THE PLACE OF NUT TREES IN OUR NORTHERN HORTICULTURE

Wm. A. Taylor, Washington, D. C.

We are somewhat inclined in America to consider none but the big things worth while.

We like to do the big things and the quick ones. To organize billion dollar corporations; grow billion bushel wheat crops; to have the swiftest motor boat or auto; to receive the largest income per man, per year, or per acre. Concentrating our attention on cap sheaves and superlatives rather generally we very easily lose sight of features less conspicuous though highly important.

Such an one is the rational development of nut culture in our Northern States. Since the scouring of our chestnut forests by the Asiatic chestnut blight has practically eliminated that nut from consideration for orchard planting in the infected territory until resistant varieties yielding good crops of nuts of acceptable quality are obtained or developed, we can hardly say with assurance that we have any nut of proved adaptability in sight which is worthy of planting on an extensive scale for its crop alone, on productive agricultural land in the Northern States.

Along the southern fringe of "the North" as in Delaware, Maryland, southern Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, and Missouri exception in favor of the hardy varieties of pecans should probably be noted but in the light of present knowledge orchard planting of the commercially important almond, Persian walnut, and pecan must be left to the Pacific Coast and in the South.

This fact has been so generally recognized that we have been inclined to give up all thought of attempting nut production in the North merely because large scale operation is not attractive. There is much ground for belief that this view is erroneous and that there is need for localized planting.

If the world war taught any economic lesson to civilized men which they should remember and act on, it is that low cost food reserves should be provided against possible exigencies. They are not needed every year but when needed their value can hardly be estimated. Only to a limited extent can such reserves be accumulated out of the production of our ordinary cereals and commonly cultivated crops. Potential reserves in the form of fruitful nut trees can be established at relative light initial investment or of continuing care and labor on almost every farm and by many a roadside in much of our farming territory. Black walnut, butternut, shag bark, shell bark, beech and other hardy, long-lived native trees can be established at low cost in large numbers for beauty, shade, and food production. Nor should the possibilities of Persian walnut, Japanese walnut, and native hazel be disregarded in favored sections.

While none of these are entirely free from plant diseases or insect pests, they are, when once established, capable of maintaining themselves fairly clean and sound with little expenditure for spraying or other attention during the growing season when the peak load activities of the farm are on. Why should not their planting receive more attention and encouragement from our horticultural and other rural societies? For rough land and roadside planting they are decidedly more practical in most sections than any of our fruit trees, substantially all of which require spraying and tillage to maintain productiveness, or in fact to avoid becoming nuisances by harboring pests to contaminate the commercial orchards of the neighborhoods. While much has been said in America in commendation of the roadside planting of fruit trees so common in portions of Europe, and while there are possibilities of useful development along this line, most American efforts in this direction have proved disappointing because of the impracticability of giving the trees the care and attention they require. While often promising at the start they have quickly become infested with San Jose and other scales, borers, blights and rots which can only be prevented or controlled by systematic and thorough remedial measures, rarely possible on rough lands, in fence rows and on roadsides.

If this type of nut culture is sufficiently promising to be worth while, do we not need to attack its problems from a somewhat different angle than has become our custom with the trees which are to be grown under intensive cultural conditions at high maintenance cost, such as more and more characterizes our orcharding?

It has seemed to me for some time that in this field we need to return in our study of varieties and strains of nut trees to the standards and ideals of the earlier and ruder period of American Pomology when rusticity of tree, including storm endurance, freedom from troublesome diseases and insect pests, as well as productiveness and dessert quality were the primary consideration next after satisfactory productiveness and quality of crop.

This and other like societies might well devote much effort to the securing of performance records of promising individual nut trees, whether wild or grown by man, with a view to locating those which, whether bearing nuts of the largest size and finest quality or not, possess the inherent ability to bear regular crops of fair quality under the rough and humble conditions of the average fence row or roadside of the region to which they are adapted. Can a more alluring and fascinating field for search throughout the growing season be suggested or one more likely to interest the growing army of nature lovers, whether dwellers in country or town?

Once located and proved worth while through a sufficient period of cropping such trees, especially of black walnut, could be made available through nursery propagation for rapid dissemination for experimental planting throughout the areas of their probable adaptability.

Do not understand me as in any sense discouraging the continuance of painstaking experimentation with a view to finding or developing varieties suited to orchard planting in those scattered, favored spots where conditions make success reasonably probable. My point is rather that in our northern states by far the largest potential production of nuts is through waste land utilization and dual or triple purpose planting, such as nuts and shade and in some cases ultimate yield of highly valuable timber.

In short, widespread recognition of the importance of nut-tree planting as a side line. This deserves attention during the next few years because of the practical certainty that as our nationwide development of permanent highways proceeds, roadside trees planting on a large scale is sure to follow. When undertaken it should be on a solid foundation of experience especially with regard to the climatic adaptation, soil and drainage requirements, varietal characteristics, such as habit, vigor, pest resistance, and productiveness, all of which are fundamentally important where the use of the land for a century or more is involved. What has been said with regard to highway planting is still more important with regard to the planting of the farmstead where ill-suited trees become a source of grief rather than of satisfaction.

Side-line planting of nut trees in our northern states is practically sure to develop on a large scale during the next twenty-five years.

How can the essentials to its rational development be most promptly and accurately determined and most effectively disseminated among the people?

Dr. Morris: Apropos of side line planting, Mr. Jones some three or four years ago gave me a very handy little orchard saw. He said that when I went around the orchard on Sunday morning before church time if I had this saw with me I would find something to do. Well when I have this saw in my hand before church I find so much to do that I cannot go to church. Now if we take up tree planting as a side line it is going to be the little cap that will fire off the big gun. I think we may safely urge side line planting of nut trees believing that men who take up the side line will be drawn into putting them out on the very best land they have.

The Secretary Treasurer: Dr. Taylor said "if the trees were suited to the climatic conditions." I would like to ask him about that. I get many requests from people from various parts of the country as to what trees would succeed in their sections. As a matter of assistance in the future I would like to ask Dr. Taylor how he would go about finding that out.

Dr. Taylor: Mr. President, my first step I think would be to put that question to my neighbor who had been there longer than I, who had had his eyes open and who had had opportunity to observe. There is great risk in undertaking to project into investment propositions theoretical considerations with respect to particular varieties of trees. Our guide, our only guide, must be actual, observed behavior of the trees that we have under consideration. Of course we can draw some broadly general lines. We do well in a matter of this character to draw those lines rather conservatively and make clear that he who passes beyond the line does so at his own risk. He does it deliberately experimentally rather than upon what you might call an investment basis. The important thing, it seems to me at this stage is to observe and record the facts with respect to the trees now growing. That, of course, is particularly true with regard to the native trees which, without doubt, must take the lead in side line planting throughout the northern states. That is to my mind the important thing. Trees exist in large numbers. They need to be located and studied not merely observed on one bright sunny afternoon when everything tends towards satisfaction and optimism, but through the eyes in a way that will make available not only to the observer but to the rest of us the facts in regard to those trees.

The President: The next number on our program is Tree Planting for Definite Purposes, by Charles Lathrop Pack, President of the American Forestry Association. Mr. Pack has notified us that he is unable to be present, but has forwarded his paper.