Jasper County Democrat, Volume 18, Number 91, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 February 1916 — PLANT BLACK WALNUT. [ARTICLE]

PLANT BLACK WALNUT.

* < viiubk* Tree. ini- tin* V.ootl Lot -ismJ liaised Places on the' iv.rm ► itircclioiis for Plaining,. Because of tire very. high lusting qualities eft' ,ts wood am} the moderately rapid rate of growlh of the *- r '. iu good KK aiioii.-', iflvM’b v, clout i? 100 :-w ... > c s : ntbK‘ 7 I‘ii '■ • t ' oilia 11 patches o: pu h; gullied $r uiiai «d li nd aUoui ( ' • ■. =: #■ -.. . - • ,1 i l O \\> • -"ipj iili’ii;.; i• uc- j-, . ■ i lie-:.-ways or corners of barnyards and slock lots make ideal plar sot planting this valimid -. t r « . Tlie nletbdd. is Simple, n.ud t lo* j ros• nt neavy crop c; nu;,< i tins year a. most,.valueldo time to begin work along this line. The region where waluut gro wing is i rucUcable extends , •from southern England west to the central states and south o South Carolina and along the northern portions of the gulf states io Oklahoma. The finest growth takes place in the rich coves of the lower Appalachians and over the Ohio and central Mississippi basins. The black walnut tree is comparatively free from insect attack, particularly the wood. The price of black walnut lumber in recent years has been consistently high. Another factor to be considered is the rapidly diminishing supply of walnut trees over practically its entire'range in the United States, due to recent cutting in order to meet the demand for gun stock material. The tree yields durable wood which may be 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 well, walnut requires a rather good grade of soil, hence no attempt should be made to plant it on poor, thin soil or on hot, dry exposures. Favorable situations for rapid development are on strong limestone soils, deep al-lu-ial soils, and stony loam soils along the margins of highlands. Since the walnut tree requires a large amount of light, it may successfully be planted on open tracts recently cleared of old growth and

on recently abandoned fields. In this respect it resembles black locust, which, however, growg faster, but in many localities is more or less subject to serious attack by a wood-bor ing beetle, The walnut crop was particularly heavy this year, affording a splendid opportunity to gather 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 2-inch layer of nuts is placed, then a layer of litter, and ?o on, covering the whole with soil so as to leave the surface a few inches higher than the general level. Planting should be done about the time germination begins. In eastern United States north of the gulf states, this is duriis 5 the month of March and early April. Squirrels, chipmunks and

hogs are serious posts if present in numbers and would more than likely succeed in making away with a majority of the nuts if they are planted in the fall. Small tracts, however, surrounded by cultivated fields and other places where these animals are known to be scarce might safely lie planted in the early or late winter when labor is more accessible than in the spring. To plant the nuts, make a small hole with a mattock or hoe, drop one or two nuts in each hole and OY T tiirri with about two inches of ■ res li; firmly packed soil. Tor the larger areas, a good spacing in forest plantations is to dig the holes eight feet apart each way or eight ten feel. which amounts to GSO and 515 holes per acre for the two l'or small areas, or along lenep rows and highways, the spacing should be about eight feet in the row, unless permanent shade is im.-irte, in. which case the distance

sou id be 20 feet during the early period ot growth and subsequently increased to -10 , feet by removing the alternate trees. For purposes Of mil production the trees should be 'paced at distances of front 40 to GO ieet apart, and should be given a duei amount of cultivation. Requests for information along this line should be addressed to the bureau of plant industry of the department of agriculture at Washington. The number of nuts required can easily be found by knowing approximately their quality, the area of ground to be treated and the spacing. Care should be taken not to plant under shade. Where the trees in the old wood lot are to be cut during the next year or two and are moderately open, planting might begin now, so as to get a start in advance of the removal later of the overhead protection against early frosts and excessive drying of the soil in midsummer.

While the best results are usually obtained by completely preparing the soil and cultivating it for a few lears after planting, farm owners should be aware of the possibility hundreds of young waljmts in their wood lots and elsewhere at the expense of only a little labor. This will be a good step in the process of securing useful and money-making trees on parts of the farm which would perhaps otherwise

-7V ' be waste land, making no return at all to its owner for its cost in care and taxes. Further information in regard to methods of storing and planting she nuts and caring for the Hood lot can be obtained from the state foresters of the various states or from the forest service, department of agriculture at Washington. —U. S. Dept, of Agriculture Weekly News Letter. An arm loan or old papers lot 5 cents.