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[Illustration: A S Fuller]




  THE
  NUT CULTURIST

  A TREATISE
  ON THE
  PROPAGATION, PLANTING AND CULTIVATION
  OF NUT-BEARING TREES AND SHRUBS
  ADAPTED TO THE
  CLIMATE OF THE UNITED STATES,
  WITH THE SCIENTIFIC AND COMMON NAMES OF
  THE FRUITS KNOWN
  IN COMMERCE AS EDIBLE OR OTHERWISE USEFUL NUTS


  By ANDREW S. FULLER,

_Author of the "Grape Culturist," "Small Fruit Culturist,"
"Practical Forestry," "Propagation of Plants," etc., etc._


_ILLUSTRATED_


  NEW YORK
  ORANGE JUDD COMPANY
  1896




  COPYRIGHT, 1896,
  BY ORANGE JUDD COMPANY




PREFACE


Believing that the time is opportune for making an effort to
cultivate all kinds of edible and otherwise useful nut-bearing trees
and shrubs adapted to the soil and climate of the United States,
thereby inaugurating a great, permanent and far-reaching industry,
the following pages have been penned, and with the hope of
encouraging and aiding the farmer to increase his income and
enjoyments, without, to any appreciable extent, adding to his
expenses or labors. With this idea in mind, I have not advised the
general planting of nut orchards on land adapted to the production
of grain and other indispensable farm crops, but mainly as roadside
trees and where desired for shade, shelter and ornament, being
confident that when all such positions are occupied with choice
nut-bearing trees, to the exclusion of those yielding nothing of
intrinsic value, there will have been added many millions of dollars
to the wealth of the country, as well as a vast store of edible and
delicious food.

This work has not been written for the edification, or the special
approbation, of scientific botanists, but for those who, in the
opinion of the writer, are most likely to profit by a treatise of
this kind. Unfamiliar terms have been omitted wherever simple common
words would answer equally as well in conveying the intended
information. There being no work of this kind published in this
country that would serve as a guide, I have been compelled to
formulate a plan of my own, and to describe all the newer varieties
from the best specimens obtainable, and these may not, in all cases,
have been perfect. Under such circumstances, this work must
necessarily be incomplete, and especially where the possessors of
claimed-to-be new and valuable varieties have either refused or
failed to give any information in regard to them. On the contrary,
however, I must acknowledge my indebtedness to many correspondents,
who have so generously placed specimens of both trees and nuts of
rare new varieties in my hands for testing and describing, as well
as assisting me in tracing their history and origin.

That this treatise may become the pioneer of many other and better
works on nut culture is the sincere wish of

  THE AUTHOR.

  RIDGEWOOD, N. J., 1896.




  CONTENTS.

                                                               Page.
  CHAPTER I.
  INTRODUCTION,                                                    1

  CHAPTER II.
  THE ALMOND,                                                     12

  CHAPTER III.
  THE BEECHNUT,                                                   44

  CHAPTER IV.
  CASTANOPSIS,                                                    55

  CHAPTER V.
  THE CHESTNUT,                                                   60

  CHAPTER VI.
  FILBERT OR HAZELNUT,                                           118

  CHAPTER VII.
  HICKORY NUTS,                                                  147

  CHAPTER VIII.
  THE WALNUT,                                                    203

  CHAPTER IX.
  MISCELLANEOUS NUTS--EDIBLE AND OTHERWISE,                      254




LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.


  Fig.                                                         Page.
    1.