Historic, Archive Document

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.■'Li i.I,’ TO POMOLOfY SECTION OP NOMENCLATBPE,

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PEDIGREED FRUIT TREES

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ORANGE AND LEMONR.EOJEXVl'IiD POMELO AND ^LIVE

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THE WALKER NURSERIES

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SAN FERNANDO, CAL.

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PEDIGREED TREES

CITRUS & TROPICAL FRUITS

EMBRACING

Oranges, Lemons, Pomelos, Olives Avocados, Mangos, Etc.

THE PEDIGREED TREE IS KNOWN BY ITS FRUITS

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Grown and For Sale by

The Walker Nurseries

SAN FERNANDO, CAL.

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Pedigreed Walker Valencia Late Orange Trees,

SUGGESTIONS TO BUYERS

All orders should be plainly written on a separate sheet of paper from a letter. This prevents confusion in booking orders.

When ordering please advise if substitution will be per- mitted, as we feel at liberty, when no instructions accompany the order, to substitute other sorts equally as desirable.

All stock is well packed and carefully labeled. We make a small charge to cover cost of material used in packing. We make no charge for drayage.

Advise us plainly how you wdsh us to ship — by freight or express; also state the route; otherwise we will use our own judgment in forwarding.

After we deliver nursery stock to the carriers in good condition we cannot hold ourselves responsible for any loss or injury. All customers are requested to hold on to their shipping receipt, for in many instances it is necessary to file a claim with the railroad company and other carriers for damage or dela}" in transit, and the original shipping receipt is necessary w^hen filing such claims.

All claims for mistakes in filling orders and also for all stock which may be unsatisfactory upon arrival must be reported to us wdthin 10 days after receipt of shipment; otherwise we cannot allow same.

Parties unknown to us must accompany their orders with a remittance to furnish satisfactory references.

Please remember to write your name, postoffice, county, state, street address or rural route when ordering. This prevents your mail from going astray.

Remittances can be made us either by postoffice money order, registered letter, express money order or bank draft.

OUR GUARANTEE

Experience has sho^n the urgency of keepbig varieties true to name, and hence nxe are at all times anxious and Runlling to replace, on good and sufficient evidence, all trees that may prove othernxise; nevertheless, it is mutually understood and agreed hetvjeen purchasers and ourselves that we shall not at any time be liable for any amount greater or in excess of the original price of the stock at date of sale.

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PEDIGREED TREES

OF VALUE TO THE PLANTER

It is of importance to put your land in good condition to receive your trees. The ground should be thoroughly plowed and followed by harrowing until the soil is well pulverized. Stake off the distance you intend to plant your trees apart; for this purpose it is best to use a planting chain; if no regular planting chain can be procured from the hardware dealers anyone can make their own planting chain with wire. One hundred feet of wire will answer every purpose, and the designated mark can be made by soldering buttons on the wire at whatever distance you wish to plant your stock apart.

As soon as the trees are received, remove from the bales or boxes, and heel them in the ground, thoroughly settling with water. This will insure the stock keeping in first-class condition until ready to plant.

All deciduous fruit trees should be cut back to within 18 inches from the top of the ground. Instead of removing all the lateral limbs when topping the tree, a sufficient number of these laterals should be left to form a head. Shorten in the laterals to within two inches of the body of the tree. The trees as a general rule have limbs removed while standing in the nursery rows to within 12 inches of the ground. It is always a good plan not to remove the lateral limbs entirely, so that in case the buds on the main body of the tree do not start in the spring, the buds on the smaller branches will.

DISTANCE FOR PLANTING

Standard Apples	.25	to	30	ft. apart each	way
Standard Pears	.20	to	24	u u u
Standard Plums and Prunes. . . .	.20	to	24	u u
Peaches and Nectarines	.20	to	24
Apricots	.24	to	30	a a a
Almonds	.24	to	30	a a a	a
Walnuts	.40	to	50	a
Oranges and Lemons	.20	to	25	a a a	a
Avocado	.25	to	40	a
Olive	.20	to	25	a	a
Grapes	. 7	to	10	u u a
Raspberries and Blackberries . . .			. 3 to 4 by 5 to	7 ft.
Strawberries for field culture. . . .			. 1 to 1 ^ by 4 to	5 ft.
Strawberries for garden culture.				1 to 2 ft. ;	apart

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OUR BASIC INDUSTRY

California stands pre-eminent among the sections of the world as a land of pomology and of horticulture ; and among the states of the United States, she is first in the production of a larger volume of orchard and vineyard crops than any other state, while in certain lines she grows a larger output than all of the remain- ing states combined. Primarily, this eminence is due to two elemental considerations, i. e. ; soil and climate ; but these of themselves are not responsible for her present superb fruit industry ; that is the result of man’s intelligent uses of these favorable conditions, which, when added to natural advantage, have made possible the exploitation and development of the greatest fruit production area in the world. This achievement has not been accomplished without intelligent effort on the part of a people imbued with a faith and an ambition to produce the best orchard and vineyard crops of which the soil and climate is capable. How well this has been accomplished is indicated in the single statement that the annual production aggregates over one hun- dred and fifty millions of dollars.

Among the fruits in which California leads the remainder of the United States are peaches, apricots, prunes, almonds, walnuts, raisin grapes, olives, oranges and lemons. Of these the citrus fruits lead all others in volume and value of product, aggregating a total this season (1913-’14) of forty-five thousand carloads, with a gross value of approximately fifty millions of dollars. This superb record has been made possible from the fact that the California orange and lemon leads the world in culinary values and in “standing up” marketing and shipping qualities. It has only required about a quarter of a century to develop our citrus industry to where it commands the markets of the world and the admiration of pomologists from wherever com- mercial orchards are a feature of the landscape.

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PEDIGREED TREES

The evolution of the industry from small beginnings under experienced hands, has developed factors of value and importance, not alone in the atmosphere of com- merce, but also in the field of practical horticulture. Chief among these is the importance of planting only

Washington Navel Orange Tree.

pedigreed trees — those that are the direct offspring from buds taken from trees of robust health, fine bear- ing qualities of fruit that meets every demand in the way of fine eating qualities as well as the exacting requirements of shippers and dealers. Heredity and environment are factors that cannot be ignored in the growing and planting of profitable orchard trees. The law of elimination soon discards the unfit, — the drones in the orchard. Like begets like ; you cannot produce a thoroughbred from inferior ancestry. Neither can you grow profitable trees from unprofitable specimens. Nature does not work in that way.

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These basic facts were brought home to us before we had been in the nursery business very long; indeed, as early as 1897, from which time we have made a specialty of pedigreed trees. Not only does this imply extra care in the selection of buds, but it also carries

Pedigreed Villa Franca Lemon Tree.

with it scrupulous care in the growing of trees from the seed and bud until ready for transplanting from the nursery rows to orchard form.

THE WALKER PEDIGREED TREES

For the past nineteen years we have been growing pedigreed trees; and for a like period we have noted the superior quality and the enhanced profits realized from orchards planted to our stock, as compared to those planted to trees devoid of known ancestry and grown without record and scientific care. The pedi- greed tree is not only “true to its colors,” producing

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PEDIGREED TREES

the variety of fruit designated by its name, but its history and antecedents are also known, thus insuring its being true to name, as well as its future habits and behavior under proper care and nutrition. Allow- ing for these basic facts, it is at once obvious that no one can afford to plant other than pedigreed nursery trees.

A MATTER OF SITUATION

Among the sections of California that are pre- eminent for citrus and tropical fruit production, none stand higher than the far-famed San Fernando Valley. Indeed, it can almost be said to be the cradle of pomol- ogy in this section of the state, as here it was that the mission fathers located one of the largest and earliest missions, planting the grounds to olives, oranges, grapes and other choice fruits. Some of the trees are still standing and bearing regular crops: silent witnesses to the wisdom and far-seeing judgment of the padres of other days. Since the advent of railway transporta- tion fruit growing has become the leading industry. The climiate along the foothills is free from biting frost, the locality is exempt from plant diseases and injurious insects, and the soil ideal. In the midst of -these favor- able conditions are situated the Walker Nurseries, producing a character of pedigreed nursery tree that stands in a class by itself : a stock that always proves remunerative to orchardists when properly cared for.

THE TREE AND THE MAN

It is not within the province of this booklet to give a lengthy dissertation on the care and management of an orchard ; there are books on horticulture and pomol- ogy that cover the subject. Neither is it essential to go into a history even briefly of the different fruits. In spite of this, however, it may not be out of place to treat briefly of the care of trees from the nursery to their orchard home. Citrus trees are bought at the nursery balled or open roots securely packed in moss. The former is taken up in the nursery row with a ball of earth securely wrapped in burlap, which is planted with the tree, the only precaution being to cut the binding cord ; the cloth soon rots in the soil. With

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“open roots” it is important to get the trees into the ground as quickly as possible after leaving the nursery. Be sure and have the holes all ready for their reception, and dig them large enough to allow of the roots being spread out in their natural condition, first cutting away

Marsh’s Seedless Pomelo.

all lacerated and bruised ones. Then fill in the top soil first, being careful to tamp it down firmly between the interstices of the roots, water at intervals as the dirt is filled in, and when the hole is level with the ground water again, thus insuring the proper settling of the soil. To insure regular and even spacing of the orchard follow the plans laid down in any standard book on fruit culture ; the same also applies to irrigating, cultivating, pruning, etc.

ORANGES

IV ashington Navel. California’s leading and favorite orange, alike for its superb eating qualities and its sterling shipping characteristics. Fruit large, solid, heavy and of oblong shape ; skin smooth and of fine texture ; flavor sweet

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PEDIGREED TREES

and aromatic; very juicy and free from rag; practically seed- less. Tree of good habit, a regular and prolific bearer and of medium size ; comes into bearing quite early. This is the great orange of commerce.

Valencia Late. Especially desirable because coming in late, after the navel is well out of the way, fruit often hanging on the tree until June and July. Fruit of medium size, of a lighter shade of yellow than the Navel; flesh deep yellow, sprightly and crisp; juicy and melting to the taste; tree a strong grower, attaining' good size, slightly thorny.

LEMONS

Eureka. The popular variety in Southern California; fruit of right size, heavy and juicy and almost seedless; tree free from thorns, a good grower and bearer.

Villa Franca. Of European origin. Fruit in size medium with thin rind, free from bitterness ; acid pronounced ; tree of spreading habit and thornless; is said to withstand low temperatures better than some of the other sorts.

Lisbon. Tree a good grower with heavy foliage, and a somewhat late bearer; fruit rather oblong, good grain, sweet rind and of medium size. Quite popular in the interior valleys.

LIMES

Mexican. Fruit about the size of a hen’s egg; skin a pure lemon yellow of good texture; juice abundant and decidedly acidulous, greatly esteemed in the preparation of certain mixed drinks ; tree rather shrubby, making an excellent hedge when planted close.

POMELOS

Marsh's Sieedless. The leading commercial sort in South- ern California; packs from 52 to 62 to the box; fruit prac- tically seedless, heavy, abundant juice; flavor strongly aro- matic with just enough of bitterness to give it pungency to the taste ; skin smooth, of good texture and of a pale lemon yellow color; a good keeper and a good shipper.

Triumph. Fruit practically free from “rag,” of good flavor, being free of pronounced bitterness and juicy; peel smooth, clear and fine grained; tree a good bearer and fruits early.

CITRON

Citrus Medica Cedra. From the rind of the fruit the citron of commerce is prepared ; it also supplies an essential oil. Fruit resembles a monstrous lemon. Will grow wherever the lemon flourishes.

WALKER NURSERIES

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THE OLIVE

No fruit has commanded wider attention of late years than the olive, due to the ever increasing demand for California pickled olives and California olive oil, making possible profitable returns to the growers. Our trees of the Mission variety are grown from cuttings taken from the trees of the San Fernando ^Mission, the fruit of which has long enjoyed an enviable reputation; indeed, it is rated as being the best strain of Mission olives in the State.

Mission Olives.

Mission. Probably more widely planted for both oil and pickled olives than any other variety. Fruit of medium size; tree a robust grower of good habit, hence desirable for orchard planting as well as for roadside purposes; adapted to a wide range of soils and climatic conditions.

Manzanillo. Highly appreciated as a pickling and oil

olive, the fruit being large and of a deep black color when fully ripe; the tree is a good grower, but of a somewhat weeping habit; a prolific and regular bearer. The Man- zanillo makes good green and ripe pickled product.

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PEDIGREED TREES

THE AVOCADO

The Persia gratissima of botanists, also known as the ‘‘Alligator Pear,” the “Ahuacate,” and “Midshipman’s Butter.” A handsome tree, bearing large, usually pear-shaped fruits, with deep-green, or violet-green skin, which commands a ready sale at good prices. No tropical fruit has elicited wider attention in Southern California than the Avocado, and experimental plant- ing has clearly demonstrated its adaptability to pre- vailing conditions of soils and climate. Indeed, wher- ever the lemon grows, there also will this fruit thrive. Bearing trees have proven very profitable, and the out- look is indeed bright for its commercial culture. We handle only the leading and profitable sorts, — varieties that have stood the test of experience, and proven desirable from every point of view.

We desire to give emphasis to the fact that all of our trees are budded on wild Mexican seedlings grown near Orizaba, Mexico, where the climatic conditions are more severe than in the citrus sections of California, biting frosts being not unusual, thus insuring immunity from our occasional low temperatures. Indeed, during the cold spell of the season of 1913 our trees escaped all injury, not even the new and tender growth showing any evidence of frost.

Walker. Originally from Guatemala; tree a vigorous grower of robust habit; fruit pear-shaped, averaging from one to two and a half pounds in weight; flesh of good flavor; skin thick and of a light green color ; a good bearer.

Harman. Fruit of a deep green color, weighing from three- quarters to a pound each; skin thin and of good texture; flesh a good yellow tinged with green ; texture fine and melting inclined to be buttery; flavor rich and nutty; a good market sort; tree a good grower, of symmetrical habit.

MANGO

The mango is sensative to a low temperature, hence its planting should be limited to the thermal belts along our foothills, where biting frosts are unknown. It does well in such localities as Santa Barbara, the Cahuenga Valley, the higher levels of the San Gabriel, the San Fernando Valley, and similar situations.

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