APPENDIX

THE HISTORY OF THE PERSIAN WALNUT IN PENNSYLVANIA

J. G. Rush, West Willow, Pennsylvania

The history of the Persian walnut in Pennsylvania goes back several hundred years. Seed nuts only were brought here by the early German settlers, as steam navigation was unknown at that period. From this mixture of seed from Europe, we have at this time a few varieties worthy of favorable mention. In this connection I will give you my brief history or experiences and observation for the last twenty-nine years.

In 1886 I bought two seedling trees from a local nursery regardless of name or variety at thirty-five cents each. These two trees received equal treatment in culture for ten years, when the so-called Rush tree produced two bushels of fine developed nuts. The other tree about forty feet away has not produced two bushels from the time it was planted to the present date.

The productiveness of the Rush induced me to think, and to investigate the great difference in these two trees. I finally found the Rush to be a simultaneous bloomer whereas the other was just the reverse.

Being a member of the State Horticultural Association I exhibited these nuts from time to time when finally other members became interested in nut culture. Mr. John Engle of the Marietta Nurseries advised me to plant seed from this particular tree and raise seedling trees for sale. I finally did on a small scale only. But I soon found in the young seedlings a taint of black walnut blood, which discouraged me for a further continuance. Later I had correspondence with J. F. Jones, then of Monticello, Fla., who had specialized in the propagation of all nut trees. In 1903 scions were sent to him, and returned as budded trees in 1905, and are now a living monument to the memory of the first propagator of the Rush variety.

The Pennsylvania state nursery inspector first called my attention to the Hall variety in Erie County, Pa., after which a lively correspondence followed and sample nuts were exchanged. In 1910 Mr. J. F. Jones and myself were to see this tree, in order to get its life history. It was said by Mr. Hall that the tree was planted by the early German settlers about forty years ago. The Hall variety is very catchy to the eye on account of its large size. Through the kindness of Mr. Hall we were allowed to cut a few buds, which are bearing trees now at West Willow.

The Holden came first to my attention about four years ago in the New York State Horticultural Association Report, after which a lively correspondence opened and sample nuts with the Rush were exchanged which finally led to the propagation of this prospective variety.

The Nebo is a variety the history of which I traced back to about seventy-five years ago. It was planted by an English iron-master by the name of McCreary. It is said that he gave lodging to a tree agent, whereupon he received this tree as compensation.

The Burlington from Burlington, N. J., is of the Alpine type, and is of great size.

The Lancaster was first called to my attention a year ago. It is said the tree, not the seed, was brought from Germany. This variety is worthy of extensive cultivation, is however also of the Alpine type and very prolific.

In connection with the varieties just mentioned we have also the French varieties, such as the Mayette, Franquette, Cutleaf, Alpine and Parisienne. The French varieties are not tried out in respect to their dependability for the Atlantic coast. They however show hardiness equal to any other variety grown in Pennsylvania.

As regards the late vegetating habit of some Of these varieties enabling them to escape late spring frosts, I see no advantage whatever, as Jack Frost is a privileged character and makes his appearance regardless of time or place.

With the limited efforts I have made thus far in the dissemination of the Persian walnut, I am absolutely confident that the work has just commenced. There will yet be varieties discovered which will compare favorably and may surpass those we have already listed. The best territory to work in I find is the German settlements. They always were noted for their seed distributions in the early history of Pennsylvania. In justice to these frugal people, the Persian walnut should be called The Dutch nut. But the English were the great importers of these nuts and hence the name English walnut. The Germans today as they visit their Fatherland invariably bring a few nuts or trees with them, which keeps up the supply. Of course not all these seedling trees are true to the variety desired. But they say they come from the Homeland, which gives them great contentment.

In the dissemination of these interesting nut-bearing trees I am safe in saying I have visited hundreds of them and mostly single trees of very little importance. The principal complaint is that when the nuts are as large as grapes they drop off from some unknown cause. This is all for the want of proper cross pollenization. The public in general is now getting educated to the importance of planting grafted or budded varieties of known merit, which is attested by the large plantings of the last several years.

My limited experience with grafting large nut trees is that it is not practicable, from the fact that the lower limbs outgrow the grafted ones and eventually smother them and cause them to die out, leaving the tree in a disfigured condition. The better way is to plant several trees of a good pollenizing variety near one another to get best results in bearing.

In this brief history of the nut industry of Pennsylvania and adjacent states, I have said nothing in regard to propagation and culture, knowing that some one else will take up that subject in detail.

Horace Greeley in his prime of life said: "Young man, go west."

The Northern Nut Growers Association says: "Young man, plant a nut tree."