THE JAPANESE walnut, which is now attracting some attention, appears to have been introduced into the United States about 25 years ago. The oldest trees are at Tower House, Shasta county, California, the property of Charles Camden. There are two trees. "They bore nuts at eight years of age," Mr. Camden writes. "The trees grow very thriftily and are handsome in shape, and are very full and regular bearers.'* The illustration is made from specimens from these trees.

Some 15 years ago Mr. Camden sent trees to General Bidwell, at Rancho Chico, and they are now bearing. These and the two original trees are the only ones yet fruiting in this country. The tree is now offered by some Eastern nurserymen, and we shall soon hope to know something definite as to its hardiness and capabilities. The species grows in Northern Japan and is said to be as hardy as an oak.

Juglans SUboldiana is closely allied to J. Mand-chourica, another species of Eastern Asia, though it is not recorded as a cultivated plant in Japan. Dr. Maximowicz, the author of both species, says that he has often seen them growing and knows of no good distinction between them, except the characters of the nuts. J, Mandchourica has oblong and ridged nuts, while J. Sieboldiana should have short and smooth nuts. In shape, the nuts of the specimens figured (see frontispiece) are very like those of J. Mandchourica, but their smoothness places them in the other species. It is very likely, as Dr. Sereno Watson suggests to me, that the two species run together, and that the California trees represent a variation towards J. Mandchourica.

The species might be called with better propriety the Japanese butternut. The nuts are borne in long clusters which often hold from 15 to 20 specimens. Nuts are shown natural size, with the husk on and removed, in the illustration. The shell is thinner than that of our butternut, and the kernel is sweet and rich, much as in our species. The tree itself is attractive. It appears to be one of the most promising of recent acquisitions.

According to Luther Burbank, "the species is of easy culture. It accommodates itself to the same soils as its congeners, and grows with great vigor. It is easily grafted by approach upon our common walnut [English walnut ?], and its trunk retains the same dimensions as the stock; but it is by seed that it should be multiplied. It reproduces itself perfectly true, and if the young plants remain bushy during the first years, the tree shoots afterwards, and, thanks to its rapid growth, promptly assumes large dimensions." Professor Wickson says, that the species first gained prominence in 1881, when the California. State Horticultural Society referred the question of its botanical affinities to G. P. Rix-ford. R. J. Trumbull & Co., California nursery -nen, first catalogued it L. H. B.

"True Taste is an excellent economist. She confines her choice to few objects, and delights to produce great effects by small means; while False Taste is forever sighing after the new and rare; and reminds us of the scholar of Appelles, who, not being able to paint bis Helen beautiful', determined to make her fine".