The 1934 Ohio Black Walnut Contest

By Carl F. Walker, Cleveland Heights, Ohio

The first prize contest confined to the state of Ohio to discover superior seedling black walnuts was conducted in the fall of 1933 by the Ohio members of the Northern Nut Growers' Association in co-operation with the farm paper, the Ohio Farmer. The original announcement was made in mid-September and several follow-up articles were published, including some illustrations. Further publicity was obtained by mailing press copy to the rural newspapers throughout the state.

The response was generous with 303 persons mailing in 423 samples of black walnuts. These came from all sections of the state, indicating a universal interest over the entire area. The first package of nuts arrived on September 25th and for the next six weeks few further sample lots were received. During the latter part of November and up to the date of close of the contest, December 15, the entries were mailed to the judges in quantity. This period coincided with inclement weather when outdoor farm work could not be carried on.

The growing season had been abnormal due to a lack of precipitation and it is believed that the nuts were not as large nor as well filled as could be expected in a normal season. Defoliation through caterpillar attack had been severe, especially in the northern third of the state, and this condition may also have affected the normal development. The kernels of many lots were shrunken and since these included some nuts which would otherwise be given a high score, the method of judging by points, partly mathematically determined, was used as a guide only, rather than an exact means of choosing prize winners. Shell structure, together with the shape and relative size of kernel cavity, was the determining factor in choosing the prize winners. No differential for kernel color was made, for it was recognized that this was dependent in part upon the method used in harvesting and in handling the nuts. The varieties that were poorly sealed were discarded.

All of the prize winners, on the basis of the merits of the nuts, are considered worthy of propagation for home or experimental orchard planting. The locations of the parent trees give a sufficiently general coverage for the entire state for the selection of a variety to propagate for almost all climatic and soil conditions in any part of the state. This, in itself, is considered the advantage and the justification of a contest confined to a single state or a limited region. Also, when residents of a state, through a contest, discover promising seedlings within their own state, it is believed that there is created in the sponsors more incentive to compile continuous data about the new kinds than would exist when the prize winners are chosen from regions quite removed. That so many examples were submitted was the result of excellent publicity by the Ohio Farmer.

The first prize was ten dollars, the second five dollars, the third three dollars and the remaining seven prizes were subscriptions to the Ohio Farmer of from five years to one year in length.

The prize winners were as follows:

First—Mrs. Willard Brown, Rock Bridge, O. Second—Sam Tritten, Lisbon, O. Third—B. A. Cowle, Defiance, O., Rt. 8. Fourth—W. W. Janson, Jefferson, Ohio. Fifth—Harmon Barnhart, Mt. Vernon, O., Rt. 6. Sixth—R. E. Havice, Bellevue, Ohio, Rt. 1. Seventh—C. H. Markey, Beallsville, Ohio. Eighth—Kermit C. Hoover, Glenford, O. Ninth—Ralph H. Miller, 300 Monroe St., Delta, O. Tenth—F. C. Murphey, Sunbury, Ohio.

The final judging was done at the Ohio State Experimental Station by Dr. J. H. Gourley, Chief of Horticultural Department, Walter H. Lloyd, Editor of the Ohio Farmer, and Carl F. Walker, assisted by Homer L. Jacobs of the Davey Tree Expert Co., John T. Bregger, Editor of the American Fruit Grower, and Ray T. Kelsey of the Ohio Farmer.

The President:

That concludes the program. There is just a little business to handle now. Before we go on to that I would like to call attention to Dr. Deming's remarks about some of the old timers, which I thought very touching, interesting and instructive. There are two foreign members of the association whom I have never met. One is Mr. Spence, an Englishman, and the other Mr. Wang of China. Mr. Wang was a life member. The reports that I sent to him came back. All letters came back. I took it upon myself to write the Commissioner General of the United States at Shanghai, China, and call his attention to the fact that some twelve years ago Mr. Wang secured through this association some black walnuts, wanting to plant them along a certain highway in China. The Commissioner General answered, saying they could find nothing about him, and that the trees had not been planted where Mr. Wang had planned. I think Mr. Wang must have died or moved away.

There is one item of business I think we should have, and that is a brief report from Mr. Ellis who was our delegate to the horticultural exposition at Paris.

Mr. Ellis:

In 1930 I was appointed your delegate to represent you at the Paris Horticultural Congress. I sent on the delegate's sheet. I received a reply making me a member of that congress. It went along about a month or two, then the terrible depression came on and before going I thought it better to investigate. So I wrote to Washington and found out that no one was going from there. I wrote to Canada and no one was going from there. They could not afford it. I said, "It's going to cost me $800 if I go." Then I found out that there was to be a similar congress in New York, so I switched off and went to the congress at Ithaca, New York, and I was very glad of it because I met a great many more men that I liked to meet than if I had gone to Paris. I wrote over to the congress at Paris and sent another fee of the same amount, because I knew they needed it, saying that I'd decided not to go.

They had the congress. The President was shot at about that time, and that kind of broke it up. I received accounts of all the proceedings. They treated me very fairly, in as much as they put me down as a delegate from the United States of America, and I was the only delegate from the whole United States. I don't suppose anyone else could afford to go, so if I had gone over, I should have been there all alone.

I said to myself, "It only cost me a hundred dollars to go out to Ithaca, so I saved $700. I'm not going to make anything out of this." So I took that $700 and I gave it away for charitable purposes. You know I gave you some. I got a letter from one person privileged, and I never had a more grateful and appreciative letter in my life. The balance of that $800 and more I gave to this purpose. I gave some to the Catholic Daughters of America, I gave some to the Parent-Teachers' Association, I gave some to the schools, and lots to the poor in one way or another. I've sent five girls to different summer schools of religious education, and a girl scout to a summer camp. I helped them all out all around, not only in my own district, but in other places in different parts of the country. So you got everything. You got your delegate over there duly enrolled, and you got some money when you most needed it, and so did all those other people. Not only to the amount of $800, but to a good deal more. I feel better satisfied and I think that you all ought to be better satisfied. If there is anyone that isn't satisfied, let him get up and I'll argue it out with him.

The President:

I might state at this time that there will be another contest this year, at least for black walnuts and hickories. The prizes will be as follows: first prize $10, second prize $5, third prize $3, fourth prize $2, fifth prize $1, and honorary mention for others. Instructions will be issued and anyone desiring to enter this contest should write the secretary for instructions. It's understood, I might say, that the nuts will be sent to Mr. C. A. Reed of the United States Department of Agriculture at Washington, who has kindly consented to look after that work and report to a contest committee which will be named later.

The President:

We will now have the report of the resolutions committee.

RESOLUTION

The Northern Nut Growers Association assembled in convention at the W. K. Kellogg Hotel, Battle Creek, Michigan, September 10 and 11, 1934, expresses its sincere appreciation of the courteous hospitality of the local committee on arrangements, headed by Prof. James A. Neilson. It would mention in particular Mr. W. K. Kellogg, Dr. John Harvey Kellogg, and the W. K. Kellogg Hotel management. It appreciates the use of the splendid auditorium and is grateful for the attractive bouquets arranged about the room.

The association heartily commends the nut work being done in the state of Michigan with the aid of Mr. W. K. Kellogg and under the direction of the Michigan Agricultural Experiment Station and actively under the lead of Prof. Neilson. The association records its pride in the establishment and maintenance of 115 acres of nut trees for purposes of experimentation and variety testing. In so far as known to the association there is no other tract of equal area in existence for this purpose.

Be it resolved, that a copy of this resolution be spread upon the minutes of this meeting and that the secretary be instructed to send copies to Mr. W. K. Kellogg, Dr. John Harvey Kellogg, the Kellogg Hotel management, Director V. R. Gardner and Prof. James A. Neilson.

The Northern Nut Growers Association records its extreme sorrow at the death of its active and able, although but recently elected, treasurer, Newton H. Russell of South Hadley, Massachusetts, on April 27, 1934. For many years Mr. Russell was a very active member of the association, a regular attendant at its conventions, and a loyal supporter of its various activities. The genial personalities of both Mr. and Mrs. Russell are greatly missed at this convention. Our deep sympathy is expressed to Mrs. Russell and her children in their bereavement.

Be it resolved, that a copy of this resolution be spread upon the minutes of this meeting, and that the secretary be instructed to send a copy to Mrs. Newton H. Russell.

Resolutions Committee,

G. L. Slate, Chairman

C. A. Reed

A. S. Colby.

Dr. Deming:

I think that the thanks of the association are especially due to our president, Mr. Frey, for having so successfully stepped into the breach for the completion of the arrangements for this meeting, and for the very excellent program which he completed. I think he should also be thanked for the separate notices which he sent out, directing the attention of the persons coming to and going from this meeting to the nut orchards and other things of interest that may be seen on the way.

The President:

I thank you. I might say that the suggestion for visiting interesting trees and nut plantings came from Mr. Reed. I want to call to your attention again that next year's meeting will be held at Rockport, Indiana, on September 9 and 10, 1935.

The dues of this association are now only $2.00, and action taken at this convention will result in your receiving without additional charge the American Fruit Grower Magazine, which has been adopted as our official journal and included with the dues. You also have the privilege of joining the American Horticultural Society for the fee of $2 instead of $3.00. We are affiliated with that society and they allow to their affiliated associations the privileges of the members. Secure a membership and get the quarterly journal for the price of $2.00. We certainly recommend this association. We think that you get your money's worth many times over and it does a great deal of good.

The only other item of business is a report from the nominating committee.

Dr. Deming:

Your nominating committee reports through the chairman the nomination of the following members as officers for the ensuing year:

President—Mr. Frank H. Frey, Chicago, Illinois.

Vice President—Dr. G. A. Zimmerman, of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

Secretary—Mr. George L. Slate, of Geneva, New York.

Treasurer—Mr. Carl F. Walker, of Cleveland Heights, Ohio.

For Members of the Executive Committee—Mr. Frank H. Frey, Dr. G. A. Zimmerman, Mr. George L. Slate, Mr. Carl F. Walker, Professor J. A. Neilson and Mr. D. C. Snyder.

As Dean of the Association—Dr. Robert T. Morris, of Connecticut.

As Field Secretary—Mr. Zenas H. Ellis, of Vermont.

I move that the secretary be authorized to cast one ballot for the election of the ticket nominated.

The motion was unanimously carried, and the officers nominated by the committee were elected for the ensuing year.

The President:

I might say that I won't, at least, have to sing a "swan song," and I'm not going to take the time to make any speech of acceptance. I appreciate your confidence in re-electing me and I am sure the other officers feel the same way. We'll all do what we can for your interest and what we are all interested in. Sometimes we may be a little slow in getting results but with your help I think we can make progress.

The twenty-fifth annual convention of the Northern Nut Growers' Association adjourned at 9:30 P. M. Tuesday, September 11, 1934.

Letter from J. U. Gellatly

British Columbia

I have just returned from a six weeks' trip to the B. C. Coast scouting for new nut trees and selling nut tree nursery stock. The outstanding discovery of the trip is the Rapier walnut tree. This young giant was planted 24 years ago by Mr. Rapier on Texada Isl. I estimate this tree to be 60 to 70 feet in height, the measured spread is 60 feet one way and 70 at widest point, and other measurements as follows: from ground to first limbs there is 8 feet of straight trunk with a girth of 7 feet one inch taken one foot above ground, and at 6 feet above ground girth is 69 inches. The tree has cropped regularly since it was about 6 years old. The largest crop to date was produced in 1931 totaling 500 pounds. The shape of nut is long oval, size medium. The flavor of those I tasted of the 1933 crop certainly was the sweetest I have tasted to date for this class of nut.

I have no definite information as to source of this tree, but judge it to be a Franquette seedling as that was the class of trees sold by the nursery from which the tree was purchased. I have made arrangements for sample nuts from this year's crop and will send you some later. This tree is well worth testing for hardiness as it is evidently self-fertile, there being no other nut trees of the same age near by.

Another discovery of interest from the nut breeding angle is the McDonald walnut. This is a hybrid English X. J. Sieboldiana, growing at West Vancouver, B. C. Nut large and heavy shell, but the best kernel cavity I have seen in any of these crosses. The tree is a nice tree and leaves show distinct crossing. This is the first year it has borne and it had 2 nuts. One shell I am sending you with other samples of new nuts.

The Watt English walnut at Penticton, B. C., is proving a regular cropper of uniform large round nuts of good flavor. This tree is a seedling from my own nursery. I do not know from what tree it grew, but it is worthy of testing for hardiness in districts north of present location as there is some evidence of hardiness. I know this tree to be a good cropper but have no definite record of any one year's crop as the tree is located where many persons help themselves to the nuts.

The Lindy walnut from the beaches at Kelowna, B. C., continues to make good tree growth and produce good crops of large round nuts with thin shells and well developed kernels of good flavor. This tree is a seedling grown from a nut brought from Kulu Hills, India, in 1912. This tree is also worthy of trial for hardiness in districts north of present locations. I do not know how this tree is as a self-pollenizer as there are two other trees near by of the same stock and planting. I do know that seedlings grown from this tree make a good growth and look alike in the nursery row and are very uniform as to color and growth of leaf, in striking contrast to seedlings from some other trees which vary a lot in every feature.

In heartnuts the newest I have of outstanding promise are from my own nursery. Two are now growing at Peachland, B. C. One, the MacKenzie, is a vigorous, well grown tree and bears regularly heavy crops of large, rough-shelled heartnuts that are easily cracked. The kernels are light in color and of good flavor.

The other, the Rover heartnut, is a young tree just carrying a record crop. Tree is in a poor location on the edge of wild timber competing for soil space. The nut is a big step in the elimination of the central division, so pronounced in most heartnuts. This is the outstanding feature of this nut. Cracking and other features are still undetermined but promising. I have a number of others that are promising. One is the Flavo Heart, a heartnut and butternut cross. This is a seedling of Callender heart and butternut. The outstanding features are the shape of nut, flavor of kernel and ease of extraction. This is its first crop.

From B. D. Wallace

Portage la Prairie, Manitoba

I will endeavor to give you a short account of our progress in the culture of butternuts and black walnuts.

Our success with butternuts has been due, very largely, to the method we adopted some twenty years ago and might be summed up in the following report. From one hundred pounds of butternut seed, which we secured in the fall of 1914, and which we planted the same season in October, we got in the following year a splendid stand of seedlings which gave great promise the first summer. During the winter of 1915 a great number of those seedlings were partially or altogether destroyed, through the climatic conditions of the country. But quite a number of them stood up in splendid condition. After about three years we eliminated everything that did not stand up 100 per cent and show a splendid growth. We had in the neighborhood of fifty trees and thus, through a survival of the fittest, the foundation of this industry became established. We distributed perhaps twenty or more trees to the Experimental Farm and other places. These have all stood up, as far as I can learn, with splendid success. This left about thirty of the original trees in our nurseries. These thirty have never shown any sign of frost killing nor are they in any other way affected.

Our trees commenced to bear in their sixth year, in 1920 and have increased in size and fruiting year by year, until today they are about thirty feet high with a spread of about thirty-six feet and are without question the most beautiful row of trees west of the Great Lakes. We have grown at least one hundred thousand trees from the nuts taken from these trees, which have been distributed over a very wide territory, reaching from the northern part of Ontario to the Rocky Mountains. Many of our customers have now their own trees bearing. In addition to our selling the trees, we offer to our customers one two-year-old butternut or horse chestnut with each ten dollar order sent in. We took this method to get our nut trees into the hands of a great number of the people.

We have followed practically the same line with black walnuts, but with less success than with butternuts, as a very much greater percentage of the black walnuts went down. Notwithstanding that we have a number of trees which have survived in splendid condition. One of these is bearing for its second year and one other is just bearing for the first time. However, we have a good deal of hardy wood, as our trees are growing bushy and we intend to use the butternut seedlings for stocks on which to graft the black walnut. By this method we will not have to wait so long to get a good supply of trees. There is no question whatever about the future success of the butternut, as we have this year the third generation of them bearing, which is ample proof that they have become entirely acclimated. The butternuts grow fully as large as in eastern Canada, as do also the black walnuts, and as far as I can see the quality is equal if not better.

In addition to the butternut and black walnut, we have made a complete success of the horse chestnut. Ours were planted in 1914, and commenced bearing about the same time as the butternut, and we have grown great crops of nuts continually from that date to the present. We are also trying out the heartnut, both from young trees and from seed. Out of three different plantings that is planted the same year but in different sections, one planting of six trees has stood up completely for the last three years, whereas the other two freeze back a little. In addition to these we are growing from seed the filbert, which seems to be hardy, but is not old enough to fruit yet. However, there is no question in my mind whatever that we shall succeed with all those different trees, following our own method of only using wood and seed from those trees which are proof against the most severe climatic conditions. We used this same method thirty-five years ago in laying the foundation for fruit growing. Out of twelve thousand of the hardiest fruit trees that we could buy from Dakota and Minnesota, after three years we eliminated all but fourteen trees. These were divided between standard apples, crab-apples, plums and plum hybrids. By using northern Russia plum seed and Siberian crab seed for roots, we have been able to lay a foundation for fruit growing in this western country that will live long after we are forgotten.

From Vera Nekiassena

Turkestan

My opinion is there are two kin species growing in Turkestan—Juglans regia L and J fallasc Dode; the first in the Kopet-Dag, the second in the Fansha mountains, in guissar and Darwas. The J. regia is further cultivated in Turkestan gardens and in the Lowawschan Valley. The J. Kamaonia Dode is occasionally to be observed likewise in gardens. I did not chance to see it personally and am in possession of only one of its nuts. Both species (the J. regia and the J. fallasc) produce a great variety of nuts as to shape, thickness of shell and size of kernel. Both these species have been united by some authors (Mr. M. Popof in Bull. of Applied Botany of Genetics and plant breeding XXII N3 (1929), p. 294) into one—that of J. regia but always distinguishing the Kopet-dog nuts in the jsp. turcomanica Popof; difference between them being certainly esctant. The number of leaflets of the J. fallasc amounts to 2-4, they are rounder and more obtuse, the shell of the nut is thicker and also rounder and smaller. The number of J. regia leaflets is 3-5, they are narrower and more pointed (lance shaped), the nuts more elongated, larger and their shell thinner.

Having been for my part mainly occupied with the geographical distribution of nuts without regard to the variation of the fruit shape, I would recommend you to apply for a choice of nuts to Mr. Gursey, (Caucasus, Pjabigorsx), who is making a special study of the problem.

For cultivation in the north you will be interested in J. Manshurica originating in the Far East and very hardy. It is cultivated and produces fruit in Leningrad, young specimens of it were planted on the Solovetsky Islands in the White Sea and there outlived excellently.

Concerning the list of trees appended to your letter, I can give you the following information.

J. Regia grows well in the park of Botanic Institute in Leningrad, attaining 8-10 M.; in the southern part of Smolensk district the tree produces fruit as far as Minsk. There is a considerable number of fruit producing specimens in the Masir district in the north of White Russia.

J. Sieboldiana freezes up in cold winters in Leningrad.

J. cinerea is very hardy and effects self-polinasation in White Russia; near Kasan there is one specimen producing about 100 fruits yearly.

J. rigra produces fruits in Koslon.

Corylus Colurna—a large old specimen esctant in Leningrad rather frequently observed in many parks of European U. S. S. R.

C. Acellana is widely spread in a wild state attaining Ladoga-laxe.

C. Mascima frequently in the Crimea and the Caucasus.

Castanea Sabiva grows in the Caucasus only, and cultivated in Urraina. Castanea Henryii Corylus chinensis.

C. Lacquement and Cticstica I do not know in U. S. S. R.

C. Seguinu, C. Crensta and C. Mollissima, separate strains probably to be had in Suchum.

From Divisional Forest Officer

Utilization Division, Baramulla Kashmir

There are two distinct species of of walnut growing here. One which grows from 3,500 to 7,000 feet above sea level near about habitations and on rich fertile soil has got good big sized nuts which are very easy to break even with the pressure of hand, and about which you probably seem interested. The other species grows higher in the forest up to about 11,000 feet elevation. It has hard nuts which cannot be broken easily and have moreover very little kernel as compared to former species. Even the timber of both the species is distinctly different, in as much as the former has dark gray color and the latter has reddish gray. Regarding nomenclature the botanists differ. The former species is named Juglans regia hin. The latter species which is wild may be called Juglans fallax, Dode or Juglans Kamaonia, Dode, but actually it is a bit different from either and is something midway between the two and so is yet to be determined properly.

Corylus colurna is the only species of Corylus found here out of your list.

B. The altitudes of walnut zone has been stated above. Corylus Colurna also grows between 8,000 and 11,000 feet. Both the walnut species are confined to Kashmir and Chamba states, while Corylus Colurna grows all over the Himalayas.

C. The maximum height and girth of a tree I have felled was 100 ft. and 15 ft. respectively. This tree grew in a forest at 9,000 foot altitude amongst firs. Trees growing outside in the fields in the open are sometimes bigger in girth but their bole is very short and the height also is small compared with forest grown trees. The trees growing in the fields in the open are of soft rind species.

D. The trees growing in the fields and of soft rind species are generally fast grown and they have about 8 to 10 rings to an inch. The trees growing in the forest have about 16 to 20 rings to an inch.

E. The length of frost-free season depends upon the situation and locality, generally from May to September there is no frost, the rest of the season has frost.

F. The maximum temperature is 92 degrees, while the minimum is many points below zero when the country is snow-bound all over. There is snow in the forests for about six months.

G. The average annual rainfall is between 54 and 34 inches in the year, according to the locality.

H. All the walnut trees are grown for extraction of oil from their nuts. This oil is used for cooking purposes, in place of fats and butter. When the tree gets old or gets diseased, it is felled and timber is used for making furniture and carving. Kashmir walnut carving is well known.

I. Hazel trees grow wild in the forest, the hazel nuts are collected and are eaten. Sometimes these nuts are exported to British India, where kernels are used chiefly to adulterate almond kernels.

Corylus has not been grown here as a garden tree and so I do not know its requirements of germination. I will however be thankful to you if you could kindly send me a little fresh seed, C. Colema, to grow it here in Kashmir. Some years ago I had sent for the seeds of Rhamnus Purshiana from U. S. A. This was sown here but it did not germinate. I shall feel obliged if you could let me know the requirements of this species, that is, the situation, soil, et cetera, which this species demands. Rhamnus dahuricus grows wild here as a small shrub. Do you think I can get American species by grafting my species with Rhamnus Purshiana scions?

Communication from John W. Hershey, 1934

I called at the experimental nut planting place of the late J. W. Waite, at Normandy, Tennessee, on June 1st and found he had been dead about eight months. I talked with a native who told me he was one of the most plucky men he had ever seen, having had, because of some disease, both legs amputated, was all crippled up otherwise, and traveled in a wheel chair. He even use to milk cows and drive around in an old buggy.

This setting at the Waite place is going to be of immense value to the T. V. A. tree crop program. I met the daughter who knew very little about the trees, but the first thing she mentioned was the wonderful nuts they got off the McCalister tree.

I could identify a few of the trees but will not make much progress at it until this fall, when the nuts are ripe. They are heavily set with bloom now. To assist me in this work, I am wondering if the Association has anything in its files pertaining to the varieties that he has. As you know, one can identify a tree quicker if he knows what he is looking for.

Letter From Mrs. E. W. Freel

Pleasantville, Iowa, September 5, 1934

Yesterday, when coming home, we drove around (which was not out of our way) to see those walnut trees about which you made inquiry. The Freel tree has been topped and it has made a wonderful growth this year and is going to make a very pretty tree. The Marion has a few walnuts on this year, but they are falling off due to the dry weather this year. Last year it was loaded. The Metcalf tree has some on but, like the others, most all of them have fallen off. It was also full last year. The Worthington tree also had some on this year, but have all fallen off. It also had walnuts on last year.

I have never known any of these trees to be a complete failure unless it would be this year due to the drought which has been pretty severe with us. We have had no garden to speak of and the crops in this section have almost been a complete failure.

The Wheeling tree had walnuts on last year but I have been unable to get out there this year. It is off the gravel road and it has been raining here for the last two days.

I have not been able to get out to the hickory nut trees. They had some nuts on last year but not very plentiful. I have noticed along the highways, as we would be driving along, that some of the hickory nut trees were full and others would not have any on, but do not know as yet how the drought will affect them.

I wish we could attend the convention, but it will be impossible for us this year.

Letter From Geo. W. Gibbens

Godfrey, Illinois, September 6, 1934

The Mid-West Nut Growers' Association is not functioning.

There will be a normal crop of black walnuts in this section of the state. The hickory and pecan crop is very light. The chestnut crop will be light. Many of our chestnut trees were killed by the drought this summer. Some young trees on cultivated land will develop nuts, and a few of the older trees may do so.

For many years here (E. A. Riehl Farm) we have been trying to grow the English walnut to bearing size. This year we have a young tree that is bearing. It is the Alpine.

I wish we could attend the convention.

Letter From Fred Kettler

Platteville, Wisconsin

In regard to the Kettler walnut tree here: It seems to be gradually dying; has many dead branches, which is caused by the drought we have had the last few years. We should get 25 to 30 inches rainfall a year and we had only 8 or 10 last year and about that same amount this year. The ground is wet down only about 15 inches on top. Below that it is dry.

The old tree had quite a few nuts on this year. However, most of them were blown off by a cyclone six weeks ago. There is about a peck of nuts on the tree now.

All walnuts here are only half a crop on account of the June beetle and the weather conditions, and they are quite small nuts, the weather being so dry.

I grafted 150 of the Wisconsin No 1, or Kettler walnut. It was boiling hot here in April and May and it again spoiled it for me. We watered them every day and shaded them, but the heat and dry, hot dirt was too much. All were grafted on young yearling trees close to the ground where I covered them with dirt. Many started, but died later; anyway, I succeeded in getting six more nice trees started (one to three feet tall now). My tree from last year is about five feet tall and made some side branches; so you see I am getting started. I doubt if I can get any graft wood from the old tree next spring.

We are in the nursery business just in a small way. We have only the best of varieties.

I have discovered also a thin-shell hickory nut with a wonderful meat. I don't know if I will get any of the nuts this year as they have been stealing them every year, I am told by the man who owns it. I succeeded in getting one growing on a young pecan tree I had. I think it is even better than my walnut. I enclose one with a this year walnut sample. The hickory is a last year sample.

What our country needs is timber on every farm from one acre to ten acres, according to size of farm, all over the United States. Then we will get more rain. That would be a real crop control—instead of destroying crops like the New Deal is doing. Planting a strip of timber from Canada to the Gulf will not help anyone. We believe the "brain-trusters" need a doctor.

Telegram

Sept. 11, 1934.

Dear Dr. Morris:

The Northern Nut Growers' Association is in session in the W. K. Kellogg Hotel, Battle Creek, Michigan. The members present are reminded that this is the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Association. It recalls with interest the first meeting held in New York City, which was called to order by Dr. Deming, at which you became charter President, Mr. T. P. Littlepage of Washington, charter Vice President, Dr. Deming, charter Secretary.

It is the unanimous feeling of the present membership that the society for which you and the others so ably laid the foundation at that time has been abundantly justified by the accomplishments of the organization. We are especially indebted to you for the able leadership from you which the Association enjoyed, not only while you served in an executive capacity, but during the many years which followed while you were an active leading member, and now for approximately ten years during which you have been Dean.

We regret that impaired health makes it impossible for you to attend meetings at present, but we assure you that your name is not being forgotten nor is the work which you inaugurated being allowed to lapse.

(Signed by the members present.)