The French Broad hustler. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1896-1912, 1906-04-05
Nuts ON the Fa,m.

A~ Jim 1AC @ALDR
The following is from The Peach
Grower:
The tut Industry is new. So COM
pletely SO, it scarcely has a nomencla-
ture. Occasionally in the past there
appeared on the market an unusual
hickory nut, a chestnut of good size,
but indifferent quality; Il pecan. long.
but thick shelled; and so ON. But now
this lire of work is assuming the inn
portance of an industry.
And just rs soon as we realize that
nut trees will afford not only pleasure
i'll their care, but also considerable
profit, their worth as a cultivated
crop will be appreciated and careful
attention will be given them.
Nuts and raisins! What dish is more
wholesome or delicious, O healthful?
What food have we that combines
flesh materials and energy producing
material so cheaply, so completely?
And now nut trees can be well COM
bined with farming. Think of the
road-sides, often for niles devoid of
trees. I a thinks of nothing that
would add more to the value of a
farm than nut trees of various sorts
along the fence rows and the road
sides. Aside from the shade they
would make, the improved appearance
they would present, would come the
commercial value of the crop. Of
course this phase would not bring the
financial reward that a cultivated.
specially formed nut grove would.
Still its Importance should not be
overlooked.
The old road-sides and permanent
fence rows and old creeks and
branches would be ideal so far as
location for walnuts, peeans, chest
nuts and hickory nuts.
If you do not care to get nursery
stock, plant the nuts, but look after
them q little. Keep the weeds down;
dig around the young sprouts once or
twice a year. A bit of fertilizer will
tickle the roots, and a little breeding
in this way will bring about a faster
growth and a quicker full harvest.
Then don't neglect an occasional watch
over the young trees as they grow.
The caterpillars are enemies; burn
them out. Trimming will pay by max
ing a better appearing tree.
BY caring for trees in this manner
you can expect rather quick returns.
In more Northern climates. native wal
nuts, pecans. and hickories will usually
bear when they are twelve to fifteen
years old.
Chestnuts come in at a still earlier
age. In the Southern States most nut
trees that have been given care. and
attention will produce crops i'll five
or ten years.
The commercial orchard should re-
ceiye attention similarly given to the
apple, the peach or the pear; that is,
the orchards should be plowed and
cultivated; tile soil improved in a ply
steal way through the use of legumes.
cowpeas and clover. Fertilizers
should also be added to feed the tree;
and what else is needed to make good.
vigorous. healthy growth should be
done.
What is said here. is not a discus
sion about the commercial nut orchard:
different treatment is needed there.
There is Il plea for nuts on the farm:
a side issue that will mean good re-
suits in many ways. 1t means a
larger idea of the farm. We have
looked too long on the farm as corr
or wheat or cotton producer. Let us
look OH it as the great American in
stitu1ion and let us grow nuts to help
make that institution complete.
"