The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1921-02-10

Yea
Prepared by IN. United states Depart.
ment Of AgricuIture)
They were gathered about the farm.
house fire In the mellow tight Of a
swing lamp. and the head Of the house
sent his youngest son TO the
garrett for butternuts. A little later.
with an iron lapstone on his knees
and hammer In hand. he was produc-
ing rhythmic rap-rap-rap-crack-
rlink. as the crinkly brown shells split
open and we're tossed into basin ex.
posing their delicately Favored twin
meats.
This Is the last crop from that old
tree" he remarked. thoughtfully, paus-
ing after a few minutes Of fascinating
labor. "Rotted out. aud the wind got
Il last night And ! have gathered
nuts from that tree since I was q little
tike In short brooches"
The hammer rested for n few mo-
ments. and the fingers OF the farmers
left hand ran meiitatively through the
pile Of richly laden shells.
Fifty years." he unused. Fifty
springs I've seen the green come out
on the leaves: fifty falls 7 or my chill
dren or grandchildren have picked up
bushels OF nuts; and ffty winters I've
sat by the tire here and cracked them.
That butternut tree has been O good
old friend"
None to Take It's Place.
Yet. with all the pleasure that he
had obtained from that tree. the farm
err. thrifty In nearly everything. had
no new butternut trees coming up to
take the place OF the patriarch which
the wind destroyed.
II Is only recently that serious at
tention has been paid to nut-trees
planting. Landowners set out or
chards and plant trees In dooryards
and on the highways for shade; but
nut.bearing trees. which usually re-
quire eight TO fifteen years 10 come
into bearing. have been In a measure
neglected.
There are a number OF nut-bearing
SPECIES. say specialists OF the United
States Department OF Agriculture.
which grow as rapidly for shade as
the maple or elm. and which will yield
pleasure and some revenue for a quar-
ter or half a century after the first
few years of cultivation.
The butternut Is now being produced
by nurserymen and grows farther
north than most other species. But
ternut trees will bear In about eight
years and form an attractive yard or
roadside ornament. especially In the
northern states.
More attention, however. Is being
paid to Its relative. the black walnut.
The late war made heavy lnroads on
the ranks OF these fine old trees for
gunstocks, airplane parts, and other
material; but nurserymen already had
begun to grow young trees to make up
the loss. Contrary TO the common
idea, the black walnut Is not Deces-
sarlly a slow grower. Under good
conditions OF culture. II becomes one
OF our most rapid growing trees. es-
pecially OF the more valuable woods.
II has been known to bear few nuts
in six years At fifteen to twenty-five
Il is a heavy producer. and In old age
II II always a resource for timber.
The chestnut, which has been an I'm
portant resource for centuries, In now
one OF the tragedies Of freedom, due
TO the bark disease brought from
japan. The United States Depart
ment Of Agricultue and various nut
culture associations are now work
ing with some promise Of success TO
develop varieties which are blight
resistant. Until they arrive at estab-
llshed results. II will probably not be
wise to plant chestnuts In any sec
ton where the bark disease Is preva'
lent.
The shagbark hickory makes
handsome shade tree. and quite few
varieties have been propagated. shag-
barks generally come into bearing
after fifteen or twenty-five years. A
few hickory trees planted now would
be a comfortable resource for another
generation.
The beech Is a slow grower. and can
scarcely be classed as commercial
nut. but is an attractive and honey
tree where there Is room FOR its
spread. Beechnuts furnish dainties
for an evenings chat, or left on the
ground In woods and pastures they
furnish fatteuing material for pigs
and turkeys. II the beech tree 10
headed low. II offers less chance Tor
defacing Its smooth bark with jack
knife hieroglyphics.
One other interesting nut tree Is the
hilbert. or European hazel. II In one OF