Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1882-12-27
Plant Nut Trees.

The awakening attention to forestry in
this country will lead some farmers in the
east as well as in the west TO take an inter
est In promoting the growth Of forest trees
While this is under consideration we would
like such Of our readers as do feel the i'm
portance of the subject to the value of for
est trees not only as firewood or timber, but
also as producers of food products. The
only forest tree regarded generally in this
light amongst us is the sugar maple; but
the nut-bearing trees are by no means des-
titute Of Importance. In the Champlain
and lower Connection valleys the chestnut
and the hickory, as well as the beech and the
butternut, thrive perfectly, and all Of them
are worthy of extensive planting. The oak,
also, though not producing nut of much
edible value for man, will yield an abun
dance Of excellent food for swine, and the
same may be said of the black walnut Now,
instead OF planting all naples or elms or
sizes, why cannot those men, young or old,
.yho begin to feel the spirit of tree-planting
spring up within them, consider the value
of these nut trees, and plant their one, two,
or ten acres with at least fair proportion
of this class The timber of chestnuts, but
ternuts, hickories, oaks, beeches and black
walnuts is all Of high value, and they are
not inferior to other forest trees for fire.
wood Thereto their nuts, be their value
more or less, may be considered as clear
profit. In Ohio, and other well forested
western states, this crop of nuts (or mast
as they call it), is, in well-bearing years,
of much advantage for swinefeeding, and
in such years great amount of the corn
crop can be diverted to the feeding and fat.
tening of other kinds of stock. Chestnuts,
butternuts and black walnuts will come to
bearing quite as soon as any apple trees,
while the hickories, oak and beeches are not
far behind such kinds as the Northern Spy,
st. Lawrence. Perhaps some do not know
that the black walnut succeeds as well as
the butternut in New England, but such is
the fact, and both of them come into quite
full bearing within ten years from planting
the seed, if the soil is good and they have
proper attention. We have half-a.dozen
butternuts in our yard now bearing in their
eighth year from seed that have been once
transplanted, and since then have been in
grass all the time, in place much too dry
for the best results. The black walnut is
very thrifty on Grand Isle, and we have
lately received from our highly valued
friend and correspondent, Mr.. j. T. Ma
comber, box of fine and well-filled nuts
grown there, which we propose to plant in
the spring. Nuts will often grow even after
being dried if properly treated. Mr.. Macon
ber gives US valuable information on this
subject as follows: "Some years ago pro.
cured in the spring some hickory nuts that
came from the west, very large sort (Caryo
sulcata), that had been dry all winter. l
placed each nut in wise and turned the
screw very slowly until 1 heard sligh,
cracking; then they were placed in water
for three or four days; then planted, and
nearly every one grew. Last fall QSSD
got some almonds and pecan nuts that were
perfectly dry. / soaked them in water a
few days, without cracking, and planted
them. In the spring the almonds all
sprouted, and the pecans were sound, but
they were in fence corner and the squir.
rels got them ALL"
In our own planting of butternuts and
acorns we have cut out circle of sod two
feet across and three inches thick, and
turned it bottom side up in the same spot
Then we have loosened up the dirt on the
turned sod so as just to be able to bury the
nuts out of sight. This was done in the
fall, and after this we merely turned a
basket of leaves over the spot, laid boards
on them to keep them in place and keep the
squirrels and mice from them, and left them
until spring, when, just as the nuts were
sprouting, the boards were taken off. Three
or four nuts are planted in place, and in
extensive planting the hills may be made
six or eight feet each way. The young
trees, if thus planted in grass, ought to be
kept well mulcbed, (using all the grass, etc.
that grows around them), and after one OF
two years growth each hill should bethinned
to single specimen. The plants removed
may be transplanted with success if care
fully replanted and well mulched,-at least
we know the butternuts and chestnuts can
and we have no doubt that black walnuts
and perhaps oaks and hickories may be, il
care is used to dig carefully and not to keeI
them long out of the ground.