NEW SORTS OF NUTS.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume IX, Issue 19, 7 May 1892, Page 478

NEW SORTS OF NUTS.

A new and very extraordinary species of hazel nut has been discovered in the State of Washington. Instead of being the fruit of a dwarf tree not six feet high, it grows upon a giant tree sixty feet in height. However, because the tree stem is only six inches in diameter, it cannot stand upright. Instead, it bends over not far from the ground, touches the earth, rises again, comes down to the ground once more, and so on for several snaky curves. Its branches bear hazel nuts by twins. In every pod two nuts are found instead of the usual one. This is a variety well worth cultivating, and experiments are already being made with grafts from it. Something may yet be attempted in the way of cultivating the pinon, which is gathered in such immense quantities in Arizona and Southern California. This nut is practically never seen in the East, because it is so much in demand on the Pacific coast. Indians and not a few poorwhites out there make a business of collecting pinons, which are inclosed in the cones of a species of pine tree. They throw the cones upon the hot embers of a fire, thus causing them to open, when the nuts are shaken out. The biggest of them are about the size of small almonds, but their flavour is very delicious. Effort is now being made to introduce in the United States a very remarkable nut from Japan called the ‘ ginko.’ The tree that bears it is supposed to be the oldest in the world, inasmuch as it grew as far back as the coal-form-ing epoch. Beautiful specimens of it extend in two rows on either side of the main avenue leading to the Department of Agriculture. Some of them are bearing fruit this year. In Florida experiments are being tried for the improvement of the small specie of chestnut called the ‘chinquapin.’ It is also being attempted to graft upon the chinquapin big chestnuts, in order that the latter may be produced on a dwarf growth. The Department of Agriculture will soon issue a report on the wonderful progress of nut culture in the United States.