ISSUE 24, HISTORIC NURSERIES, Part 4: Felix Gillet's Barren Hill Nursery in California

Hazelnuts, Walnuts, Almonds, and Chestnuts

Felix Gillet (1835-1908) and the Culture of Nuts

In 1866-67 a French barber set up an experimental nursery—Barren Hill--on 16 acres lumbered and cleared near Nevada City, in the Sierra Nevada mountains. He wished to bring to California the finest fruits and nuts developed in France.  He wished to establish the hazel nut (filbert) in America.  Yes there w…