Show 15 u I IMPORTANCE AND IMPROVEMENT OF V VARIOUS NATIVE NUT TREES I Prepared b by the tha United States Department of ot Agriculture Native Nathe nut trees such as the black walnut and members of ot the hickory group Including the pecan have ha a n potential potential po po- value not generally realized Aside from the well-known well value atthe of at the timber of the wn walnut nut In the makIng makIng making mak mak- ing of furniture gun stocks gunstocks stocks and airplane airplane air air- plane propellers and of ot the tho white hickories In th the manufacture of automobile automobile automobile auto auto- mobile wheels tool handles und and many i other articles and even of pecan pecan wood woodIn In its variety of uses particularly for harness hames names these trees when rightly selected and placed form most attractive ornamentals But In addition addition addition addi addi- tion to these uses which alone are of ot enough Importance to Justify the careful careful care care- ful preservation of existing trees and the planting of others they have an nn economic vat value Yalu In iq Q th the j nuts produced These native nath-e nuts even though uncultivated uncultivated un un- un- un cultivated and unimproved and perhaps perhaps perhaps per per- haps inferior Interior In shell thickness and cracking quality are preferred by many to an any of the cultivated kinds from Europe and A Asia da Nut Crop Adds to Income On many American farms byproducts byproducts prod by or small crops make important additions to the Income and In many localities nut trees planted about the farm buildings along the highways s or orIn orIn orin In other unoccupied spaces or old trees that have been left In the clearing clearing clear clear- ing away of the original forest are depended upon to add noticeably to the bank account looking Forward-looking t farmers want to make their trees produce produce produce pro pro- duce the best nuts and In the greatest possible quantity First of all every tree Intended to bear benr nuts in quantity needs ample space GO feet being none too great an nn Interval between trees of ot equal rate of growth and larger trees unless on the shady side should be feet apart A fertile soil that Is reasonably reasonably reason rason ably moist is best for nut trees well- well drained clay loam being the most de- de Variety Is next In Importance to soil and location Experienced observers I 1 I Well Developed Black Walnut Highly Prized for Its Ornamental Value and the Nuts It Produces know that nut trees do not ome oale true to seed and that the only way to reproduce a variety or an Identical type Is b by grafting or budding as ns is done with apples peaches penches pears and Other ther fruits Nurse men In the northern north north- northern ern part of the country are now propagating propagating gating several varieties of black walnuts walnuts wal wul- nuts pecans pecans hickories and butternuts by by these methods but due to the fact that active interest began only r. r decade de tie- cade ago none of these varieties has been been given gl much opportunity to demonstrate its' its usefulness as os a mone money crop crop producer How However ver sev sev several r oral eral varieties s are arc promising Mature native trees that are ore well situated d may be made more valuable by top By lly top working top working Is meant the replacing of the original top with a new top of another variety It has been practiced for a n long time b bj by fruit growers to Increase the value of ot s seedling trees and trees of ot Interior Inferior varieties and owners of ot nut trees are aro arenow arenow aronow now adopting t the le method The he steps to be are 1 The s selection of trees taking Into account the things Just mentioned 2 the choice of ot varieties to be used and the making sure of or scions or bud sticks at the proper time 3 the tho cutting back of or the tops during the latter r part of the dormant period or very early In the spring 4 the actual process of ot grafting or budding and 5 the subsequent care of or the tho new growth Cutting Back tho the Tops In cutting back the tops preparatory to budding or grafting certain rules should be he rigidly followed 1 No cut should be made where a limb Is more than sl six sis tn Inches hes T In diameter and a Q limit of ot three Inches Is preferred 2 all nIl cuts should be made eo do they will heal of themselves If It by chance they receive no further attention 3 cuts should be made In late Inte winter while the trees are still dormant t or at tho the latest Just before the leaves appear 4 cuts should always be made I slightly above a bud which will assure assure as as- sure renewal In case the graft should fall fail Grafting Crafting may be done by the com corn common mon loon cleft method or the slip-bark slip method The former Is usually employed employed em em- ed when the tree Is still dormant and the latter r at nt any time during the growing period but the scions used must roust nh a always s 's be dormant and as ns scions in that condition are seldom available after the first of April neither method Is of much Interest Just now It is now too late Inte to top- top work trees this season but those that have been cut back and small trees that ma may be budded without cutting back ma may be left until late summer or autumn so that scions then called caned bud sticks of the better varieties maybe may maybe maybe be obtained and buds bulls from them Inserted inserted in In- in the bark baric of ot the new v shoots Specially devised d tools for removIng removing ing lag the buds from the bud sticks and for removing pieces of ot bark of t Identical Identical identical cal size from he the stock are on the market Several are Illustrated in Farmers Farmers' Bulletin Pecan Culture which contains much Information of ot interest to nut propagators and which may be obtained by writing to tb the Department of ot Agriculture Washington Washing Washing- ton D. D C. C Budding by the patch bud method may be done at nt any time when the bark of ot the stock slips readily On tr trees es of rapid growth the hark will slip at nt almost an any time In Inthe Inthe inthe the summer summer- On young oung trees not cut cutback cutback cutback back budding ma may be done In the first firs half of the growing season whereas new v shoots grown from below cut off tops should be of size for tor budding during the latter half halt of ot th the season Dry spells frequently cause caus tie the bark hark to tighten but rains will loosen It later The season Tor or 01 budding budding bud bud- dl ding sometimes extends until the trees begin to go dormant During the latter latter lat lat- ter half of ot the season buds may be selected from those formed at the base of present seasons season's growth Most of ot them will remain dormant until th the following spring |