The Kendrick gazette. [volume] (Kendrick, Idaho) 1892-1968, 1921-02-04

YSdS
Prepared BY tho United States Depart
ment Of Agricuiture)
They were gathered about the farm
house fire In the mellow light OF u
swing lamp. and the head Of the house
sent his youngest son to The
garret for butternuts. A little later.
with an iron lapstOne on his knees
and hammer In hand. lie was produc-
ing rhythmic rap-rap-rap-crack-
clink, as the crinkly brown shells split
open and were tossed into basin. ex-
posing their delicateIy Favored twin
meats.
This is the last crop from that old
tree" he remarked, thOughtfuIIy, paus-
ing after few minutes OF fascinating
labor. "ROtted out. and the wind GOT
1t last night. And have gathered
nuts from that tree since was little
tike in short breeches."
The hammer rested for a few mo-
ments, and the fingers of the farmers
left hand ran melitativeIy 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 I or my chill
dren or grandchildren have picked up
bushels of nuts; and fifty winters I've
sat by the fire here and cracked them.
That butternut tree has been good
old friend"
None to Take Its Place.
Yet. with all the pleasure that he
er. 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
chards and plant trees In dooryards
and on the highways for shade: but
nut-bearing trees. which usually re-
quire eight to fifteen years to come
into bearing, have been in measure
neglected.
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 u quar-
ter or half 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 inroads 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 neces-
sarily slow grower. Under good
conditions of culture, 1t becomes one
of our most rapid growing trees, es-
pecially of the more valuable woods.
L
In six years. At fifteen to twenty-five
1t Is a heavy producer. and In old age
1t Is always a resource for timber.
The chestnut, which has been an i'm
portant resource for CENTURIES, Is now
one Of the tragedies Of freedom, due
to the bark disease brought from
Japan. The United States Depart
ment of Agriculture 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-
lished results, 1t 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-
banks 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 fattening material for pigs
and turkeys. II the beech tree Is
headed low. 1t offers less chance for
defacing Its smooth bark with jack
knife hierOglyphics.