MONDAY MORNING SESSION

The meeting was called to order by the Vice-President, Dr. L. H. MacDaniels, in the absence of the President.

DR. MacDANIELS: I have here the official gavel of The Northern Nut Growers Association, which was sent to me by Mildred Jones Langdoc, who unfortunately is not able to come to this meeting. She, of course, is our president. She expected to come until fairly recently but on her doctor's orders changed her plans and wrote to me a very short time ago asking me if I would preside at this meeting.

Does anyone present know the history of this gavel?

MR. GEORGE SLATE: It was presented to the Association by Mr. Littlepage, and was made from Indiana pecan wood.

DR. MacDANIELS: But anyway here it is, and we declare the Association in session.

This morning the meeting is quite brief. We will start the meeting with the report from the Secretary, Mr. McDaniel.

Secretary's Report

J. C. McDaniel

MR. J. C. McDANIEL: My report before the meeting will be very brief. It may be extended a little later for the publication.

The last count for this Association's membership made last week shows the Association has 575 paid members, plus 20 subscribers and one foreign exchange membership, totalling 596. There have been a few more members come in since then, so I might say we have in round figures about 600 members to date in 1950, a few less than last year.

I probably owe the members an explanation on the delay in the printing of the Fortieth Annual Report. That was finally taken up by the printing company and should be printed by now. It was ready to put on the press—in fact, some of it was on the press when I left Nashville two weeks ago, and we have every reason to believe that it will be ready for mailing in about another week. The Treasurer said he heard me say that six months ago. That's six months nearer to being the truth now.

I requested that the printer send up two copies, whether they are bound or not, so they may be in to show you later during the meeting.

I believe that's about all I will say at this time, Mr. President.

DR. MacDANIELS: This matter of the report not being here I know is the cause of considerable dissatisfaction, and it arises out of our attempt to get the report printed cheaply. We have had the same trouble before. The Corse Press did this at one time and did it cheaply, because they would work it in with the other business. The last time they did it, and other business was so heavy that it was delayed.

The printers who do it at Nashville also did the Legislative printing and other things cut in, so that it was not carried on. Now, I think that we have some ideas in mind for printers for the next issue, so that if we get the papers in on time, the report will be coming out fairly promptly.

Is the Treasurer ready with his report? Mr. Sterling Smith.

Treasurer's Report

Sept. 1, 1949 to Aug. 25, 1950

RECEIPTS:

Annual Membership Dues $1,689.55

(Contributing Members: Arp Nursery Co. and Mr. Hjalmar W. Johnson $10.00 each) Life Membership (Herschel L. Boll) 75.00

Contributions Mr. A. M. Huntington 50.00 Mr. Geo. L. Slate 2.00

Sale of Reports 186.00 Interest on U. S. Bonds 31.25 Worcester County (Mass.) Hort. Society 25.00 Advertisement 5.00 Miscellaneous 18.00 ———- Total Income $2,081.80

DISBURSEMENTS:

U. S. Bond "G" $ 500.00 American Fruit Grower Subscriptions 224.00 Supplies, Stationery, etc. for Secretary 96.75 Secretary's 50c per Member 275.00 Secretary's Expense 88.00 Treasurer's Expense 66.52 Reporting Beltsville Meeting 60.00 Mr. Reed's Memorial 10.00 Bank Service Charge 3.33 Miscellaneous 21.00 ———- Total Disbursements $1,344.60

Cash on deposit at Erie County United Bank $2,292.97 Petty Cash on Hand 12.70 Disbursements 1,344.60 ————- Total $3,650.27

On Hand Sept. 1, 1949 $1,568.47 Receipts Sept. 1. 1949, to Aug. 25, 1950 2,081.80 ————- Total $3,650.27

U. S. Bonds in Safety Deposit Box $3,000.00

DR. MacDANIELS: Thank you, Mr. Smith. I think it is usual to accept the report and then refer it, I believe, to an auditing committee.

A MEMBER: I so move.

DR. MacDANIELS: It is moved that the report be accepted and turned over to the auditing committee.

MR. SZEGO: Second.

DR. MacDANIELS: Seconded. Any remarks? (No response.)

(A vote was taken on the motion, and it was carried unanimously.)

DR. MacDANIELS: I'd like to appoint Mr. Royal Oakes and Mr. Weber as Auditing Committee, and I think they report at the final business session, which comes at the banquet.

I will say that matter of $25.00 I didn't know anything about, except now I recall the circumstances. At the convention I took over what was left of the exhibits—nobody wanted them—and took them back to Ithaca, thinking I would send them to the Massachusetts Horticultural Society. I didn't have time to do that, but I did send them to Worcester (Mass.) Horticulture Society, and apparently I was out of the country and they sent the award to the Treasurer, and that accounts for the $25.00. It's the first I have heard of it, but anyway, we have it.

The treasurer's report indicates we have some little surplus in the treasury, but after our report is paid for, that will be reduced to the amount of about $800.00. That is the net surplus at the present time, and if we face the facts of the matter, it means that we are not living within our income, that is, with printing costs going up. The reports used to cost $600.00, instead of $1400.00, and what not.

The reason we have kept going has been the use of life memberships and the extra contribution of Mr. Archer Huntington.

The matter of deficit financing seems to be good for the Government, but I don't think it is any good for the society. I think, however, we can adjust our affairs so as to get along. It is proposed we make a change in the by-laws which will set up another type of membership. That is, at the present time we have an annual membership of $3.00 and a contributing membership of $10.00 and life membership for $75.00. Taking the pattern from some other societies, it at least was discussed that we put up a membership of $5.00, which was a sustaining membership, and anybody who felt that he could do that easily could do so, not receiving any additional benefits, except, perhaps, a star in front of his name,—just considering it a contribution to the society.

What we had in mind is that we know that there are some of the membership that find the $3.00 is plenty high enough. There are others to whom probably it means another dinner, or something of that kind, and it doesn't make so much difference. And what we propose to do is to make it easy for those who can to give that additional support.

That amendment will be proposed at the last business meeting in some form, and it will have to go over until the next meeting, according to our constitution, which provides for the amendment of the by-laws.

Mr. Secretary, do we have a report of the editor?

MR. J. C. McDANIEL: Yes, I have that here, a short report from Dr. Lewis E. Theiss, who will be at the meeting in the morning.

Report of Publications and Publicity

DR. LEWIS E. THEISS, Chairman

The annual Report, which should be issued very soon, will speak for itself. Delay more than usual was occasioned by an effort to make the publication fully complete. To that end, printing was held up so that, for one thing, we could include Dr. J. Russell Smith's remarkable summary or survey of nut experimentation in the U. S. and Canada.

We cannot overemphasize the great services of our secretary, Mr. McDaniel, in the preparation of this work. He collected the material, forwarded it to me for editing, did much editing himself, secured the printing contract, and in general oversaw the production of the volume.

To edit the manuscripts for a book of this size is in itself quite a chore. Proof reading is a great burden. In the preparation of this Report, we have had the hearty cooperation and help of Mrs. Herbert Negus (Md.); Professor George Slate (New York); Dr. A. S. Colby (Ill.); Mr. Spencer Chase (Tenn.); and Mr. Alfred Barlow (Mich.). We are indebted to all of these members for their fine support. We hope that this present issue will be a worthy successor to the many fine ones that have preceded it.

LEWIS E. THEISS, Chairman Publications Committee Read at meeting 8/28/50.

MR. J. C. McDANIEL: I might say, by the way, it will be 8 pages larger than last year's, totalling 232 pages.

DR. MacDANIELS: Thank you, Mr. Secretary.

The question is going to arise as to the size of our report. That is, the reports up to the last two have been something less than 200 pages, I believe. This one is running over considerably, and the question comes up as to whether or not we should economize by reducing the size of the report. It was the general opinion of the Directors in discussing the matter that perhaps somewhat closer editing should be done, but we realize that for many members of the Association the report is the one tangible thing that they get out of the whole picture and that the reports should be kept, certainly, at a good length and high grade.

I think those are all of the officers' reports. Are there reports of the committees? Program Committee, Mr. Slate, do you have a brief report?

MR. GEORGE L. SLATE: The report of the Program Committee has been published, and the programs are on this table in the rear of the room.

DR. MacDANIELS: Brief and to the point. In other words, Mr. Slate has written around to the persons who are going to be on the program, sort of cranking them up. This society is in a situation where its members don't just flock to the call of requests for papers, and they have to be solicited. Well, Mr. Slate has done a very good job of soliciting papers, and the report speaks for itself in the program which has been prepared.

Reports of any special committees? Do we have a committee on contests?—of the Carpathian walnut contest?

MR. McDANIEL: I believe that will be taken up in the afternoon program.

DR. MacDANIELS: The matter of old business. Do we have any old business, Mr. Secretary?

MR. McDANIEL: I don't know of any that's carried over now.

Discussion on Time and Place of Meeting

DR. MacDANIELS: Coming to new business. There is always the time and the place of the next convention. I think that that is usually in the hands of a committee, but in the open meeting the matter is discussed, and we are open for any suggestions.

I have heard that Dr. Colby of Illinois is going to have a suggestion that we come to Illinois.

MR. McDANIEL: That's my understanding, and he should be here a little later.

DR. MacDANIELS: Anybody else have any suggestions?

I think, with regard to our time and place of meeting, we have in mind alternating between the East, and the Middle West. The center of membership appears to be about Central Ohio, is that right? And I don't think we have gone any farther west than Center Point, Iowa.

MR. WEBER: That was back in 1930.

DR. MacDANIELS: That probably is about as far West as we are going to get, unless we get a lot of members out farther.

Now, suggestions that have been made have been that next year the meeting would be in Illinois—at the University of Illinois—and the year following somewhere in the East, possibly Pennsylvania, although we haven't been invited to Pennsylvania. I don't know whether we can get one or not. And the next year west again, possibly Michigan, and beyond that we haven't thought. But I think there is a real advantage in having time blocked out in advance for at least two years so that people can make their plans as to where they will go. That is, I think often in planning vacations and what not, it goes that far ahead.

MR. JAY SMITH: Mr. Chairman, the last week in August seems to be better than the first week in September, from the point of view of the school openings in early September.

MR. WELLMAN: I think we should wait a little while and see what kind of attendance we get at this meeting this time of the year.

MR. RICK: If we could arrange it, we'd like to appeal to the membership to have a meeting in Lancaster County. I think Mr. Hostetter has quite a number of things that could be shown and perhaps some others in the neighborhood that might make it quite interesting.

DR. MacDANIELS: We can refer that to the committee.

MR. ALLAMAN: Mr. President, I think that is a very fine suggestion. One of our nut growers in Pennsylvania lives in Lancaster County, and he has told me he has 29,000 nut trees, including filberts, and is still planting.

DR. MacDANIELS: That sounds almost like the Government debt, only not quite.

We will let that matter go until the committee reports when Dr. Colby arrives.

Is there any other business which we ought to transact at this time? If not, I think the next item is the president's address, which has just arrived. Mrs. Bernath just brought it in. It just came in under the wire, I guess.

DR. CRANE: Mr. Stoke has just come in.

DR. MacDANIELS: We will have the report of the nominating committee, Mr. Stoke.

Report of Nominating Committee

MR. STOKE: We bore in mind when we were making nominations for the presidency that we will probably hold our next meeting in the West, so we have nominated Dr. William Rohrbacher of Iowa for president, and Dr. MacDaniels, our perennial vice-president be nominated again and hope that we get him across next year as president. He has served a pretty good apprenticeship. Our secretary, J. C. McDaniel, has been nominated for re-election and Sterling Smith as treasurer. The last two ex-presidents will be on the Board of Directors. Those, with the other officers named, constitute our entire Board of Directors.

DR. MacDANIELS: Thank you, Mr. Stoke.

You have heard the report of the nominating committee.

DR. CRANE: Move that they be accepted.

MR. ALLAMAN: Second.

DR. MacDANIELS: Are there remarks? (No response.) If not, we will take a vote.

(Whereupon, a vote was taken on the motion, and it was carried unanimously.)

DR. MacDANIELS: The election comes at the time of the banquet, and nominations may be made from the floor at the time of election.

Dr. Colby, I believe, came in. Do you want to say something about Illinois as a meeting place for next year. Dr. Colby of the University of Illinois.

DR. COLBY: I don't know whether there was any malice aforethought in that committee nomination! Before I left Urbana a few weeks ago, Dean H. P. Rusk of our College of Agriculture asked me to invite you people to come to Urbana, Illinois for your meeting next year. So that, Mr. President, is an official invitation. We hope that you can all come. I see some of our Illinois friends here, and we are all working together to provide an interesting meeting at that time.

Now, as to the date, that will have to be settled a little later.

DR. MacDANIELS: Thanks very much, Dr. Colby. That makes it official.

MR. WEBER: Mr. President, I move we accept the invitation.

MR. JAY SMITH: I second.

DR. MacDANIELS: Moved and seconded we go to Illinois, the time to be arranged by the committee. Any remarks? (No response.)

(Whereupon, a vote was taken on the motion, and it was carried unanimously.)

DR. MacDANIELS: That fixes that, and the time will depend somewhat on the availability of dormitories. If the meeting is held the last week in August, the dormitories would be available, would they not?

Mr. Weber: Get away from the Labor Day problem, too.

DR. MacDANIELS: Any other business? Has anyone else come in in the meantime who has a report?

If not, we will go ahead with the next item, which is the President's Address, and I will ask Mr. Weber of Cincinnati to read this. I am much pleased to do this because of Mr. Weber's friendship for the president.

President's Address

MILDRED JONES LANGDOC, Erie, Illinois

I have been a member of this organization for a good many years, and I have always had a deep interest in its success. Our members are in a position to encourage the planting of good varieties of nut trees which may some day be appreciated even more for food and other uses as our population increases than we as a nation appreciate them today. Tree crops are a means of conserving our soils, both from the point of erosion and moisture holding content. I like the opportunity we have to be far-sighted in encouraging the planting of nut trees which will play a large part in the future well-being of our country.

Our N.N.G.A., as it is today, has been built on the unselfish efforts of a number of far-sighted men who had an ideal and a will to see that ideal accomplished. I think I was fortunate to know a number of the early founders of the organization either through their visits to my home where my father and they would talk their favorite subject of nut varieties known, just found, or the ideal variety they hoped they'd locate—perhaps in the next nut contest. In lighter mood—usually around the dinner table—they would sometimes reminisce about this joke or that which some member played on another. Altogether our early founders and officers were really great men, bringing experiences from various walks of life. Today we have a still wider variety of occupations listed among our membership, and an even greater opportunity to make acquaintances and friends. I hope every member will make full use of his leisure time here at this convention to make new acquaintances and to renew old ones. Knowing the members as I do, I know you will treasure these acquaintances during your entire lifetime.

The Association can serve its members in a number of ways, but I would place special emphasis on our reports carrying from year to year a progressive report on varieties. In other words, I think our survey reports are one important part of our means of learning about the performance of varieties in various sections of the country where they are being tried. I would urge every member to make a definite effort to co-operate with the survey committee in sending the information they require, because these men making the survey are busy men, too, just like the rest of us, and they have to make a real effort to find time to tabulate the information they receive, and they want to receive more, so they are willing to do their part to tabulate the information which will help us as an organization to be more definite about encouraging or discouraging the planting of a certain variety.

There is a question in my mind whether the very best nut so far as cracking quality is concerned will be the best variety for the average home planter. I think we should consider whether the variety will bear good crops consistently, and if it doesn't bear well—why? Perhaps it is a matter of soil condition which can be corrected, a matter of a variety being planted in a climate where it cannot bear well, and perhaps elevation above sea level is another factor. We may even find with the hickories and walnuts that certain varieties will perform better with certain other varieties as pollinators. When we think of these things there is much to be done in the evaluation of varieties, although there has been a start in the right direction.

It seems to me that nut contests at regular intervals help to stimulate interest in better varieties of nuts and we do gain a certain amount of free advertising through newspapers and magazines. The results of the contest should state, in my opinion, the comparison of the varieties selected as the best of the contest with the ratings of varieties already named and now in propagation. This would mean using the same score card always. Remembering that the very best rated cracking nut is not always the best bearing variety, it would help to accompany this variety report with data as to the location of the tree—soil it is growing in—soil type—good drainage or a damp location—rainfall during the year—days between frost—whether the tree has had good care or not—whether it's a heavy bearer—and any other information which may have a bearing upon the health and vigor of the tree. If notes can be taken on the blooming and bearing habit of other trees of the same species close by which may influence this particular variety through cross-pollination, then we would have a good record immediately on each variety.

I realize in stating the above that we must rely on the human mind which colors and evaluates everything our senses perceive, so it's up to us as individuals to try constantly to train ourselves to evaluate a variety as it really is. I feel that much of the success of our organization in the gathering of nut tree varieties has been due to an honest effort towards reporting only facts and we will do well to enlist the aid of our college trained scientific minds to help us individuals in asking ourselves the necessary questions about our nut tree varieties.

According to the phrase "Life begins at 40," we are now just beginning to live as an organization. Let us then examine every means to set our course towards the definite goal of evaluating the worth of all the named varieties of northern grown nut trees, let us report our findings without prejudice, let us continue to make our annual reports so necessary as a clearing house for the year's progress in nut culture, so valuable, that anyone interested in nut culture can't afford not belonging to and being an active part of our group. I would especially like to see other active state groups as the Ohio group all bringing together their yearly information in one book form—our Annual Report. The Ohio group deserves special recognition on the wisdom of their officers to work towards a unified northern nut growers group, each helping the other where they can.

I want to express my appreciation to our Secretary, Mr. McDaniel, for his work this year which can be doubly appreciated by those who know the excellent job he has performed in spite of many adversities. I hope he will continue as Secretary.

Our Treasurer, Mr. Smith, has been right on the job, and we can all be of special help to him by sending or giving to him here and now our dues for the coming year. We would not waste any time by paying our dues promptly, but we would save a tremendous amount of time for him. We can in this way make his association and work for us most pleasant and in that way show him how much we appreciate his help. I express the hope that Mr. Smith will be our Treasurer for a long time.

I want to thank the Board of Directors and all of the committees who have labored so faithfully during the year. Our convention program for this year is evidence that our Program Committee has spent much time in thought, correspondence and work and we all appreciate and give them our hearty thanks.

Since I cannot be with you this year, Dr. MacDaniels has consented to occupy the Chair and the 41st annual meeting will now go forward under his able direction. I am with you in thought.

Sincerely, MILDRED JONES LANGDOC

* * * * *

MR. WEBER: By the way, since I am on the floor and I am on my feet, I will pass this attendance record. Will you all please sign your names and addresses. It doesn't bind you to anything.

MR. CORSAN: You might tell the audience—there are some strangers here—who the president is whose address you just read.

MR. WEBER: I read her name, the former Mildred Jones, whose father was the late J. F. Jones who was one of the pioneers in the propagating of nut trees, and was formerly living in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, three miles south of Lancaster on U. S. 222. His daughter continued his work after his death, has since married and is now living out at Erie, Illinois, which is west of Chicago near the Mississippi River. Her name now is Langdoc.

DR. MacDANIELS: Our president brought out two points in which I most heartily concur. One is our search for new varieties and the evaluation of varieties, and the other, the more extensive rating of the varieties we already have. There will be this round-table this evening on evaluation of varieties, of which Dr. Crane will be the chairman.

Association Sends Greetings to Dr. Deming

DR. McKAY: I'd like to bring up this matter—I'd like to make this in the form of a motion, that in view of the long and active service of Dr. W. C. Deming to this organization, I think it would be appropriate for this organization to send him greetings. I would like to make that in the form of a motion.

MR. BERNATH: I second it.

DR. MacDANIELS: Moved and seconded to send Dr. Deming greetings from the meeting. We had hoped that he would be here. He may come yet, unless somebody knows definitely to the contrary. George Slate saw him a while ago and said he hopes to get here.[1]

[1] Dr. Deming was present at the lunch stop on the Wassaic State School grounds during the third day's tour.—Ed.

MR. WEBER: I have just been informed that Dr. Deming will be 89 years old on September first.

DR. MacDANIELS: That's something.

How old is Mr. Corsan?

MR. WEBER: The question arises: How old is Mr. Corsan? The gentleman is here, and he will speak for himself.

Talk by the Oldest Member

MR. CORSAN: I don't know how old I am. I know I was born near Rockport, New York, and my father brought me across the river to Hamilton, Ontario, when I was seven, and according to my aunts and uncles and people who told me, they say I was born June 11, 1857. So here I am kicking around, but I am not blowing how long I will live. I don't know, but I will try my best.

I have joined the Vegetarian Society many years ago, and I am still hanging onto that idea, and I hope that we have a vegetarian banquet some of these times, because nearly all vegetarian associations are very deeply interested in the Northern Nut Growers Association. That's what they all told me at the convention at Lake Geneva last August a year ago. And I just came back from visiting Rodale. I thought I'd see Rodale. He looks a good deal like this gentleman here (indicating Mr. Bernath), our friend here, about the size and appearance of him. But he is of the greatest ancestry in the world. He is Jewish, and he doesn't know exactly how to eat, because he has jowls and dewlaps and he is too fat, but he is a very fine man; beautiful, clear, honest eyes, he has, and I hope to have him consider the planting of nut trees on his place. He has a disgraceful looking place in comparison to mine.

This year my place is just loaded down with nuts, except filberts. Last year I had so many filberts that I have half a ton left over yet. And I want to see people beautify the country. I started off one day with a thought that came to my head. I heard that there were a half a million widows and orphans buried in the Hudson Hill Cemetery. And I thought: Why, those dead people can be working; they can be doing something. Let them feed the roots of the Japanese heartnut. And as a try, I sent them 1100 seeds just as a start. And the Japanese heartnut, a stranger to this country, isn't anywhere near any other nut, and it grows true to form, and a lot of the trees are much hardier up on Lake Ontario. It does not grow well on the north of the lake, but south of the lake it grows enormous crops every year, and the nuts come out whole. But there is a better shaped nut without that kind of groove in the center, and it's the father or the mother—father, probably—of the finest heartnuts in the world, and there is nothing that beats a heartnut for eating. Every time I sell heartnuts to eat I have ruined myself, because they won't eat any other nut. So that shows just exactly what the general public thinks of it. Even Italians. There I have a half a ton of filberts. I bring the heartnuts down to Florida, the Fairchild and my hybrid trees and butternuts and Japanese heartnuts, and I have a package of almonds and another package of brazil nuts, and I let them taste those. They are woody in comparison to our heartnuts and hybrids. They are not anything, they are just like so much wood in comparison.

Now, I have received from John W. Fowler, Secretary to Albert Williams of the Department of Corrections on 100 Center Street. New York, a beautiful letter accepting those nuts, and I had my housekeeper—I was down in Florida—send them to them early in February, and they are planted. And the breezes going up and down the Hudson are going to wave the two-foot-long leaves of the most beautiful deciduous trees in the world, the Japanese heartnut, healthiest, hardiest nut in the world, and these dead people will be feeding them. Just think! five thousand children without a name or number. Now, they have erected a monument just recently, but the real monuments are the living trees. I am going to send them a lot more, because I want to see them working. I might come back and eat some of these nuts myself.

* * * * *

DR. MacDANIELS: Thank you, Mr. Corsan.

(Applause.)

DR. MacDANIELS: Mr. Corsan is certainly well on his way to being a hundred, and I think if eating nuts and other vegetables will do that, more of us ought to pay attention.

I think we voted on that motion. I think it was unanimous that we send this greeting to Dr. Deming in his eighty-ninth year.

(The following telegram was sent to Dr. Deming:

"AT THIS FORTY-FIRST ANNUAL MEETING OF THE NORTHERN NUT GROWERS ASSOCIATION IN CONVENTION ASSEMBLED AT PLEASANT VALLEY, NEW YORK, THE MEMBERS SEND YOU THEIR LOVE AND ALSO EXTEND THEIR BEST WISHES FOR YOUR CONTINUANCE OF GOOD HEALTH.")

Any other business?

MR. McDANIEL: There is one elective committee that probably will need to be acted on, which is always done at the meeting before, and that's the nominations committee for next year. That's elective.

DR. MacDANIELS: The Resolutions Committee. Mr. Allaman, will you take chairmanship for that? And Mr. Porter of Windsor, will you help Mr. Allaman on the Resolutions Committee?

MR. PORTER: Do I act now, in this meeting?

DR. MacDANIELS: Yes, during the time you are here work out with Mr. Allaman the resolutions that pertain to this particular meeting.

Anything else? If not, this first session is adjourned. Meet again promptly this afternoon at one o'clock,

(Whereupon, at 10:40 o'clock, a.m., the meeting was recessed, to reconvene at 1:00 o'clock, p.m. of the same day.)

MONDAY AFTERNOON SESSION

DR. MacDANIELS: I will call the meeting to order, the afternoon session. This afternoon we have the session given over mostly to the Carpathian walnut. The first paper, by Spencer Chase of Norris, Tennessee.

MR. CHASE: First, with the president's permission, I thought perhaps a short report of the 1949 contest would be in order. As you probably recall, we conducted a Persian walnut contest last year for Northern Nut Growers members only. In this contest we had 31 entries submitted.

The 1949 Persian Walnut Contest with Notes from Persian Walnut Growers

SPENCER B. CHASE, Contest Chairman Tennessee Valley Authority Norris, Tennessee

The Persian Walnut Contest of 1949 attracted 31 entries from Association members. The following sent nut samples: E. W. Lemke (Michigan) (4), Ray McKinster (Ohio) (1), S. Shessler (Ohio) (2), F. S. Hill (N. Y.) (3), R. C. Lorenz (Ohio) (1), Benton and Smith Nut Tree Nursery (N. Y.) (16), A. S. Colby (Illinois) (2), E. M. Shelton (Ohio) (1), and N. W. Fateley (Indiana) (1). The Contest Committee appreciates their interest in this informal contest.

It was not practical for all of the judges to convene at one place to evaluate the samples. Therefore, the following system was used: One nut from each sample was sent to H. F. Stoke (Va.), Gilbert Becker (Michigan), G. J. Korn (Michigan), and J. C. McDaniel. These four judges were asked to select the best five of the 31 entries. The Chairman then made the final selections based on their findings. Therefore, the samples were actually subjected to five evaluations. The results indicate that this method was very satisfactory.

First place went to the sample submitted by Ray McKinster, Columbus, Ohio., It is significant that four of the five judges selected this sample as the best entry. Mr. McKinster reports that his tree is a Carpathian obtained as seed from the Wisconsin Horticultural Society in 1939. The 11 year old tree has a circumference of 26 inches at the base and has withstood 17 degrees below zero without injury. It began bearing in 1944 and yielded approximately one-half bushel in 1949. The yield is an estimate since squirrels play havoc with the crop. The nuts weighed 12.9 grams with 6.8 grams of kernel. Four judges considered this an outstanding Carpathian.

Second place went to a sample submitted by Sylvester Shessler, Genoa, Ohio. Three judges selected this sample for second place, one placed it first and the other selected it for third place. Again it was significant that the judges were in close agreement. The parent tree is growing in Clay Center, Ohio, and is estimated to be 50 years old. It began bearing in 1920. It yielded an estimated two bushels in 1947, three pecks in 1948, and one bushel in 1949. It has withstood 15 degrees below zero without damage. The source of this seedling is unknown. The nut weighed 8.8. grams with 5.2 grams of kernel. The nut is round with a smooth shell and has a very attractive kernel. This selection has been named ~Hansen~.

Third place, after some disagreement, also went to Mr. Shessler for his entry now named ~Jacobs~. This sample received one vote for second place and one for third place. Two judges agreed on another sample for third place but in a comparative test involving more nuts the Jacobs sample was selected. The nut weighed 12.8 grams with 6.0 grams of kernel. The parent Jacobs tree is located in Elmore, Ohio, and is estimated to be 70 years old. Bearing since 1915, it yielded an estimated 300 pounds in 1947, 100 pounds in 1948, and 200 pounds in 1949. The tree has withstood 15 degrees below zero. The seed which produced this tree came from Germany.

Fourth and fifth places were awarded to samples S-66 and S-XD submitted by Benton and Smith Nut Tree Nurseries, Millerton, N. Y. Three judges selected these two entries for fourth and fifth places while the other two judges selected other entries. S-66 weighed 13.3 grams with 6.2 grams of kernel. S-XD weighed 12.6 grams with 7.1 grams of kernel. Both selections were raised from Carpathian walnuts obtained from the Wisconsin Horticultural Society in 1935. The nuts entered in the contest came from 9-year old grafted trees located at the Wassaic State School, Wassaic, N. Y. They began bearing a few nuts at six years of age. Both have withstood 34 degrees below zero.

In addition to the five prize winners other entries are worthy of mention. Four additional Benton, and Smith selections (S-61, S-25, S-9, S-32), selection Illinois 10 from Dr. Colby, and a sample from Mr. Lorenz were all considered in the first five by at least one judge. The Carpathian sample from N. W. Fateley was outstanding for size of nut and kernel. Unfortunately, the kernels were shriveled. Since this sample arrived late all of the judges did not have an opportunity to evaluate it. Mr. Lemke also entered a very large Persian walnut. It was considered for third place by two judges but was discarded in the final judging because of shriveled kernels. Both of these large selections should be tested further.

It must be borne in mind that in this, as in all similar contests, only nut characteristics of one year's crop could be evaluated. Whether these selections are adapted to our varying conditions will have to be determined. In other words, this contest should be considered as a preliminary exploration and not as a final selection of suitable varieties.

Following is a summary table containing data on the prize winners:

Results of Persian Walnut Contest

————————————————————————————————————— Nut Kernel Kernel Rank Entry Name and Address Weight Weight Per- centage ————————————————————————————————————— 1 No. 1 Ray McKinster, 1632 S. 4th St., Columbus 7, Ohio 12.9 6.8 52.7 2 Hansen S. M. Shessler, RFD, Genoa, Ohio 8.8 5.2 59.6 3 Jacobs S. M. Shessler, RFD, Genoa, Ohio 12.8 6.0 46.8 4 S-66 Benton & Smith Nut Tree Nursery, Rt. 2, Millerton, New York 5 S-XD Benton & Smith Nut Tree Nursery, Rt. 2, Millerton, New York 15.6 7.1 45.8 —————————————————————————————————————

To obtain information on the culture of hardy Persian walnut a questionnaire was sent to members known to have experience with ~Juglans regia~. The following information, based on the reports of thirteen growers, should prove valuable to those interested in testing Persian walnut.

The members contacted are testing 35 named varieties in addition to many seedlings. Of the varieties, Broadview appears to be represented in more plantings than any other variety. Gilbert Becker (Michigan) has most of the named Crath selections in addition to seedlings. H. F. Stoke (Virginia) has a large assortment of Crath and other Persian varieties. Fayette Etter (Pennsylvania) reports that he has approximately 150 Persian walnut trees while Royal Oakes (Illinois), Sylvester Shessler, and Gilbert Becker each report 60 trees. Many others have from 25 to 40 grafts or trees while Ray McKinster has only one seedling Carpathian which took top honors in the contest. Most of these members have been testing Persian varieties for more than 13 years. Mr. Stoke has some trees 20 years old.

~Yields~—Most trees reported on began bearing at five to eight years. Topworked trees start bearing several years sooner. It is generally agreed that Persian varieties bear annually. Many trees are bearing only small nut crops. Lack of pollination is given as a reason for these low yields. In addition, winter injury and spring frosts can seriously reduce nut crops. Apparently, none of the trees have borne more than a bushel of nuts at 12 years of age. Accurate records of nut crops were generally lacking. Since this is a very important factor in the selection of varieties, growers should keep accurate yield records for each variety. Where pests are a factor in reducing final yield, a crop estimate should be made early in the season.

~Varieties~—Mr. Stoke considers Bedford, Broadview and Lancaster best under his conditions. Mr. Becker's choice is McDermid but he thinks Crath No. 1 a potential commercial variety. Mr. Oakes likes Crath No. 1 and Ill. No. 3. Mr. Etter lists Burtner and Alleman as his best varieties. Mr. Fateley especially favors one tree because of nut and bearing qualities. Other growers have not as yet evaluated their varieties.

~Hardiness~—Only several growers in the colder regions felt that lack of winter hardiness was a serious limiting factor with their varieties. Those with winter temperatures ranging from 10 to 23 degrees below zero report little damage. Spring frosts are serious to many, especially in the southern states.

~Pests~—Several insects causing damage to Persian walnut were reported. The butternut curculio was most frequently mentioned. Others included leaf hoppers, tent caterpillars, and husk maggots. Few effective control measures have been developed. Squirrels are an ever present threat to nut crops in some localities, as are blackbirds.

~Cultural Practices~—Most growers apply varying amounts of fertilizer or manure to their trees in some form or other. Few mulch their trees. All do some pruning, mainly of a corrective nature.

~Pollination~—Most growers agree that usually, but not always, pistillate flowers are produced several years before the occurrence of catkins. Generally, Persian varieties do not adequately pollinate themselves but exceptions are reported. The problem is one of variable dichogamy. Some varieties shed pollen before pistillate flowers are receptive; others shed pollen when pistillate flowers are no longer receptive. This unfortunate situation probably explains the low yields experienced by some growers. Mr. Stoke lists the flowering dates of 13 varieties in the 1942 NNGA Annual Report which clearly illustrates dichogamy in Persian walnut.

Some varieties are considered sufficiently self-pollinating to produce at least light crops. However, this may be influenced by weather conditions. During an unusually warm spring catkins develop more rapidly than terminal growth containing the pistillate flowers. Mr. Stoke reports that ~Bedford~ produces both flowers simultaneously and that ~Caesar~ is practically self-pollinating. Mr. Etter finds ~Burtner~ fully self-pollinating and ~Alleman~ partially. Mr. McKinster's tree is apparently self-pollinating.

To overcome dichogamy it is necessary to have varieties which pollinate one another. Again Mr. Stoke's list referred to above is useful in selecting varieties for cross-pollination. Mr. Becker finds that ~Crath No. 1~ and ~Carpathian D~ pollinate each other under his conditions.

More information on the pollination of Persian varieties is definitely needed. Members are urged to record the flowering date of their varieties. Such information will be very helpful in variety selection.

~Handling the Nut Crop~—The nuts are harvested and dried promptly. Methods of drying vary. Some have drying screens in which the nuts are placed several layers deep. Some dry the nuts in the sun; others prefer a shady place. Following drying, the nuts are stored in a cool place.

At least one grower has enough walnuts to sell locally; others feel that local markets would take all they could produce. Many of the growers sell the nuts for seed purposes. Of course, all have a supply for home use.

~Future Prospects~—Growers see good prospects for Persian walnut in most of their respective regions if improved varieties are developed. Many growers are planning to increase the size of their plantings with promising varieties. Others would like more trees but lack the necessary space.

The 1949 contest uncovered several very promising selections. The 1950 National Contest should produce many more.

(Applause.)

DR. MacDANIELS: I believe, Mr. Chase, your second paper has to do with the 1950 Carpathian walnut contest, which is just a matter of explanation, I take it, as to what is going to happen.

Plans for the 1950 Carpathian Walnut Contest

SPENCER CHASE, Norris, Tenn.

MR. CHASE: The 1950 contest plans have not been fully formulated. Our main problem will be one of advertising. Our good secretary has agreed to help out on that. Mr. Sherman and Dr. Anthony have agreed to help out in their region. I was successful in getting Mr. Neal of the ~Southern Agriculturist~ to promise to give us a little Southern publicity on contest.

MR. McDANIEL: I wrote him; also wrote Mr. Niven of the ~Progressive Farmer~ at Memphis and Chet Randolph with the ~Prairie Farmer~ at Chicago.

MR. CHASE: As I say, we plan on handling it the same as we did the 1949 contest. It will be simply the submission of entries. We may want to consider the method of judging a little further.

The problem of prize money needs to be resolved, how much the Association is going to offer—feels that they could stand to offer—for first, second, or how many prizes we are going to have. That's about all that we have to report now concerning the contest. But we do need, before we can proceed too far, some commitment on prize money. Last year we did not offer prizes simply because it was for the membership, and there has been some question whether prizes are necessary. Of course, it wasn't necessary from the Association standpoint, but it probably will stimulate some others not in the Association to submit samples from their trees.

Do any of the contest committee or members have any suggestions? We'd be very happy to have them.

DR. MacDANIELS: Will this include all Persian walnuts?

MR. CHASE: That was another problem that came up the last time, and we talked about it as being a Carpathian contest, and we decided, who can tell a Carpathian from another Persian, and we decided to make it a Persian walnut contest.

DR. MacDANIELS: No Persian walnut will be refused?

MR. CHASE: Yes, sir.

DR. MacDANIELS: Should they be sent to you?

MR. CHASE: Yes.

DR. MacDANIELS: Mr. Spencer Chase at Norris.

MR. CHASE: Then, shall we exclude the Northwestern states?

MR. McDANIEL: Last year we limited it to those trees which stood at least zero temperature. That would eliminate most of California, at least.

DR. MacDANIELS: That makes sense.

MR. SHERMAN: How many nuts are expected?

MR. CHASE: Last year we asked and received fifteen. We'd like to have twenty-five. That gives us a better opportunity for the tasting department. We have a lot of tasters. We don't have many crackers, but a lot of tasters.

MR. McDANIEL: I found that the mice in the State Capitol at Nashville weren't very particular as to variety. They took to any that were open.

DR. MacDANIELS: Are we men, or are we mice?

MR. CHASE: In case you didn't notice, downstairs we have all the entries in the contest with the exception of some which human mice got from me, two samples, I believe. But all the rest I managed to save. And I, of course, have not seen too many Persian walnuts, being down there where the spring frost gets them. I was very favorably impressed by the appearance of all these samples. We simply picked five, as I said, and pointed out that this should be considered a preliminary finding and not definite, but all those samples were fine. Some were, of course, more bitter to the taste than others. That's where we lost a lot of nuts, trying to find out the least bitter. But many were an improvement on the commercial varieties, as far as I was concerned.

I think if we all get active on hunting out these Persians the way we have blacks, we can make very good progress.

MR. McDANIEL: Even on appearance I think some of them beat what you see in the stores.

MR. CHASE: Yes, on appearance. Of course, some of them were handed back and forth and competing against each other, that's what happened.

DR. McKAY: I'd like to ask how much importance you ascribe to tree characteristics and not the nut itself.

MR. CHASE: I asked for that information and tabulated it, and it didn't mean much. We found we couldn't do it. So then we came back to the nut first.

Carpathian Scions for Testing~

There is one other point I might mention. Last year you may recall that I reported on our planting of Carpathian seedlings at Norris, some 500 of them, which were frosted every single year. We have babied them along now for almost ten years, and I don't see any prospects of getting any nuts on them.

Now, among those 500 there must be one good one, and I will be very happy to collect scion wood of all those trees and send it to members who are willing to top-work them and see what they will do. So if any of you folks are interested in some of these varieties—not varieties yet, but seedlings—I'd like to see them fruit, and I am sure we never will at Norris.

DR. MacDANIELS: Where did you get the seed?

MR. CHASE: From the Wisconsin State Horticultural Society.

DR. MacDANIELS: In other words, it's just as good seed as any other.

MR. FRYE: You are in a frost pocket.

MR. CHASE: The whole place is a frost pocket. They are up on the hill—the frosty spot.

A MEMBER: When were they planted?

MR. CHASE: In the spring of 1939.

MR. CORSAN: Let me understand that. You say there are 500 trees that did nothing at all?

MR. CHASE: We have approximately 500 of the Crath seedlings, and each year they are frosted.

MR. CORSAN: Let me explain that. I have had the same trouble. Mr. Crath, not knowing the nature of my place, put some of the best nuts in wet places, in frost pockets, but he had two rows of one kind of nut that grew very rapidly the first year, but they are not any bigger now, and that was many years ago, back in 1935 they were planted. And there were about 80 varieties he got from Russia, he being able to speak four Russian dialects, his father being the Burbank of Russia and the gardener to the Czar, he had a lot of information, and he knew just what he was doing. But he was too hopeful and got some varieties from the foothills, some up a little higher, some up half way, some up towards the snow line, and they are tremendously hardy.

Now, I have given these nut trees away to people south of Lake Ontario. You see, I am north of Lake Ontario, and those are around St. Catherines. There trees will grow and succeed. I have been told there is no check by frost on them. I have given a lots of those away. But with me they are absolutely worthless north of the Lake, and there is a vast difference in them.

Now, I thought, looking at a great, big nut, the Rumanian giant, thought sure a nut that big would be bitter. I thought sure that it wouldn't be hardy, but at any rate, I planted a few, and I have a nearly perfect reproduction of those nuts, and one is very hardy and very productive, and the other is not quite so hardy. It's a huge nut and not so productive. However, size has nothing to do with it. I noticed a certain type and shape of nut was sometimes quite tender, and then again the same shape of nut but different variety was quite hardy.

I sold a lot of trees in varying sizes, keeping the small and the runts and those that were injured by the tractor and other trees for myself, but I have enough varieties every year to come down and see some wonderful results.

For instance, I slashed one up badly to dwarf it, and it had a little, wee nut that big (indicating). When I cracked that nut, the shell was crammed full of meat, and it was exceedingly sweet, and it tasted like a hickory nut. So I cut my own throat, as it were.

* * * * *

DR. MacDANIELS: Mr. Chase's problem right now is to get these trees out somewhere where they can be tested further, and he has asked any of you if you want scions to get in touch with him.

MR. CORSAN: I say, send them south.

DR. MacDANIELS: The farther south you go the worse they are.

MR. H. F. STOKE: May I also say a word? Also send them north. Sometimes the winter sun will start the growth activity, and then wind comes along and kills it. The original Crath that was started in Toronto, I had it killed back to five-year-old wood thick as my wrist one winter, when the sun moved it to activity. It was hardy in Toronto, but it wasn't hardy in Roanoke, Virginia.

DR. MacDANIELS: Let's have a showing of hands of those who have that trouble, starting in the spring and freezing back. (Showing of hands.) About five or six.

* * * * *

The next paper will be, "The Persian Walnut in Pennsylvania and Ohio," Mr. L. Walter Sherman.

MR. SHERMAN: Ladies and gentlemen, Mr. Chairman: First I'd like to tell you who I am. Some of you have been to my place and know who I am, but last fall Pennsylvania started something new—a little bit different. They put on a survey of the nut trees of Pennsylvania. Two of us were selected for the job, and I would like to introduce Dr. Anthony—stand up so they can see. He and I were the two that were selected to put on the tree crop survey of that State of Pennsylvania.

Pennsylvania is a big state, and there is lots to see. They not only made it a survey of the nut trees, but any trees that are potential food for wildlife. Well, that made it the acorns and the honeylocust and, well, what have you, How big a job they hung on two fellows! Well, we have done the best we can, and we want to bring you this afternoon just a little of those results.

The Persian Walnut in Pennsylvania and Ohio

L. WALTER SHERMAN, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture Tree Crop Survey, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania

As members of the Northern Nut Growers Association, most of you are familiar with the early history of the Persian walnut, its introduction into the United States by the early settlers, and how it finally found a home in California. You also know of the more recent introduction into this country of nuts and other material from the Carpathian Mountains by the Rev. Mr. Crath, who was assisted by members of your organization. (1)

These recent Crath introductions are supposed to be much hardier than the former ones, and probably able to establish themselves in northern United States and southern Canada.

When the Pennsylvania legislature authorized a survey of the nut trees of the state, very few people realize the foothold that the Persian walnut already had in Pennsylvania.

Early in this survey, we visited Fayette Etter, who is Pennsylvania's Luther Burbank with nut trees. He is well informed concerning the Persian walnut in his section, and he surprised us by his estimate of several thousand trees in his county of Franklin. The adjoining counties of Adams, York, and Lancaster, along the southern border of the state, have fully as many trees of this species, so it is a very conservative estimate that there are ten thousand of these trees in Pennsylvania. These are located, for the most part, in the southeastern corner of the state below one thousand feet elevation.

Local grown Persian walnuts were found on sale last fall in the farm markets of York, Lancaster, and Harrisburg and at many grocery stores. Wherever we found such local nuts on sale, we asked where and by whom they were grown. Many of them came from Halifax and Linglestown, in Dauphin County; from Lampeter, Lancaster County; and from Seven Valleys, York County.

Farther investigation revealed the facts that in all but one of the centers of production, the trees were seedling trees and that there were from four to 23 trees planted relatively close together. In one instance, a lone tree produced the nuts being sold, and in another case the nuts were from several grafted trees.

The lone tree, which produced three bushels in 1949, was of interest. Investigation revealed that the nearest Persian walnut tree was at least a city block distant. Was this lone tree self pollinating or receiving pollen from a tree this far away? We still are not sure of the answer.

Jacob Houser, of Lampeter, was selling Pomeroy seedling nuts and nuts from three Rush Persian walnuts grafted on black walnut stock. They were growing close enough for cross-pollination.

Driving through the counties of southeastern Pennsylvania, we found many thousand seedling Persian walnut trees as shade trees about the farm homes. Investigations revealed that most of these trees never produced any nuts. Repeatedly we are told that, "my tree never has any nuts, but a certain tree on an adjoining farm always produces," or "I have two trees, one of which bears quite regularly but the other never has borne." They are the same age and both seem to be growing equally well. Some produce only a few handfulls of nuts when they should be producing five to ten bushels, judging by their size.

You as nut growers know the answer, but the general public does not. Even some of you have made the mistake of planting one tree by itself and expecting it to produce. This seldom happens. Mixed plantings of several varieties or several seedlings planted close together is the safe rule to plant by.

I know of one planting of ten grafted trees of one variety of Persian walnuts, now twenty years old, that has never produced any nuts even though they are planted so that cross-pollination would be expected. In 1950 only a few catkins developed. These produced pollen early and were on the ground before the pistilate bloom opened and was receptive. I never saw a nicer pistillate bloom on any Persian walnuts than these trees had, yet not a single nut set. They are in the center of a fifty-five acre black walnut orchard, and when the pistillate bloom was at its peak, the black walnuts surrounding were shedding pollen. Do not try to tell me that native black walnuts will satisfactorily pollinate the Persian walnut. After this demonstration, I know different. Were all the Persian walnut trees of Pennsylvania properly pollinated, the crop of nuts, in my estimation, would be increased a hundredfold over what it is normally. Lack of pollination is probably the greatest factor causing non-production in our Persian walnuts. It is far more important that the fertility factor which is so important in production of the common black walnut. (2)

Fayette Etter and Milo Paden both feel that the Broadview variety is self-pollinating, but even this variety may prove to be benefited by cross pollination.

The Persian walnut has developed in Pennsylvania and Ohio in a rather interesting pattern. Trees planted fifty to a hundred and fifty years ago managed to live and produce nuts. From these trees, seedlings were grown and planted by neighbors and friends. These trees and their seedlings in turn have now grown to producing age. Some few that produce good crops of nuts you hear about, but the vast majority are just non-producing shade trees. Until you look for them you little realize how numerous they are.

At Linglestown, Dauphin County, however, we find a striking exception to this. Here all the trees are productive. The question there is not why don't my trees produce, but is quite spirited as to who harvests the largest crop and best nuts.

About seventy-five years ago Alfred Kleopfer planted some Persian walnuts of unknown origin, but probably from Germany. He grew three trees which were planted, one beside the village blacksmith shop, one across the street, and the third at a neighbor's. One tree lived for only a short time. The blacksmith shop has been replaced by a modern dwelling but the walnut tree was saved and has grown to be a tree 6' 6" in circumference and probably 60 feet high. The one across the street is of nearly equal size but the top has been damaged by storm and the tree is not as tall.

These two trees were able to cross-pollinate and one tree was especially productive. Miles Bolton recognized its value and began growing seedling trees and distributing them to his neighbors. Some of them were quite skeptical and even refused to take them as a gift and plant them. However, he got the village pretty well planted to Persian walnut trees, so that today there are 145 nice trees within the village, and two small orchards on farms nearby.

Standing in the village square, one can see at least six Persian walnut trees higher than the house tops. Pollination is not a problem, and all trees are good producers. Young trees are in demand for planting, and seedling trees, coming up in the flower beds, compost piles, fence corners, and other places where squirrels have hidden nuts, are carefully transplanted to permanent locations.

The story of the development of the Persian walnut at Linglestown, with minor variations of course, can be repeated many times in southeastern Pennsylvania. In Linglestown, the development has been concentrated within a village, whereas in most places it has been spread over a farming community, with less opportunity for cross-pollination. The result has been a very high percentage of barren trees. However, Persian walnut seedling trees have taken over and are making good in this milder climate area of Pennsylvania.

About the same can be said of northern Ohio, though the development is probably 50 years behind that in Pennsylvania. The climate there apparently is not so well suited to the Persian walnut, and fewer trees have been able to thrive. A few, however, are growing nicely and their seedlings are rapidly spreading. The Jacobs tree at Elmore, Ohio, produced 300 pounds of nuts in 1947, at 30 years of age, and many nuts from this tree are being planted. The Ohio Nut Growers are propagating vegetatively from the outstanding trees and rapid development is taking place. Named varieties are thus being developed from superior trees, and future success will be based on these named varieties rather than on seedlings.

During the last few years, some of the seedlings developed from the Crath Carpathian importations are coming into bearing in parts of Pennsylvania and Ohio, and wherever I have seen them they look very promising indeed. The Crath Carpathians are doing well at Mt. Jackson, Lawrence County, Pennsylvania, along with Broadview, for Riley Paden and Howard Butler. A. W. Robinson, of Pittsburgh, has five trees of Crath seedlings, two of which are in bearing. All these trees seem to be perfectly hardy. The nuts of course vary, but all are good.

Riley Paden, at Mt. Jackson, is grafting Broadview on black walnut stock, and for him this variety is doing well. He has about forty trees of it from two to fifteen years of age. His prize fifteen-year-old tree produced one bushel of nuts in 1949. A sample of these nuts is on the table for your inspection. Paden says he can grow Broadview anywhere peaches will do well. Fayette Etter at Lemasters, Franklin County, considers Broadview too bitter flavored for him. He thinks Burtner, which is a local seedling, superior for his section to all other varieties that he has tested.

With an estimated ten thousand Persian walnut seedlings growing in Pennsylvania, the Pennsylvania nut growers are faced with a big task to sort out the best and get them tested in different sections of the state. We should find the best half dozen varieties for each section.

The Persian walnut is established in Pennsylvania and in northern Ohio. There are not just a few scattered trees having a hard time to survive but there are many thousands of them, growing vigorously, some producing big crops of fine nuts, others not producing any. They are ready now for the intelligent development you can give to them. Nature has gone about as far as she will without your assistance. The job now is up to you nut growers.

REFERENCES

(1) Northern Nut Growers Annual Report Vol. Page Persian walnuts history of in Penna. Rush 5 93 history of in Cal. Reed, C. A. 6 51 introduction of Carpathian. Crath 27 103 distribution of Carpathian. Rahmlow 27 112 survey in Penna. Fagan 6 23 (2) Persian walnut protandrous. Craig 2 106

Discussion

MR. FRYE: How about butternuts for pollenization?

MR. SHERMAN: I don't know. I have one hybrid, and that's a sample downstairs that I think is an English walnut crossed with a butternut. The nut looks like a butternut; the tree looks like an English walnut, but it has the butternut bark. They will occasionally pollinate, I think, but don't depend on them.

MR. CORSAN: I'll tell you how you can tell. That butternut-English walnut cross is the most powerful tree I ever came across, especially for good wood. I got a tremendous one.

MR. STOKE: I produced, I think, 22 seedling trees from the Lancaster Persian walnut. About five per cent are hybrids. There was one strong-growing black x Persian hybrid that I am sure of. There are three or four very dwarfish trees that undoubtedly were crossed with the heartnut. They were all dwarf. I haven't been able to get one to bear. I have had one grafted five or six years on a black walnut, but that was the heartnut and not the butternut.

MR. SHERMAN: That study of the hybrid is another story and really doesn't belong in this discussion at all.

MR. CORSAN: Here is a point on that. When they are only that high (indicating)—if they are only babies, I can tell them. You know, occasionally. Look at the leaflets on the compound leaf, and if there are over seven, they are hybrids, and if they are extra vigorous growing, they are hybrids, because they occasionally pollenize.

MR. SHERMAN: Those are all characteristics of the hybrids, but here is what I want to bring out now, and Dr. Anthony is going to stress it on his chestnuts a little bit later: You people have a wealth of material to select from. Nature has gone about so far, and I am just a believer enough in what the Bible says, that God made the heavens and the earth and put man here to tend and keep it, and made him master of everything above the earth and every creeping thing on the earth and everything beneath the earth, and it is up to you fellows to direct intelligently this mass of material you have to direct. You have got nuts growing where they are hardy, you have got big nuts, you have got little nuts, you have got everything under the sun you can think of. What more do you want for a nice job ahead? It's up to you fellows to do. It's going to be not a one-year job, not a two-year job, not a five-year job; you will be at this, and your children and your grandchildren.

MR. CORSAN: Make you live long.

MR. SHERMAN: Maybe you will live long enough, but it's a century's job, and not the job for one man's lifetime.

(Loud applause.)

DR. MacDANIELS: Thank you, Mr. Sherman. Any questions?

MR. CHASE: Yes, sir. I want to ask Mr. Sherman, should I be thinking about receiving 10,000 entries in this contest?

MR. SHERMAN: No, because there aren't 10,000 trees producing. Out of that 10,000 maybe there are a thousand of them producing. The nine thousand others are nothing but shade trees, and never produce any nuts. You don't hear of them, but if you travel through York, Lancaster, and Adams Counties down there and look for Persian walnuts, you will find them on—I was going to say 50 per cent of the farm homes. You can see them along the road everywhere.

My wife travels with me a good deal of the time. She will say, "Why don't you stop and look at that Persian walnut? There are some over there. Why don't you stop there?"

A MEMBER: Don't they bloom a month later than most of the others?

MR. CORSAN: Did you find a good French variety?

MR. SHERMAN: But those French varieties—I can't take you to a good French variety in Southeastern Pennsylvania that has been producing the nuts. They produce the nuts, but folks won't even pick them up.

A MEMBER: They are good for pollen.

MR. SHERMAN: If you want a good pollenizer go to Fayette Etter and get his Burtner. It's a very late pollen producer. This year I took some buds from his Burtner and put them in the top of those ten trees in that 55-acre black walnut orchard to see if I can't do something. Maybe it won't stick—maybe I hadn't better tell you.

MR. CORSAN: Mr. Chairman, there is one point raised by the last speaker that's not understood; that the young black walnut trees, when they first blossom, they come out with a mass of male blossoms. Then the English walnut, when it comes out, it sometimes comes out with a mass of pistillate flowers which people might not know are the female flowers. They make the nuts, but there is not even one catkin. I have seen that time and again.

Those trees in Russia would be dependent upon larger trees to pollinate them. But here you have young trees, and you have to wait till they get a certain growth, and then they produce their catkins.

DR. MacDANIELS: Thank you, Mr. Corsan.

The next paper, by Mr. J. F. Wilkinson of Rockport, Indiana, "Observations and Experiences with the Persian Walnut in Southern Indiana." Mr. Wilkinson.

(Paper not available for this Report.)

DR. MacDANIELS: We have a choice of doing several different things. There are several other papers we have here, the authors of which are not present. Then the other possibility would be to go on and have some papers that require the use of the lantern, as long as we have this all fixed up.

Perhaps the thing to do is to have Dr. Anthony's paper on chestnuts, using the lantern, and then have these other papers on the Persian walnut summarized after that. Does that seem to be a reasonable thing to do?

(Chorus of yeses.)

DR. MacDANIELS: We will go ahead on that basis, then. Dr. Anthony has the talk on chestnuts.

(This talk, withdrawn for revision, may appear in next Report.)

MR. CORSAN: Dr. Anthony, I knew Captain Sober very well, and he showed me quite a group—a double handful—of Korean sweet chestnuts. They were a little thicker than the native Pennsylvania chestnut, they are rounder and a little larger, but they weren't as large as some of the Chinese or nearly as large as the Japanese. What about those nuts, because, you see, the blight killed all his Paragon chestnuts—you know, the cross between the European and the American chestnuts—killed them all off completely, as it did with me.

DR. ANTHONY: In our detective work we were instructed to follow down that plantation. Mrs. Sober is still alive, living in Lewisburg. The planting has practically disappeared. I am going over there next week. It is still with the man who wrote "Chestnut Culture in Pennsylvania." MR. CORSAN: It broke his heart.

DR. ANTHONY: We are going over there next week, but I think that whole planting has disappeared. When these things change hands, another man comes in who is not interested, and things disappear very rapidly.

(Continue with paper.)

MR. CORSAN: I want to tell you how to keep the deer out of the chestnut orchard. Plant filberts five feet apart all around the place, and after while just put one single electrified wire five feet from the ground, and the deer won't get in through that.

DR. ANTHONY: Glad to hear that, because deer is one of our problems.

(Continue with paper.)

DR. ANTHONY: There is a tree beside the blacksmith shop, and the old man used to go there early in the morning as a boy to get chestnuts. Today he has taken down the old blacksmith shop and built a home, but he preserved that tree in Linglestown. It practically covers his house, six feet six inches in trunk circumference, 60 feet high and a spread of 60 feet. It isn't too long before we will have chestnuts that big to eat alongside the old blacksmith shop.

DR. MacDANIELS. It is about three o'clock. We will take a five-minute recess.

(Whereupon, a short recess was taken.)

DR. MacDANIELS: For the first paper after the recess, we will call on Sargent Wellman to speak to us about the Persian walnuts in England. Mr. Wellman.

Notes on Persian Walnuts in England

SARGENT WELLMAN, Topsfield, Massachusetts

MR. WELLMAN: Members of the Association: I was fortunate enough to be in England last summer, and I agreed that I would say a few words about nut growing there. What I am really going to do is largely to read you a few things from some articles that I found there.

I was very much impressed with the little interest that there is in nut growing in England, and I was very much surprised at it. Of course, you all know that the walnut grows there. The chestnut grows there. There are some fine, marvelous trees in Kew Gardens, of course, that I saw, and if you read the English poets, you will remember how they talk about chestnut blossoms on chestnut trees, but curiously enough, there is now very little interest.

MR. McDANIEL. When they speak of the blossom, they speak of the horsechestnut, do they not?

MR. WELLMAN: Not always, but there are pink flowered horsechestnuts in France, particularly, whole avenues of pink ones. The cob nut, as they call the filbert, is very common there, grown in hedges. One year when I was in England previously I brought home a few in my pocket, and I have a seedling which grew from one of those, which is comparable to the filberts I have, but apparently there is no interest in that, so far as I can see—I mean, any investigation and any experimentation and encouragement of its planting. But there is about the walnut. That's the one nut tree in which they are interested.

I picked up two reports, both of them made by Elizabeth M. Glenn, who is the woman connected with the East Malling Station down in Kent and is the one person who is doing more with walnut work than anybody else, as far as I could find out. Unfortunately, the day I was there she was on vacation, so I couldn't see her, but they were very kind to me and took me around and showed me everything.

As you know, the East Malling Station is the place where they have done all that work with apple root stocks. This one is a reprint from the annual report for the East Malling Station for 1946. And then "The Men of the Trees," which is a forestry society there which some of you may have heard of, have reprinted in the Autumn, 1949, number another article by Elizabeth Glenn on "The Selection and Propagation of Walnuts." And I think if I make a few comments and read a few things from these, you will be interested.

She says, "The earliest record of a walnut tree in England is 1562, but remains of walnut shells have been found in Roman villas, and it is probable that the Romans planted some nuts and raised trees in this country."

She says, "There is a large tree of it"—black walnut—"at Kew, near the entrance to the Rock Garden." Of course there are some rootstocks, and they are all specimen trees, but they are not used for nuts. She says somewhere here, "In this country the nuts are of little value, although in America they are used for confectionery purposes."

The East Malling Station is really a fruit research station, as I said, and they are the ones who are primarily interested in walnut crops and not timber production. "However, there is no reason why a tree shouldn't produce both good crops and good timber."

"The French, have been grafting walnuts for well over 100 years, and the famous Grenoble nuts all come from grafted trees of named varieties." She emphasizes the fact that almost all of the English walnuts are grown on seedling trees and are very much inferior to those that come from the Continent and from this country. And of course that was the purpose of their work, to encourage the use of grafted trees.

I was interested in this sentence: "The late Mr. Howard Spence began the survey and collection of good varieties growing in this country and abroad, and collaborated with East Malling in the trial of selected varieties." He was always interested in our society and was an honorary member of it for a good many years prior to his death.

I was interested in the fact that the problems that they have over there in the way of climate and some other things are very similar to our problems. She speaks a good deal about the matter of climate. I will come to that as I go along.

"Work on walnuts, started at East Malling in 1925, soon showed that the budding or grafting of walnuts out of doors was far too chancy in this climate to be relied upon as a means of raising young trees," so that all their grafting is done in the greenhouse, and they don't try to do anything outdoors.

"Outdoor grafting can be done successfully only where the mean temperature from May to September is above 65 deg. F." Then she gives a description of the greenhouse grafting, bringing in the seedlings and potting them in November, in the fall, and then starting along in February in grafting, and then taking them out and planting them in the spring. I won't go into that; there is nothing particularly interesting I think, for us about that.

Patch budding she also describes…. She says it's a much cheaper method than grafting under glass but at the moment the results are far less reliable.

"The walnut will tolerate a wide range of soils so long as the drainage is good and the soil is not too acid. Lime should be applied before planting, unless there is plenty present in the soil.

"The site should not be in a valley or frost hole, because, although the dormant tree is quite hardy and can stand severe frost, the young growths and catkins are very easily killed by spring frosts." They are talking about the same problem we have. In fact, in spite of the fact that the weather is warmer than in Boston and New England, they don't have the severe winters, but they do have this late frost.

Manuring. They recommend mulching with farmyard manure or compost put on the soil and worked in and no artificial nitrogen because that again gives too much late growth, and you have trouble with killing back.

She goes over the problems that we have been talking about this afternoon, about the time of leafing out in the spring and what the difference in the varieties is and the effects of that on the winter killing.

Now, I am not going to read much more. I will just read over the names of the varieties which may interest you. This first article, the 1946 one, lists Franquette, Mayette, Meylanaise, Chaberte, Excelsior of Taynton, Northdown, Clawnut, and Secrett. The latter article, which was published last year, says that in 1929, with the help of Dr. Taylor, the Royal Horticultural Society held a walnut competition. "Over 700 entries were received and were subjected to severe tests. Most of the nuts were far below the required standards, but five Were selected for propagation and further tests. The owners of the trees from which these nuts came supplied scion wood to raise grafted trees for trial at East Malling." The best ones came from a tree which they called "Champion of Ixworth." The second one was called "Excelsior of Taynton," which was in the list I read previously. Another variety is called "Lady Irene." I am not going into the description of these varieties here, because if any of you are interested, you can get hold of these publications and get it. She lists the Stutton seedling and then the Northdown Clawnut.

Also in this article she mentions the French varieties, of course, which were mentioned before.

Well, I thought it might just interest you that in another part of the world they are doing the same sort of thing we are, and they are having the same sort of problems and working on it. (Applause.)

DR. MacDANIELS: Several of these papers which were scheduled will be either summarized or read. One of them will be read now by Mr. Silvis of Ohio. The paper is by Carl Weschcke.

Prospects for Persian Walnuts in the Vicinity of St. Paul, Minnesota

CARL WESCHCKE

Although I was asked to prepare a paper on the Carpathian walnut, I feel that my other experiences with Persian or so-called English walnut (the botanical name of which is Juglans regia) are also of some value to those who might be tempted to try this species of walnut in cold climates.

When I first started my experiments with nut bearing trees, I included the English walnut among the possibilities for our section. Mr. J. F. Jones of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, gave me much information and a great deal of help in trying out what he considered hardy strains. There was a walnut tree in Boston, known as the Boston walnut, of which he sent scions, and which I grafted on butternut. This was about the year 1920, and was included in my grafting experiments together with black walnut, heartnut, hickories, and hybrids between hickory and pecan. Later on, he sent me scionwood from other known hardy varieties which I placed on butternut, and many of these made tremendous growths but were winterkilled the very first winter. None of the English walnut with which I continued experiments lived over the first winter until I received scionwood from Prof. James Neilson of Canada, who sent the Broadview. These Broadview scions were grafted on butternut and black walnut, and a few of the scions survived for possibly three seasons, even producing staminate and pistillate blossoms and small nuts which grew only to about the size of a quarter and then dropped off.

Clarence A. Reed arranged to have some small seedling Chinese strain of Juglans regia sent from Chico, California; these were planted in favorable places and survived a few winters. I also planted seeds of the Chinese strains which gave me no better results than the seedlings.

Then I bought walnuts from A. C. Pomeroy, of Lockport, New York. These were even more tender than other varieties with which I had experimented, although they were very much publicized by Mr. Pomeroy in the Nut Grower during that era as being extra hardy, because they were growing near the south shore of Lake Erie.

I next went to Mr. Jones, who was then selling quite a quantity of Wiltz Mayette and Franquette strains of English walnut grafted on black walnut. These proved to be among the most tender varieties I have ever tested here. Then he sent me scions of the Hall and Holden varieties, which he felt were considerably more winter hardy, but here they failed to survive even one winter.

We have not neglected the Rush English walnut either, which was tested in a similar manner without any good practical results.

This now brings us to the convention at Geneva, New York, in 1936 when the Rev. Mr. Crath and George H. Corsan presented a new strain of English walnuts, known as the Carpathian strain, originating in the Carpathian mountains in Poland. This so impressed me that after talking it over with my father we decided to finance a trip into the same region that Mr. Crath had been in, to locate new and better varieties for a real test. The story of the Rev. Mr. Crath's and my adventure along these lines, during the winter of 1936-37, has been printed in the records of the Northern Nut Growers Association, and I will bring out only the high spots that seem to be important 14 years later.

In the shipments of hardy material collected were some 4,000 scions of possibly a dozen different good strains of what Mr. Crath considered hardiest and best. In addition to that, there were around 500 trees ranging in size from small whips of one foot long to some that were over eight feet; also there were some 400 pounds of nuts to be planted to produce seedlings.

These nuts had been gathered from superior hardy trees with the expectation that the seedlings would produce nearly true imitations of their parents in the quality of their fruit and hardiness. These seedling nuts produced somewhat over 12,000 seedling trees, which were planted in about six large strips of land so as to give room for cultivation. The 500 trees received from Poland were planted in favorable locations and many of them are still alive. The scionwood was put on native butternut and black walnut. Some of it was grafted to young nursery stock, but most of it was put on large mature trees, being top worked. Grafting was started in April and continued into the early part of June. The later grafts were much more successful than the earlier ones, although some of the April grafts grew and flourished. Many of these grafts bore flowers and had little nutlets but none of them ripened nuts. After about three seasons some of the grafts that continued to live produced a few nuts.

Three varieties were practically mature, and then the native insect pests caught up with them. Also, there was a black rot or wilt which I am fairly sure was walnut bacteriosis disease, although specimens sent out to competent authorities did not corroborate this diagnosis. What turned out to be the butternut curculio attacked all grafted and seedling trees with such vigor that there was no way to combat it. I sprayed some of the grafted specimens and kept it up for several years, trying to hold on to them, but it became too much for me and my equipment; I doubt now whether any amount of poison would have saved the trees because the butternut curculio is difficult to kill with poison. One of the varieties, known as the Kremenetz, grafted on black walnut, was sent to Harry Weber. It thrives and bears nice crops at his country estate in Cleves, Ohio, near Cincinnati. He has sent me scions of this variety, and this spring I grafted them back on black walnut, as the butternut curculio is not nearly as bad as it was when there was so much English walnut foliage for them to feed on (this foliage is their choice over all other foliage). These insect pests also wiped out several heartnut varieties which came from J. U. Gellatly, of Westbank, B. C, Canada; for next to English walnuts the curculio loves heartnut foliage and its new branch growth.

We have about 60 to 70 acres of woods which contain a large percentage of butternut, therefore it is next to impossible to wipe out their native food. I doubt very much whether this would have benefited the situation at all, as the curculio would have then centered all its activities on the English walnut foliage and perhaps have attacked hickories, pecans, and black walnuts, on which they sometimes try their appetites. Hybrids between butternut and black walnut are viciously attacked by this curculio. Hybrids between English walnut and other species of walnut which I have here also become a prey to curculio. So there is no trick species which would be immune to their attack.

The English walnut usually vegetates too early in the spring to escape some of our late frosts. Because this new growth generally contains the flowers, the fruiting of such trees would be very unreliable and only occasional. We even have trouble with black walnut and butternut in this respect. The hickory is much better, and the pecan is even later in respect to vegetation. I mention this because even though everything had gone well it is doubtful whether reliable crops of English walnuts would ever have been produced from the so-called hardy Carpathian series.

A year or so following the experiment with the Carpathian walnut, I imported about 100 pounds of seeds from Austria. They came in two different lots: one of them was more expensive than the other seed, and it proved to be much the hardier. The larger lot of smaller seeds was not as hardy. Although we have several hundred trees of this better seed lot which remain alive, they are no better off in any respect than the Carpathian seedlings. In fact, I could not see much difference between the behavior of these seedlings and the behavior of the Carpathian walnut strain.

While in California in 1939 I picked up about five pounds of seeds from a hardy tree growing in the Sierra Nevadas in Sonora, also some native black walnuts. These survived a few years but finally were winter-killed entirely, root and all. The Carpathians are never killed out entirely but continue to grow from the root systems, even though they are frozen back to the ground; but the insect and the fungus have destroyed many thousands of the original group of trees so that there are today perhaps between 1000 and 2000 living trees, which sprout up each spring and kill back each fall with clock-like regularity. Among these; However, are a few outstanding varieties which extend some hope that there may be among these survivors one or more trees which resist the butternut curculio and have become acclimated, to such an extent that they do not entirely kill back but only a little of their new growth is killed. These specimens usually are the ones that make a shorter growth during the summer, in fact have more of a tendency to be a genuine dwarf type of tree. Three such seeding trees were known to have sprouted from exceptionally large and very thin-shelled walnuts, which I believe the Rev. Mr. Crath calls the giant type.

I will now summarize and express my own private opinion regarding the future possibilities of introducing the English walnut into such an extreme northern latitude as we are in. First, experiments started thirty years ago, which period gives a reasonable period of time that any man should feel is necessary to devote to giving a species a try-out. Secondly, we have used material from every reasonably known source. Third, persons in charge had a reasonable amount of skill and success with other varieties to have insured success if the material had been responsive. My opinion, for what it may be worth, is that the species is out of its range in this northern latitude, more particularly because it is too tender to fight its own battles as to insect life which attacks it, particularly the butternut curculio. Grasshoppers, leaf eating insects, and worms of different sorts, also attack it more than they do other nut tree foliage. The possibilities of a break in the strong cycle of insect life is a hopeful prospect which we are helping by breeding tens of thousands of toads and frogs. This might allow some, of the more vigorous specimens to acquire sufficient size to overcome this weakness. In my opinion, the climate itself is not the main governing factor which would kill out all hope of raising English walnuts here; but certainly, coupled with the disastrous attack of insect life and susceptibility to blight, these three foes are almost insurmountable. And then in view of the early vegetating habit of these species, there is the possibility that even though you had a hardy tree, immune to insects, you would never get much fruit.

Discussion

DR. MacDANIELS: Remember, the climate up around St. Paul is a bit rugged, and I think that work of that kind is certainly of value to give us an idea of the limits at which we can grow these trees, but I don't think that we have by any means explored the whole field.

In the Morris collection at Ithaca there is a little Persian walnut about the size of the end of this finger (indicating), a very small nut, that was given to Dr. Morris by a consul from the interior of Asia up in the Himalaya Mountains in Tibet, from of an elevation of about 10,000 feet. That little walnut had a hard shell, harder than some of our shellbark hickory nuts, and a bound kernel that I would say was much less promising than many of the nuts which we discard.

Somewhere, it seems to me, in this vast range of material we ought to be able to find some variety or clone of these species that would be adapted to practically every part of the United States. There at Ithaca we have the difficulties with the Persian walnut mainly of winter cold. That is the absolute low temperature that wipes out the trees, now that I have seen them come and go in my place there and in the vicinity. The old Pomeroy strain is killed at about 20 below zero Fahrenheit. It stayed there in fairly good condition up in the Lockport region until the extreme cold of 1933-34. Once the temperatures went down to nearly 30 below zero, except for a small region around the Niagara peninsula, where it hit only 12. Those trees are still there in that little circumscribed area around Niagara, and we saw a picture of one of them in Mr. Sherman's collection. But the Pomeroy trees, I have learned—I haven't seen them myself—were practically wiped out, as were the others, in what was thought to be the protected area along Lake Erie.

I remember the trees on the Whitecroft farm along Keuka Lake. Some of you saw those when the Nut Growers Association met at Geneva. They are on a bench close to Keuka Lake, which up to 1933-34 had not been frozen over for many years. They had grown, produced good crops, were in excellent condition, but that year the temperature went down to about 30 below zero and stayed there for a number of days. The lake froze over, and the trees were severely damaged. A California redwood which was there—had been there for 80 years—was killed outright, and so it goes.

Now, just for these Carpathian strains it seems to me that we have pretty well—perhaps you might say—licked this question of winter cold; that is, at least down to perhaps 30, 35 below zero Fahrenheit, but we certainly haven't licked the problem of early vegetation. That is, it starts out with warm days in the spring, the shoots get about this long (indicating), you get temperature going down to, say, 26, 27, 28, and your shoots are all killed back and you have lost your year's crop. So that's the problem which in the selection of varieties for this northern country, we have got to keep in mind, as I think that's one thing to look for among your Carpathian trees. It's one which will mature its foliage in the fall fairly early and which does not start out too quickly in the spring.