE UNITED STATES. 
 
 41 
 
 According to the Assessors' returns there were growing in 1896 the 
 following number of walnut trees in the State, in the various counties: 
 
 Alameda 2,200 
 
 Amador 250 
 
 Butte 1,1X5 
 
 Calaveras 500 
 
 Colusa 7,880 
 
 Contra Costa. 4,650 
 El Dorado.— 1,125 
 
 Fresno 2,279 
 
 Glenn - 12,000 
 
 Inyo 390 
 
 Kern 981 
 
 Los Angeles.. 140,675 
 
 Marin 75 
 
 Mariposa 280 
 
 Madera 71 
 
 Mendocino .. 112 
 
 Merced 933 
 
 Modoc 56 
 
 Monterey 478 
 
 Napa 11,350 
 
 Nevada 3,000 
 
 Orange 137,223 
 
 Placer 1,685 
 
 Riverside 7,803 
 
 Sacramento.. 3,272 
 San Benito... 3,405 
 S'n Bernardi'o 11,500 
 San Diego.... 19,491 
 San Joaquin. 2,475 
 S'n L'is Obispo 17,595 
 San Mateo... 400 
 Santa Barbara 21,010 
 Santa Clara .. 11,601 
 Santa Cruz. -. 4,580 
 Shasta 2,406 
 
 Sierra 50 
 
 Solano 2,979 
 
 Sonoma 4,286 
 
 Stanislaus 270 
 
 Sutter.... 2,734 
 
 Tehama 7,414 
 
 Trinitv 50 
 
 Tulare. 350 
 
 Tuolumne 985 
 
 Ventura 69,819 
 
 Yuba 1,900 
 
 Total - 525,753 
 
 Note. — The Assessor of Lake County returns the following figures, which are not in 
 the above list, viz.: Under one year, 10,083 ; under two years, 351 ; under three years, 32 ; 
 under four years, 308. 
 
 The walnut is generally planted at from 40 to 50 feet apart, and as 
 an average 40 feet would be safe to calculate the acreage of the State. 
 Therefore, allowing twenty-seven trees to the acre, at 40 feet apart, we 
 have in the State 19,472 acres in 1896, as per Assessors' returns, of which 
 8,814 acres are in bearing, and 10,658 acres are non-bearing. 
 
 VALUATION OF WALNUT ORCHARDS. 
 
 As indicating the value of a walnut orchard (irrespective of the land 
 or location), the following schedule of valuations, fixed by a convention 
 of Assessors of the southern counties in 1891, is appended: 
 
 1 to 3 years planted.. - $5 00 per acre. 
 
 4 years planted - 10 00 per acre. 
 
 5 years planted --- 15 00 per acre. 
 
 6 years planted .- - 20 00 per acre. 
 
 15 years planted - 100 00 per acre. 
 
 (15) CULTURAL RANGE OF THE WALNUT (Juglans Regia) IN 
 THE UNITED STATES. 
 
 According to " Nut Culture in the United States," the cultural range 
 of the walnut in the United States is mostly confined to the Pacific 
 Coast, and California in particular. *" East of the Rocky Mountains 
 the Persian walnut has been most successful in a limited area along the 
 Atlantic slope, from New York southward through New Jersey, south- 
 western Pennsylvaia, central Virginia, North Carolina, and Georgia. 
 The tree endures the winters in favored localities near the coast as far 
 north as Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts, but has never 
 been planted there except in very small way. Some very fine old trees 
 are reported from Rochester, N. Y., where they are in old gardens in the 
 suburbs of the city. The finest and most fruitful specimens reported 
 are at Fordham, N. Y., Princeton, N. J., Germantown and Philadelphia, 
 Pa., and Georgetown, D. C, some of these being a hundred years old 
 and bearing large crops of nuts of fair quality." 
 
 *"~Nut Culture in the United States." Special Report, Department of Agriculture, 
 1896, p. 29. 
 
42 THE WALNUT — CULTURE IN EUROPE. 
 
 A few trees are mentioned as existing at Marietta, Pa., at Red Hill, 
 Va., at Fall Church, Va., in Delaware, Florida, and the Mississippi 
 Valley, with fair and no success. In Michigan but few trees have been 
 planted, and late experiments in a limited way in Indiana are quite 
 promising, also in Kentucky and Tennessee. In Louisiana a few 
 experiments promise well, but are very limited in scope, and the same 
 is said of Texas. In Arizona the walnut has been planted quite exten- 
 sively, and from specimens exhibited from there, that territory is bound 
 to become a competitor with California in the walnut trade, and the 
 same applies to Oregon, where the industry is now being pursued. In 
 California the walnut finds the conditions for its culture the most favor- 
 able, and the industry is extending annually. 
 
 (17) WALNUT-GROWING IN EUROPE* 
 
 By Hon. Eugene Germain, U. S. Consul, Zurich, Switzerland. 
 
 
 In answer to a letter from the Los Nietos and Ranchito Walnut- 
 Growers' Association of California, of June 4th, requesting information 
 about the foreign walnut crop, I said: 
 
 «" Switzerland does not grow walnuts on a large scale, but almost every farmer in the 
 valleys has a few trees scattered on his ranch, and principally along the roadways. The 
 annual output is small and some years not sufficient to supply the home demand. In 
 years of abundance, a good article of salad oil is made from walnuts. The trees are 
 hardy and not subject to scale, blight, or other diseases, the only serious enemy of the 
 walnut being late frosts, of which there were none this season. The principal walnut- 
 growing districts of Europe are France, Italy, and Austria-Hungary. 
 
 "I will at once take the necessary steps to obtain the information you desire, and 
 within two weeks or so post you, if possible, on this season's crop outlook." 
 
 I now beg to inform the association, through the Department, that 
 from reports I have received from the United States Consuls at Frank- 
 fort, Vienna, Naples, Bordeaux, Marseilles, Castellamare, and Sorrento, 
 I am able to report as follows: 
 
 Walnuts are, to a certain extent, as in Switzerland, grown all over 
 Europe, but in most countries, such as Germany, Belgium, Holland, 
 etc., the yield is small, and some years not sufficient to supply the 
 home demand, the deficit being supplied from the more favored walnut- 
 growing countries. Thus it will be seen that France, Italy, and Austria- 
 Hungary are the only countries raising that article in sufficient 
 quantities for export. 
 
 FRANCE. 
 
 The French walnut-growing districts are the departments of Dordogne, 
 Correze, Lot, and the Grenoble district, in the department of Isere. The 
 Grenoble nuts are of especially fine quality, being of the soft-shell variety, 
 large, white meat, and running uniformly. These nuts yield the grower 
 from 93 to 105 francs per 100 kilograms (about 8 to 9.18 cents per 
 American pound). The latter price is for Grenoble nuts. 
 
 The crop in France this year is good. It compares favorably with 
 former years, and is as good as in 1895. The 1895 crop was above the 
 average, and that of 1894 below. 
 
 ♦Consular Report No. 192, pp. 149-151, September, 1896. 
 
THE WALNUT — CULTURE IN EUROPE. 43 
 
 The principal points of export for France are Bordeaux, Marseilles' 
 and Havre. 
 
 The trees in France are not subject to scale, blight, or other diseases. 
 The orchards are mostly small and owned by farmers. 
 
 ITALY. 
 
 The Italian walnut-growing districts are the Neapolitan provinces 
 around Naples, Castellamare di Stabia, and Sorrento. The points of 
 export are Naples and Sorrento. 
 
 In Italy, this year's crop compares favorably with former years. 
 Last year's (1895) crop was one fourth less than a medium crop and 
 somewhat inferior to the average. 
 
 The principal growing district is Piassio di Sorrento. The trees are, 
 to some extent, owing to climatic influences, subject to scale and blight 
 diseases. The walnuts bring on an average $9 25 per 100 kilograms, 
 or from 4| to 5i cents per American pound. The extent of orchards is 
 the same as in France. 
 
 AUSTRIA-HUNGARY. 
 
 The walnut-growing districts of Austria are in the lower part of the 
 empire, or what is known as " Nieder Oestreich." In first line, comes 
 what is known as the Steiermark, where the crop is a medium one; 
 second, M'ahren, a good crop; and third, Bosnia, where the crop pros- 
 pects are excellent. Last year's crop was a light, medium one in the 
 above-named districts, and the nuts, as a rule, are poor, not well filled, 
 small, and of the hard, thick-shelled variety. In Hungary, the districts 
 of Nagy, Banya, and Grosswardein produce an excellent nut of good 
 quality, large, white meated, and well filled, and, as my informant tells 
 me, compares favorably with the French Marbeaux nuts. No figures as 
 to prices are given. 
 
 The point of export for Austria-Hungary is Trieste. 
 
 Trees are hardy and not subject to diseases, as scale, etc. 
 
 WALNUT EXPORTS TO THE UNITED STATES. 
 
 In order that the California walnut-grower may know where he has to 
 look for competition, and what quantities of walnuts are exported to the 
 United States, I have copied and give below the points of shipment and 
 the declared values of walnut exports in dollars (I am unable to get 
 figures as to quantities) to the United States for the last two quarters 
 of the years 1894 and 1895, these being the periods of the year in which 
 
44 
 
 THE WALNUT — CULTURE IN EUROPE. 
 
 walnuts are gathered and shipped, and as given in the United States 
 Treasury returns for the above-named years: 
 
 Whence Exported. 
 
 1895. 
 
 1894. 
 
 French. 
 Havre . 
 
 $50,832 39 
 
 156,579 01 
 
 58,886 00 
 
 73,584 00 
 
 2,624 43 
 10,256 00 
 34,076 00 
 
 $12,281 00 
 
 
 82,282 00 
 
 Grenoble district - 
 
 52,788 00 
 
 
 174,445 00 
 
 Italian. 
 (Jastellamare di Stabia 
 
 71,809 32 
 
 
 19,755 85 
 
 Sorrento - - 
 
 None. 
 
 Austria-Hungary is not credited with any walnut export to the 
 United States. The only other country growing walnuts which exports 
 them to New York and San Francisco that I know of, is Chile. These, 
 as a rule, reach New York and San Francisco in the month of August, 
 and the only data I can find in the United States Treasury returns as 
 to the walnut export from that source is that contained in the returns 
 for*the quarter ended September 30, 1894, in which Chile is credited 
 with an export figure of $5,844 48 for that year. No figures are given 
 for 1895, and I presume no walnuts were received. 
 
 Zurich, July 14, 1896. 
 
THE WALNUT. 
 
 PLATE X. 
 
 ».* 
 
 iUtt ! 
 
 
 H 1 
 
 9. 10. 11. 
 
 JUGLANS .REGIA, JUGLANS NlGRA, AND JuGLANS SlEBOLDIANA. 
 
THE WALNUT 
 
 PLATE XI. 
 
 M 
 
 
 JUGLANS REGIA. 
 
EXPLANATION OF PLATE X. 
 . THE WALNUT. 
 
 1. California Paper-Shell. 
 
 2. "English" (so called). 
 
 3. Mayette. 
 
 4. Japanese (/. Sieboldiana) . 
 
 5. Franquette. 
 
 6. Ford's Improved Soft-Shell. 
 
 7. Cluster. 
 
 8. Rivera Soft-Shell. 
 
 9. American Black (/. Americana). 
 
 10. Improved Soft-Shell. 
 
 11. California Black (/. Calif ornica). 
 
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 
 
 I llll II 
 000 918 833 2 
 
 EXPLANATION OF PLATE XL 
 
 THE WALNUT. 
 
 1. Fertile. 
 
 2. Mobart. 
 
 3. Serotina (St. John). 
 
 4. Gant (Syn. Bijou). 
 
 5. Grenoble. 
 
 6. Ford's Eureka. 
 
 7. Rivera Hard-Shell. 
 
 8. Proeparturiens. 
 
 9. Charberte. 
 
C 
 
. TRRftRV OF CONGRESS 
 
 ■m 
 
 000 918 833 * •