Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1916-02-04
PLANT BLACK WALNUT.
DESIRABLE rRER FOR WOOD LOT
AND UNUSED PLACES ON THE
Farm DIRECTIONS FOR PLANT
ING.

Because of the very high last
ing quantities of its wood and
the moderately rapid rate o.
growth of the tree in good loca-
tions, black walnut is one of the
most desirable trees to plant on
farm. Small patches of rough,
quilted. or unused land about the
farm and narrow strips along
nee rows and highways or
corners of barnyards and stock
lots make ideal places for plant
ing this valuable tree. The
method is simple, and the pres
ent heavy crop of nuts make this
year a most favorable time to
being work along this line. The
region where walnuts growing
is practic. b extends from south
ern New England west to the
Central States and south to
South Carolina and along tie
northern portions of the G nlf
States to Oklahoma. The fire. t
growth takes place in the rich
coyes of the lower Appalachian>
and over the Ohio and central
Mississippi basins.
The black walnut tree is CON-
paratively free from insect at
tack, particularly the wood. The
price of black walnut lumber in
recent years has been consistent.
~ high. Another factor to be
considered is the rapidly dimin.
'slling supply of walnut trees
over practically its entire range
in the United States, due to re-
cent cutting in order to meet the
demand for gun-stock material
Tile tree yields durable wood
which may be used for posts and
for a wide variety of purposes
about the farm in case it is not
sold in the lumber market.
In order to succeed we'll, wal.
nuts requires a rather good grade
of soil, hence no attempt should
be made to plant it on poor, thin
! oil or on hot, dry exposures
cave. situations for rapid
deve opment are on strong lime
stone soils. deep alluvial soils,
and stony loan soils along the
m,rgins of highlands. Since
the walnut tree requires laree
amount of light. it may success
fully be planted on open tracts
recently abandoned fields. In
this respect it resembles black
locust, which, however, grows
faster, but in many localities is
more or less subject to serious
attack by wondering beetle.
The walnut crop was particu.
larly heavy this year, affordine
a splendid opportunity 20 gatlle,
or buy seed for planting. Nuts
should be stored over winter and
planted the following spring.
They are best stored in pits
dug in the ground, the bottom
OF the pit being covered with
leaf litter or straw, on which a
.:3-inch LAYER of nuts is placed,
then a layer Of litter, and so OH,
cov.riug lie whole with soil SC
as to leave the surface few
inches higher than the general
level. Planting should be done
about the time termination be-
gins. In eastern United States
north of the Gulf States, this is
dlrirs the month of March and
and early April. Squirrels, chip.
munks. and hogs are serious
pests if present in numbers ard
would more than likely succet d
in making away with MAORI y
of the nuts if they are planted i'll
the fall. Small tracts, however,
surrounded by cultivated fields
and other places where these
lanimals are known to be scare
might safely be planted in tie
early or late winter when lab. r
is more accessible than in tie
spring.
TO plant tile nuts, make a
small hole with a mattock or hoe,
drop one one or two nuts in each
hole and cover them with about
z inches of fresh, firmly packed
soil. For the larger areas, a
good spacing in forest planta-
tions is to dig the holes 8 feet
apart each way or s by 10 feet,
which amounts to $50 and 545
holes per acre for the two spac-
ings. For small areas. or along
fence rows and highways, the
spacing should be about 8 feet
in the row. unless permanent
shade is desired. in which case
the distance should be 20 feet
d.,r:su I, N q. Il, ~a~.oI 80