The record-union., 1896-04-11

are cited. A nurseryman at Ventura
observed a large Seeding English wal
nut tree, which, from its luxuriant
growth and symmetrical form, he be-
lieved would be a variety worthy of cul-
tivation. Accordingly, In the spring of
1886, he planted forty pounds of nuts
gathered from tina. tree. When the
seedlings bore none Of them produced
nuts Of any commercial value. This, of
course, proved to him a sad disappoint-
ment. and after waiting ten years for q
crop dug them up. Some Of the trees
had become Of large dimensions and had
long, spreading branches, and were al
ways quite full OF nuts, but without
kernels-aal hull and shell. This func-
tiona1 difference was investigated; the
trees were found to produce an abun-
dance Of flowers OF the same sex, and
through this imperfect fertilization of
the flowers the kernels in the nuts did
not form-they were wanting. 1t is also
interesting to note that no attempt was
made to correct this curious phenome-
non by artificial cross pollination by
distributing pollen from staminate cat
kins, or male flowers, Of other trees be-
fore digging UP the trees.
Through the continuous planting of
the seed, without regard to the laws of
nature, has come about the degenera-
ton Of the species in many sections.
Trees are frequently reported as hav-
Ing never borne nuts; others bloom
profusely, but are blooms Of only one
sex; the nuts have never set and have
become barren waste This Is a
summary OF the reports that have been
continuously received for years past.
In recent years more attention has been
paid to the morphology of the walnut,
and 1t is now better understood.
w. H.. Jessup. Haywards, before the
State Horticultural Society, April 27,
1883, said:
II have a few trees of the ordinary
English walnut. In 1873 the staminate
blossoms came out in the latter part of
March; they dropped off and perished
on the ground. About the 10Th Of April
the pistillates made their 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 be-
tween the 18th and the 18th, the pistil-
lates made their first appearance. The
result was had no walnuts
"The next year, 1880. found that the
blossoming period came closer together,
within few days. About the 1st of
April the staminate blossoms dropped
off, and in few days the pistillates be-
gan to make their appearance. 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 may mention that al
mond-growers were in worse predica-
ment, and in many sections the culture
OF the almond was abandoned. The
LanguedOc, variety first introduced,
was found to produce an extraordi-
narily large number of female flowers
and few males. The morphology of the
almond was studied with wonderful re-
suits, and many Of these same locali-
ties are again planted to the almond
and are among the leading almond
growing sections of the State. 1t was
found that by planting different varie-
ties in an orchard alternately the pollen
would inteYmix and aid in the setting
of the fruit. This, however, was done
in many cases without studying their
blooming periods. and consequently
failure resulted.
For instance, Seeding trees of the bit
ter almond were planted in the orchard,
as they were profuse bearers, but the
time Of blooming was not considered.
| Af &he oil
among the first to bloom, and put forth
two weeks or more ahead Of the stand
ard 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 through other unfa-
vcrable conditions, thus 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. !
know of no instance where this has been
tried on the walnut, but 1t is certainly
worthy of trial as it may tend to cor
| rect this curious phenomenon among
some of our walnut orchards COM
planned of consisting Of trees grown
from seed. Of course with the almond
the experiment was much easier, be-
cause a1ter testing certain variety anO
| its merits became fully known, they
were reproduced by budding. The long
period required by the walnut to come
| into bearing was a bar to any expert
| ments in this line, and it was grown
from the seed almost altogether.
But this is no longer so. Fruit cult
ure has reached the hight Of perfection
and is now being conducted on broader
lines and scientific principles. Inferior
seedlings are giving way to grated and
| budded trees of the choicest kinds, OF
| to seedlings of choice selection. Their
| habits are studied, and the novice or the
grower does not have to wait and un-
dergo years of toll and anxiety to ac-
quire results, but can profit by the ex-
perience of others who have made fruit
culture the study of their lives, and who
show their liberanty and warm hearted
ness by sharing this knowledge with
their neighbors.
cable and Progressive
(From the Benicia New Era.)
Tvvafo MI ie