The British Fruit-Gardener/Hazel, and Filbert Nut
The HAZEL and FILBERT-NUT-TREE, &c.
THE Hazel (Corylus) comprises the common Wood Nut, the Filbert, Barcelona, Cob Nuts, &c. all varieties of one species, which merit culture in the fruit collection, for the variety of their fruit; and belong to the class and order Monoecia Polyandria, flowers male and female on the same tree; the males having numerous stamina.
The Hazel consists of one species, comprising several varieties.
Corylus Avellana, i. e. Avellana, or Common Hazel-Nut-Tree, having round leaves, with oval obtuse stipula, at the base; male flowers in long catkins, and female flowers close to the branches, s?succeeded by the nuts, in large torn cups, consisting of the following varieties, ripe in Autumn; viz.
Common Wood Nut, with white, and with red skinned kernels.
Large cluster Wood Nut.
Filbert Nut, with red kernels.
Filbert Nut, with white kernels.
Barcelona Nut.
Cob Nut, (very large).
Long Nut, (a curiosity).
The Hazel tree, and varieties, grow from about twelve or fifteen, to twenty feet high; very branchy, almost to the bottom, having roundish rough leaves, and produces the flowers and fruit from the sides of the branches, being male and female, flowers separate, without petals; the males in long yellowish amentums, in Winter, and the females in close-fitting clusters, in the Spring, succeeded by the clutters of Nuts, inclosed each in its torn calix or cup, ripening in August and September.
The Common Wood Nut Trees grow in vast abundance in our woods and hedges, and are sometimes admitted in Gardens, &c. for variety.
But the other larger sorts, being improved varieties, are cultivated more abundantly in gardens and orchards, but the Filbert most of all, for the goodness of its kernel; though the large Cluster and Barcelona Nuts are also well worth cultivating, and the Cob and Long Nut as singular varieties: but where there is good scope of ground it is worth attention to cultivate some of each sort in gardens, orchards, and fields, &c. as they will succeed almost any where.
They may be employed both as full and half standards; planted either in continued ranges, fifteen or twenty feet asunder, or dropped singly in different parts to effect variety, keeping them to clean stems, and let the heads branch in their natural manner.
Some may likewise be arranged hedge ways, five feet distant in the row, and sufFered to take their natural growth.
And, for variety, some may be planted in espaliers, especially the Filberts, arranged fifteen feet asunder, with the branches trained at full length, retaining occasional lateral shoots, advancing below as succession bearers. They are all very hardy, and will succeed in any common soil and exposure.
Method of Propagation and Training.
All the varieties of the Hazel-tree are propagated both by planting the Nuts, and by suckers, layers, and grafting; but it is proper to remark, that as the seedling-raised plants are apt to vary, the latter methods are the most certain, whereby to continue the improved varieties diftinct.
By the Nuts.——Let a quantity of the best Nuts of the desired sorts be preserved in sand till February, then sowed imn drills two inches deep, and when the plants are a year or two old, plant them out in nursery lines, training some as full, half, and dwarf standards, with six, four, and two feet stems then top them, and permit them to branch out above, and form heads; some also as hedge plants, branching out near the bottom but fanned up on the sides.
By Suckers.—The trees send up abundance from the root; which being dug up in Winter, or Spring, may either plant the strongest at once, to remain, especially if for hedge-rows, or wholly in the nursery way, to train for the purposes intended.
By Layers.—Any time from Autumn till Spring, in open weather, have recourse to some low branching trees, chusing some of the lower pliable branches, furnished with plenty of young shoots: peg them down, and lay all the young wood three or four inches deep, with the tops out, which by next Autumn will be rooted then plant them out, and train them as the seedlings.
By Grafting.—This maybe practised to continue and improve any particular fine variety, by inserting shoots thereof into any kind of Hazel stocks, in the common method of grafting.
Planting and Culture.
When the trees are advanced from about four to five or six feet high, they may be planted out to remain; arranging the standards, some in full plantations, others dropped singly in borders, shrubbery clumps, or on the sides of shady walks, &c. and others in hedgerows, as aforesaid.
In Culture, keep the standards to clean single stems, and let the heads branch out in their own way, only reforming casual long ramblers, or low stragglers;—And in the hedge plants, trim up only low straggling branches, and let them branch out above at sides and top.