Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1878-04-04
NUT.GROWING IN CALIFOR-
MA.
Interesting and Important Facts
Relative 10 the Industry.
From the Santa Barbara Press.

Frsm the Santa Barbara Press.
Nut culture is likely to become one
ofthe leading features of husbandry in
the Carpinteria at no distant day in the
future. The tendency to small farms,
the peculiar location of our valley with
regard to ocean and mountain, the su
perior excellence of climate, and a
very deep, rich soil combine to make
it the most favored Of all places for the
production of the finer varieties of nuts
and fruits common to both temperate
and semi-trOpical countries.
1t is our intention to give in as brief
a manner as possible the facts and tig-
ures relating to the growing of English
walnuts and almonds, together with
some remarks bearing directly upon
the subject, and aside from affording
the casual reader an idea of the busi-
ness of nut-culture as here managed, 1t
may also furnish valuable Information
to those who are thinking of planting
orchards.
Quite number of large orchards of
nut bearing trees are already planted
in the valley in the valley-including
the walnut orchards of Knapp, Schultz,
and Colby, and the almond orchards
of Pardee, Walker and others. But as
these have not yet come into bearing
to any extent, we will have to draw
our data at present from the only two
mature orchards of any considerable
size, viz: the walnut orchard of Mr..
Heath and the almond orchard of Mr..
Olmstead.
Mr.. Heath's orchard contains about
cP .arinr HhnU
from eight to eighteen years old, and
produced 300 sacks of dry nuts in. 1876,
and last year 200 sacks. The sacks av-
erage 40 pounds each, which gives 21,-
600 pounds for 1876, and II, 600 for last
year-the dry year. At 9 cents per
pound the amounts realized were $3.50
and $l260 respectively. Taking the
product of 1876 as probable average
as many of the trees are yet young
the profits are fraction over S29 per
acre. No very approximate estimate
of the expense of gathering could be
had, but it is probably about the same
as in the almond business.
AS the nuts ripen the husk opens
like chestnut bur, and the nut drops
upon the ground, and once or twice
per week, through the ripening season,
they ARE gathered up and placed In a
dry house, or in the sun till they are
dry enough to sack. AS these trees
are planted at various distances, the
number per acre is not given. But
owing to the continual spreading of
the branches, Mr.. Heath is of the Opin-
ion that they should be set 100 feet
apart each way. We have no doubt
that they would some time occupy that
much space; but as that would allow
but fraction IN ore than four trees per
acre, we think that 90 f Ell apart, which
would give little more than II to the
acre, would b. more economical with
regard to time 1t least, and we believe
his trees will average about that dis.
tance as they stand.
Mr.. Olmstead'S alnI)Dd orchard oc.
cupies 141 acres. The .rees are set 20
x14 feet, which is sli, ly more than
155 per acre. This, Mr.. Olmstead
thinks, is little too clos Is feet apart
making 1876 to the acre, is probably
about the proper distance.
The average age Of the trees is Z
years from the bud, or 6 years from
planting. This orchard yiel1ed Is ,375
lbs. of dry nuts ready TOR market in
1876, and 1000 lbs. last year. AT 16c
per 10. for 1876, and 15c per Id. for the
crop of last year, the amounts are
S2124 aud S1050 respectively.
Taking the crop of 1876 as an average,
for the same reason as in the other
case, the gross profits per acre are
SAG so. The expense OF harvesting
the crop of 1876 wa| q per cent of the
gross receipts, and it. is probable that
this would about equal the per cent Of
expense in gathering the walnut crop.
Both nuts ripen in September and
October. The almond orchard is gen.
orally gone over twice, and the nuts
are jarred from the branches with long
sticks and caught in sheets spread un-
der the trees. They are then taken to
the shuckers, and afterwards dried in
the sun and sacked.
The Messrs. Fish own a small Or
chard adjoining that of Mr.. Olmstead,
and of the same age, which produces
equally well.
In view of the above figures it would
appear at first that almonds are far
more profitable than English walnuts,
but to the end subject here would
be to convey an erroneous idea, as
there are other facts connected with
In0 IUdlJ6I WHlCu dIO nOt hSuACo, Jul
are just as important.
While the walnut seems to flourish
and produce well in almost every loca-
tion, the almond yields sparsely or
fails utterly in many places, and the
distance of one or two miles will, in
some instances, mark the difference
between entire success and total fail
ure; nor is there any perceptible law
governing this popularity. The only
sure way is to test location with
few trees before planting an orchard.
One other fact in favor OF the walnut
is, that the tree, once planted, will live
for generations, but as it takes 8 years
for them to come into bearing, even
with the best of care, one has need to
begin the business with Il good stock
of patience. The almond produces ut
years old if the location is favorable.
AS these species of nuts can only be
grown in favored parts of the country,
and as the Dlarket is worldwide, the
price and demand will likely continue
about as it now is. They are not a
perishable product and can be shipped
any distance without risk or inconve-
nitnce, as compared with other or
chard products. l.. b. HOGUE.
Carpinteria, Feb. q, 1878.
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