t came to light that out of about 2,000 nursery
trees grafted only one graft grew. After climbing an 80 foot walnut tree
to get our scions, and paying a good price for them besides, this was
rather discouraging.
This cold wave, which was unprecedented for the time, had wrought other
injuries to the nut industry. That was especially to the young trees
that were transplanted the fall previous and last spring. The
transplanting with a frost injury already was too great a strain on the
feeble life of the trees. The consequence was that some of them died
outright, and others made only a feeble growth. But where low and severe
pruning was practised good results followed and such trees as were
established on the original root system escaped the frost injury
entirely. The young nursery trees with dormant buds were not affected in
the least but made a strong growth of from three to seven feet this last
summer.
The intense cold wave was such that some old and young seedling Persian
walnut trees were killed outright, and not only the Persian walnut but
in a few instances the American black was very much injured; likewise
the Norway maple, magnolia, California privet and roses. Also the peach
both in tree and fruit.
Now in conclusion let me say, what is the lesson to be learned? First,
as to the propagation of the Persian walnut, great care should be taken
that only trees that are hardy should be propagated from, as well as
having good bearing qualities with a first class nut. Second, after a
freeze such as we had last winter, a special effort should be made to
save the newly planted tree by close and severe pruning. As, for
example, I had a very fine two year old Hall Persian walnut which was
referred to me as dead. I cut the tree off about 4 inches above where it
was budded on the black walnut stock. It was not long after that signs
of new life appeared and eventually it made a very fine, handsome tree.
Nature does indeed some wonderful tricks in this respect by which we can
learn valuable lessons; and chief of these is close pruning.
Such a cold wave may visit us only once in a lifetime and should not
discourage us from carrying nut culture to its highest development. We
must not think for a moment that other walnut sections are exempt from
similar visitations. They have them in the Pacific Northwest, and in
France and Germany.
As regards the walnut industry for Lancaster county or Pennsylvania in
general, I am safe i
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