PRUNING WALNUTS
Walnuts require very little pruning. However, to do well they must have plenty of light and air, and there must be room under the trees to cultivate. To this end, keep all lateral growths removed the first two years, pushing the strong terminal growth. Young trees so treated often make five or six feet in that time. They must be staked and tied with a broad strip of cloth. Cross the cloth between the stake and the twig so as not to bruise the tender wood. As the limbs begin to grow take out an occasional one to prevent the tree becoming too thick. When large limbs are removed, cut on the slant, carefully waxing to prevent decay. Heading-in is often beneficial when the tree does not seem to be fruitful. Train the trees upward as much as possible.
In Roumania and some of the eastern countries of Europe, some of the walnut trees have such an enormous spread that a flock of five hundred sheep can lie in comfort beneath the shade of one tree and have ample room. If this vine-like tendency to spread can be obviated by intelligently training the trees upward,
and its productiveness maintained or increased, the walnut grower of Oregon will have accomplished much in the conservation of our resources.
At present we can make a tree that will produce 500 pounds of walnuts in 25 to 30 years. With 12 trees to the acre, will give 6000 pounds of nuts; two and one-half times that of wheat at 40 bushels per acre, and they will not require the expensive refrigerator cars and rapid transit of perishable fruits.
TRAINING THE TREES
It will only be necessary to train the limbs in seven or eight feet all round to be able to double the number of trees to the acre. Then train the trees skyward and increase the number of nut-bearing boughs, and the yield will be increased accordingly. If the nuts on the higher branches fill as well as on the lower, the tree can not be made to grow too high, because we have no violent storms to throw down the trees, and the nuts are self-gathering. These and many other valuable and interesting problems in the industry are to be worked out.
According to Prof. Lewis, who is good authority, a later and better method is to cut the young tree back to 4 feet and make it throw out three or four laterals. When these laterals are fully grown, bind them up in a bundle one or two feet diameter with soft strands of rope. In the dormant season cut these laterals back to about two feet. This will multiply the branches. Cut back the new growths again the next year, and so on; this will greatly increase the nut-bearing boughs and will train the tree upward. This seems to be the most sensible method of pruning yet proposed.