Notes from the New Jersey Section of the Northern Nut Growers Association

MRS. ALAN R. BUCKWALTER

(As a suggestion to some other State Vice-Presidents the editors print parts of a letter from Mrs. Buckwalter whose husband was long a valued and active member of the N. N. G. A.

"After receiving the annual report I sent reply post cards to each of the members in New Jersey. I received answers from about one-third of them and have assembled some of their reports and questions to send you, along with a few notes about our orchard.")

Wm. M. Daugherty of Princeton reports that his three hundred ten-year-old black walnut trees had a fine set of nuts this spring. However, a hail storm in midsummer stripped the trees of both leaves and nuts.

From Saddle River, Dr. Harold Blake reports that his black walnuts are doing well, but a late spring frost killed the catkins on the Cosford, Medium Long and Italian Red filberts. Mr. Blake suggests a theory of bark rot and asks the opinion of other nut growers. He noticed that in several instances of bark rot on Thomas and Stambaugh black walnuts the diameter of the scion was larger than that of the stock. He concludes that the scion was taken from a faster growing tree than the one that was used for the stock and that the so-called bark rot is cambium rot due to the fact that the smaller stock does not completely feed the cells of the naturally faster growing section. Dr. Blake therefore suggests more study of the compatibility of scion to stock, especially in regard to growth and bearing. He notes that in fruit trees the root stock is of importance in this regard and it may be that the variance in reports from different localities on black walnuts and other nut trees may be due to the difference in root stock as well as climate and soil conditions.

Edward Fuhlbruegge of Scotch Plains has long tried to grow pawpaw seedlings with no success. He wants to know if any other New Jersey members have been able to raise pawpaws from seed.

(Ed.—He should keep the seedbed moist through the summer. These seeds germinate slowly and the seedlings cannot emerge through a hard soil surface.)

The observation of Gilbert V. P. Terhune of Newfoundland is that the native chestnuts continue to sprout and occasionally produce nuts. He predicts that in years to come we will again have our native chestnuts. [Ed.—Someone should carefully save his nuts and grow trees from them.]

John H. Donnelly of Hoboken asks other nut growers for their opinion of using cut grass as a mulch for nut trees. [Ed.—Excellent.]

From Fairlawn J. L. Brewer states that his black walnuts do not seem to have any bad effects on raspberries and strawberries, thus adding another note to the long controversy as to the deleterious effects of black walnuts on the soil. His Texas pecan and Indiana hickory seedlings, although planted in favorable location, have not made a good growth. [Ed.—Did he feed them?]

Louis P. Rocker of Andover reports his Thomas and Stabler walnuts had a good crop in 1946 but this year have few nuts.

This planting (Buckwalter) consists of Castanea mollissima, mollissima hybrids and Japonica (crenata). Due to circumstances during the war years, we have not been able to do much with this orchard; however, we hope gradually to build it up.

In 1946 the part of the chestnut crop that was harvested was infested with the chestnut curculios. About fifty per cent of the nuts were affected. No infestation had been noted in previous years, although in 1945 the crop was not harvested at all. [Ed.—That gave the worms their chance to propagate.]

We will not be able to spray our entire chestnut orchard this year; however, a few of the trees will be sprayed to determine the effectiveness of DDT as a control. In the December, 1946 issue of "The American Fruit Grower" it was stated that DDT as a wettable power (four pounds of fifty per cent DDT to one hundred gallons of water) should be used. Three applications gave best results, and this will be tried on our trees.

This year we have a good crop of nuts and hope to select the best of our trees, which will be included in next year's report.