Bus Tour September 12th

By J. W. Hershey Downington, Pennsylvania

Leaving the Hotel Swan at 8:45 A.M. with a bus load and 8 cars the tour proceeded to Dr. Truman W. Jones' grove of 800 trees, 4 and 6 years old, 6 miles west of Coatesville on the Lincoln Highway. Dr. Jones has continually farmed his land which has helped greatly to carry the planting.

The next stop was at the nursery of the late J. F. Jones, now operated by his daughter Mildred, south of Lancaster. Here we saw the interesting test orchard of English walnuts, pecans and black walnuts. Most interesting was the test block of hybrid filbert-hazels started by Mr. Jones some years ago.

The next stop was at C. F. Hostetter's 1,000 tree grove at Bird-in-Hand, east of Lancaster, where we saw what Mr. Hostetter told about in his paper yesterday. His trees all looked nice and many trees were well loaded with nuts.

Next stop was at L. K. Hostetter's grove of 800 trees near Oregon. Here very interesting observations were made in tree and grove procedure. Part of the grove is now in blue grass and sheep, making a very beautiful setting. Part is interplanted with locust trees, the idea being to feed the ground with a legume tree and get something in return from the wood. As the locusts crowd the walnuts they will be cut.

Demonstrations were given in hulling walnuts with a Ford car which was done by jacking up one rear wheel. A trough is inserted under the wheel lined with a piece of truck tire. A mud chain is put on the wheel and as the wheel revolves, nuts are poured in via a metal chute and the nuts fly out the other end very well hulled. The jack is used to adjust the wheel to different sizes of nuts.

Lem's next eye-opener was a brand new method of separating the hulls from the nuts. Two 2-inch pipes are laid on an incline the thickness of a walnut hull, about a half inch, apart. The pipes revolve and the hulls and nuts are poured on at the top. As they roll down the incline, and the rolls revolve, the hulls are caught by the rolls or pipes and pulled through the crack between them. A most remarkable and simple method solving one of the major problems in commercial walnut growing.

The last stop was made at Dr. Frank Baum's grove at Yellow House, 8 miles east of Reading on the Boyertown highway. Here luncheon was served by Dr. and Mrs. Baum, the outstanding feature being walnut ice cream and walnut kisses.

After the luncheon at Dr. Baum's the following business was transacted:

Dr. Deming, Chairman Nominating Committee, presented the following nominations:

PresidentFrank H. Frey

Vice-PresidentDr. G. A. Zimmerman

Secretary GeorgeL. Slate

Treasurer NewtonH. Russell

On motion duly made and carried these officers were elected by acclamation.

Motion was made, seconded and carried that the annual dues be $2.00 same not to include a subscription to our official journal the National Nut News.

Motion by Mr. Reed was seconded and carried that where the member wished to do so one check could be submitted to our treasurer to cover both dues and subscription to the official journal and the treasurer will remit the subscription to the National Nut News.

Mr. Reed then explained for the benefit of those present the arrangement whereby our association is affiliated with the American Horticultural Society and by maintaining its membership in that society each member of our association may secure a membership in the American Horticultural Society on payment of $2.00 dues per annum instead of the customary dues of $3.00. Each member of the society receives the National Horticultural Magazine of which Mr. Reed is the nut editor. The magazine is issued quarterly, at present, and it is the intention to have one or more articles on nut trees in each issue.

On motion by Dr. Smith, duly seconded and carried the board of directors are required to authorize a budget of expenditures for each year and this was fixed at $350.00 for expenses for year ending September 10th, 1934. The President to advise the officers each year of the sums appropriated for certain expenses.

On motion by Mr. Russell, seconded by Dr. Weber and carried, article two of the by-laws was revised to cover the proper dues for various memberships and will be so recorded in the by-laws on page 9.

On motion by Mr. Hershey, seconded by Dr. Weber and carried it was agreed that five copies of each annual bulletin be mailed by the secretary or the person in charge of printing the bulletin to each officer for distribution as he sees fit; and that one copy of the bulletin be sent gratis to each non-member who participates in the program at our annual conventions.

A rising vote of thanks was given Dr. and Mrs. Baum for the delectable luncheon served by them.

An inspection was then made of Dr. Baum's 1,200 tree grove. Many trees were loaded and all looking good. Here two cultural problems were discussed. Relative to the walnut blight, he showed us one tree that was afflicted near the ground and he started to mound soil around it. After three years of increasing the mound it is now 2½ feet high and the tree is thriving and bearing, with every indication that it has overcome the disease. Opinion was expressed that it threw out new roots above the wound to save itself. The experiment is of immense value to orchard procedure.

In observing a few of such trees opinion was expressed that in walnut orcharding, as in fruit orcharding, there will be a few trees that will have to be replaced the first few years and is something not to be worried about. Dr. G. A. Zimmerman said, "Why worry about the blight? The wild ones have always had it to a small extent. Spread is so slow it isn't perceptible, damage being almost nil, so let's forget it."

Banquet Tuesday Evening September 12th

The convention closed with a banquet held in the private dining room of the Swan Hotel. On request of the President Mr. John W. Hershey introduced the speakers of the evening. Rev. G. Paul Musselman spoke briefly and was followed by the after-dinner speaker, Mr. Al Bergstrom, Superintendent of Police of Coatesville, Pa. His subject was "Nuts—I Crack Them as You Like Them," and with many interesting jokes and humorous stories he portrayed an interesting picture of the many problems that have to be met and solved by police officers. Each one privileged to hear this forceful speaker was deeply impressed with the responsibility that goes with citizenship.

Business Session

The President: We will now hear the report of the committee on Hybrids and Promising Seedlings.

Dr. Zimmerman, Chairman, gave an oral report calling attention to some of the more important hybrids and new seedlings described by other members during the sessions of the convention and concluded by stating that the most important step in testing hybrids was to have interested people plant a number of promising hybrids of hickories and black walnuts and keep accurate records of these seedlings (second generation hybrids). There was some discussion as to whether the Norton was a pure pecan or a hybrid. Mr. C. A. Reed stated he had seen the parent tree himself and believed it to be a pure pecan. Mr. J. W. Hershey stated that he believed it to be a hican, basing his opinion in part on its showing hybridity as it is such a strong grower. He said he had a number of Norton trees in the nursery and would be glad to sell them at a nominal price to those who would be interested in testing them further.

The President: We will now have the report of the resolutions committee.

Report of the Resolutions Committee

Be it Resolved:

That we express our appreciation of the generosity and public spirit of Mr. W. K. Kellogg in making possible one of the largest experimental projects in nut culture in the northern United States.

That we express our sincere thanks to Mr. and Mrs. Hershey and Dr. and Mrs. Baum for the delicious luncheons served our members and guests.

That we express our sincere thanks to the Swan Hotel management and to the citizens and business men of Downingtown for accommodations and services rendered: to the program committee and committee on local arrangements for the very complete plans and their efficient execution; to the speakers who have taken part in the program; to the exhibitors and to the officers and members who have provided a most interesting and educational program and to Messrs. Hershey, L. K. Hostetter, C. F. Hostetter, the Jones Nurseries and Drs. Baum and Jones for the privilege of inspecting their nut tree plantings.

And we again express our regrets that Dr. Morris could not be with us and trust his health will improve.

That we express our sincere thanks to Mr. O. C. Lightner for the efficient manner in which articles and papers submitted by our members were published in our official journal, the "NATIONAL NUT NEWS," and for the excellent printing of our annual report.

We wish to express our deep sorrow over the loss of our faithful member, Past President and Secretary, Mr. Willard G. Bixby whose passing was so touchingly referred to in our business meeting.

Resolutions Committee,

Prof. James A. Neilson, Chairman

Dr. Harry R. Weber

Frank H. Frey

A motion was made and seconded to accept the report of the Resolutions Committee. (Carried unanimously.)

Professor A. C. McIntyre of the Pennsylvania State Forestry Service was then called upon and discussed the black walnut as a timber tree. He called attention to the fact that the black locust is a legume of high value and acts as a stimulant to the growth of other trees and are themselves excellent for use later as fence posts. In considering the relative value of various nut trees as shade trees he stressed the fact that the time of leafing out in the spring and the dropping of the leaves in the fall are important factors.

Motion was carried that the board of directors should formulate requirements for Honorary membership and have a proposition ready for discussion at the 1934 convention.

List of officers and committee members was then read. Same are recorded on pages 3 and 4.

The President: Attention is called to the fact that the annual dues are now only $2.00 and surely there are a large number of people interested in nut tree growing who will wish to join our association. I am sure each member will wish to subscribe for our official journal, the NATIONAL NUT NEWS, the subscription price of which is only $1.00 per year (in the United States) and remittance may be made through our Treasurer or direct to the News at 2810 South Michigan Ave., Chicago.

Those who desire to secure budded or grafted nut bearing trees will have their orders given proper attention by any of the following who are members of our association:

W. R. Fickes, Route 7, Wooster, Ohio. Gerardi Nurseries, O'Fallon, Ill. John W. Hershey, Downingtown, Pa. Indiana Nut Nursery (J. W. Wilkinson, Prop.), Rockport, Ind. J. F. Jones Nurseries, Box N. 356, Lancaster, Pa. Michigan Nut Nursery (H. Burgart), Rt. 2, Union City, Mich. E. A. Riehl Farm and Nursery, Godfrey, Ill. Snyder Bros., Inc., Center Point, Iowa. Sunny Ridge Nursery (Dr. J. Russell Smith), Round Hill, Va. W. G. Bixby Nursery, 32 Grand Ave., Baldwin, N. Y. J. U. Gellatly, West Bank, B. C., Canada. The Living Tree Guild, 468 Fourth Ave., New York.

The latter has distributed a great deal of information on northern nut culture and I think a paper at our next convention outlining its work and accomplishments would be most valuable.

Each one present is cordially invited to attend our convention next year, September 10 and 11, 1934 at Battle Creek, Michigan.

As there is no further business, this the 24th Annual Convention of the Northern Nut Growers Association will be adjourned.

The Convention adjourned at 9:00 P.M.