.A The Nuts which grow in this country, and which form part of the dessert, remain to be noticed.
193. The Hazel (Corylus avellana, Lin.; Eng. Bot. t. 723 ; Montecia Polyandria ; ?iyzentacece, Jussieu) is a na tive of Britain, and very common. In September, great quantities of the nuts are collected by the country people, and sent to market. There are several varieties, particu larly the White Filberd, and the Red Filberd ; the Cob nut, remarkable for its large size ; the Cluster-nut ; and the Dwarf Prolific-nut. In some gardens small planta tions of dwarf filberd trees are made. The trees are not allowed to rise more than six or seven feet, and they are trained, like gooseberry-bushes, open in the centre. \Vhen full grown, the cup thus formed by the expanded branches is about six feet in diameter. Each tree is twelve feet from another. The intermediate spaces are occupied with different crops that require frequent hoeing, the success of the nut trees being much promoted by repeated stirring of the ground. So great is the produce of nuts from small trees managed in this way, that in some parts of Kent such plantations are formed with a view to the supply of the London market. The trivial name ?lvellana, it may be re marked, is derived from a town near Naples, the inhabit ants of which have long cultivated the Spanish filberd tree to a great extent, much of their riches depending on the sale of the nuts.
The hazel tree grows vigorously in a strong loam, or in any soil which is somewhat retentive and moist. It is sometimes propagated by suckers, but better plants are procured by layers. In this way only are the different va rieties continued : by sowing the nuts, trees may be got for the thickening of a wood, or forming a coppice, but not for cultivating with a view to the fruit. A few trees of the dif ferent varieties are ornamental on the side of any bank which may occur in the pleasure grounds. Early in spring, generally about the end of February, the catkins, or male flowers, and the female gems with their bright red styles, are displayed, and make a pleasing appearance at that still dreary season.
194. The Constantinople hazel (C. colurna, L.) produces
nuts which are twice the size of the common hazel nut, and grow in large racemes. It seldom, however, yields its fruit in this country, nor is it much attended to. In deed a large bush or tree of it is seldom to be met with in our gardens. In the Botanic Garden, Leith \Valk, Edin but gh, one of the finest specimens in Britain occurs : it is now (1816) about 25 feet in height, and fifty years old.
195. The Walnut tree (Juglans regia, L.; Moncecia Po lyandria ; Terebinthacece. Jussieu) is considered as a native of Persia, but as having conic to us from France, the name walnut heing regarded as a corruption of Gaulnut. The date of its introduction is not known. Large and old trees of it arc very common in many parts of England, where it ripens its fruit regularly. In Scotland, however, the fruit comes to perfection only in fine seasons : in ordinary years it attains merely that state in which it is fit for pickling. Several varieties are cultivated, particularly the round and the oval walnut ; the large walnut ; and the ten der shelled. The chief thing to be attended to in the cul ture of the tree is to induce it to spread its roots near the ,urface, and to prevent their getting awn into cold wet soil. As it generally attains a large size, it must stand in the lawn or park, or a row of walnut-trees may form part of the screen of the orchard. Mr Boutcher of Edinburgh long ago recommended the inarching of a branch of a bear ing tree, the quality of whose fruit was known, upon a common stock, and added, that fruit was thus produced in one-third less time. The same idea has lately occurred to Mr Knight, and in this way he has procured plants which proved fruitful in three years. It is evident that the pe culiar varieties can only he continued by layering and grafting ; for large plantations, however, the nuts are sown. The nuts are ready in October, and are gathered by beat ing the trees with long poles ; they may be kept through the winter, ty covering them with earth in the' manner of potatoes, and mixing some dry mould among them to fill the interstices; for this last purpose, dry sand being pre ferable.