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diff --git a/22312.txt b/22312.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..f398202 --- /dev/null +++ b/22312.txt @@ -0,0 +1,6936 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Northern Nut Growers Association Report of +the Proceedings at the Second Annual Meeting, by Northern Nut Growers Association + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Northern Nut Growers Association Report of the Proceedings at the Second Annual Meeting + Ithaca, New York, December 14 and 15, 1911 + +Author: Northern Nut Growers Association + +Release Date: August 14, 2007 [EBook #22312] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 2ND ANNUAL MEETING *** + + + + +Produced by Marilynda Fraser-Cunliffe, Janet Blenkinship +and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at +https://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + ++------------------------------------------------------------------------+ +|DISCLAIMER | +| | +|The articles published in the Annual Reports of the Northern Nut Growers| +|Association are the findings and thoughts solely of the authors and are | +|not to be construed as an endorsement by the Northern Nut Growers | +|Association, its board of directors, or its members. No endorsement is | +|intended for products mentioned, nor is criticism meant for products not| +|mentioned. The laws and recommendations for pesticide application may | +|have changed since the articles were written. It is always the pesticide| +|applicator's responsibility, by law, to read and follow all current | +|label directions for the specific pesticide being used. The discussion | +|of specific nut tree cultivars and of specific techniques to grow nut | +|trees that might have been successful in one area and at a particular | +|time is not a guarantee that similar results will occur elsewhere. | +| | ++------------------------------------------------------------------------+ + + + + +NORTHERN NUT GROWERS ASSOCIATION + + +REPORT + +OF THE PROCEEDINGS AT THE + +SECOND ANNUAL MEETING + +ITHACA, NEW YORK +DECEMBER 14 AND 15, 1911 + + +PRESS OF THE ITHACA JOURNAL +ITHACA, NEW YORK +1912 + + + + ++--------------------------------------------+ +|Transcribers' note: | +| | +|The errors listed below have been corrected.| ++--------------------------------------------+ + + +Errata + +Page 3, under "Officers" transpose addresses of President and + Vice-President. +Page 23, line 5, for "Pennsylvania" read "Louisiana." +Page 103, line 2, for "Siebold" read "Nebo." + + + + +[Illustration: MR. HENRY HALES OF RIDGEWOOD, NEW JERSEY _And the +Original Hales' Paper Shell Hickory Tree_] + + + + +TABLE OF CONTENTS + Page + + Officers and Committees of the Association 3 + + Members of the Association 4 + + Constitution and Rules of the Association 6 + + Proceedings of the meeting held at Ithaca, New York, + Dec. 14th and 15th, 1911 7 + + Address of Welcome by Professor Craig 7 + + Secretary's Report of the Meeting for Organization held in New York + Nov. 17th, 1910 8 + + Secretary-Treasurers' Report for the Year 10 + + Discussion on Juglans Mandshurica 12 + + President's Address. The Hickories, Robert T. Morris, M. D. 14 + + Discussion 21 + + The Chestnut Bark Disease. J. Franklin Collins, Washington, D. C. 37 + + Discussion 43 + + Nut Growing in the Northern States. C. A. Reed, Washington, D. C. 49 + + Discussion 56 + + The Indiana Pecan. T. P. Littlepage, Washington, D. C. 62 + + Discussion 74 + + Executive Session 75 + + The Bench Root-Grafting of Persian Walnuts and Pecans. + C. P. Close, Washington, D. C. 79 + + Discussion 80 + + The Hales' Paper Shell Hickory. Henry Hales, Ridgewood, New Jersey 85 + + Discussion 86 + + Nut Promotions. W. C. Deming, M. D., New York 89 + + Some Facts Concerning Pecan Trees for Planting in the North. + W. N. Roper, Petersburg, Virginia 92 + + Discussion 95 + + The Scolytus Beetle. Prof. G. W. Herrick, Ithaca, New York 96 + + Discussion 99 + + The Persian Walnut in California. Prof. E. R. Lake, + Washington, D. C. 100 + + Discussion 102 + + Is There a Future for Juglans Regia and Hicoria Pecan in New York + and New England? Prof. John Craig, Ithaca, N. Y. 106 + + Resolutions and Executive Session 109 + + Exhibits 110 + + Appendix 111 + + Miscellaneous Notes 111 + + Report of Committee on Exhibits 111 + + Prize Nuts 112 + + Report of the Committee on the Nomenclature of Juglans + Mandshurica and the Shellbark Hickories 114 + + The Hickory Bark Borer. Circular and Correspondence 116 + + Resolutions of the Pennsylvania Conference on the Chestnut-tree + Bark Disease 122 + + + + + OFFICERS + + + President Robert T. Morris New York + + Vice-President T. P. Littlepage Indiana + + Secretary and Treasurer W. C. Deming Westchester, New York City + + + COMMITTEES + + _Executive_ + + John Craig + C. A. Reed + W. N. Roper + And the Officers + + _On Promising Seedlings_ + + T. P. Littlepage + C. A. Reed + W. C. Deming + + _On Hybrids_ + + R. T. Morris + Henry Hicks + C. P. Close + + _On Membership_ + + W. C. Deming + E. R. Lake + J. G. Rush + W. N. Roper + + _On Nomenclature_ + + John Craig + R. T. Morris + W. C. Deming + + _On Press and Publication_ + + W. N. Roper + T. P. Littlepage + W. C. Deming + + + STATE VICE-PRESIDENTS + + Connecticut Charles H. Plump West Redding + Florida H. Harold Hume Glen St. Mary + Georgia G. C. Schempp, Jr. Albany, Route 3 + Illinois Dr. F. S. Crocker Chicago + Indiana R. L. McCoy Lake, Spencer Co. + Louisiana J. F. Jones Jeanerette + Maryland C. P. Close Washington, D. C. + Massachusetts Bernhard Hoffman Stockbridge + Minnesota C. A. Van Duzee St. Paul + New Jersey A. B. Malcomson West Orange + New York A. C. Pomeroy Lockport + Ohio J. H. Dayton Painesville + Panama B. F. Womack Canal Zone + Pennsylvania J. G. Rush West Willow + Virginia W. N. Roper Petersburg + + + + + MEMBERS OF THE NORTHERN NUT GROWERS' ASSOCIATION + + + Abbott, Frederick B., 419 9th St., Brooklyn, N.Y. + Barron, Leonard, Editor The Garden Magazine, Garden City, L.I. Benner, + Charles, 100 Broadway, New York City. + Button, Herbert, Bonnie Brook Farm, Cazenovia, N.Y. + Chute, Miss Bessie, 1024 University Ave. S.E., Minneapolis, Minn. + Clendenin, Rev. Dr. F. M., Westchester, New York City. + Close, Prof. C. P., Expert in Fruit Identification, U. S. Dept. of + Agriculture, Washington, D. C. + Coleman, H. H., the Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Co., Newark, N.J. + Craig, Prof. John, New York State College of Agriculture, Ithaca, N.Y. + Crocker, Dr. F. S., Columbus Memorial Building, Chicago, Ill. + Dayton, J. H., Painesville, Ohio. Representing the Storrs & Harrison + Company. + Deming, Dr. N. L., Litchfield, Conn. + Deming, Dr. W. C., Westchester, New York City. + Deming, Mrs. W. C., Georgetown, Conn. + Dennis, Dr. Frank L., The Colchester, Colorado Springs, Colorado. + *Hales, Henry, Ridgewood, N.J. + Hicks, Henry, Westbury Station, L.I. + Hoffman, Bernhard, Stockbridge, Mass. + Holden, E. B., Hilton, N.Y. + Holmes, J. A., 127 Eddy St., Ithaca, N.Y. + Hume, H. Harold, Glen St. Mary, Fla. + Hungerford, Newman, 45 Prospect St., Hartford, Conn. + +Huntington, A. M., 15 W. 81st St., New York City. + James, Dr. W. B., 17 W. 54th St., New York City. + Jessup, Miss Maud M., 440 (40) Thomas St., Grand Rapids, Mich. + +Jones, J. F., Jeanerette, La. + Kiefer, Louis W., 901 N. Elm St., Henderson, Ky. + Lake, Prof. E. R., Asst. Pomologist, Dept. of Agric., Washington, D.C. + Littlepage, T. P., Union Trust Building, Washington, D.C. + Lovett, Mrs. Joseph L., Emilie, Bucks Co., Pa. + McCoy, R. L., Ohio Valley Forest Nursery, Lake, Spencer Co., Ind. + Malcomson, A. B., 132 Nassau St., New York City. + Mayo, E. S., Rochester, N.Y. Representing Glen Brothers. + Meehan, S. Mendelson, Germantown, Phila., Pa. Representing Thomas Meehan + and Sons. + Miller, Mrs. E. B., Enid, Oklahoma, R. 7, Box 47-1/2. + Miller, Mrs. Seaman, c/o Mr. Seaman Miller, 2 Rector St., N.Y. City. + Morris, Dr. Robert T., 616 Madison Ave., New York City. + Moses, Theodore W., Harvard Club, 27 W. 44th St., New York City. + Pierson, Miss A. Elizabeth, Cromwell, Conn. + Plump, Chas. H., West Redding, Conn. + Pomeroy, A. C., Lockport, N.Y. + Potter, Hon. W. O., Marion, Ill. + Reed, C. A., Div. of Pomology, U.S. Dept. of Agric., Washington, D.C. + Riehl. E. A., Alton, Ill. + Roper, Wm. N., Arrowfield Nursery Co., Petersburg, Va. + Rose, Wm. J., 413 Market St., Harrisburg, Pa. + Rush. J. G., West Willow, Pa. + Sensenig, Wayne. + Schempp, G. C., Jr., Route 3, Albany, Ga. + Shoemaker, Seth W., Agric. Ed. Int. Corresp. Schools, Scranton, Pa. + Smith, Goldwin, Highland Creek, Ontario, Canada. + Smith, Percival P., 108 S. La Salle St., Chicago, Ill. + Tuckerman, Bayard, 118 E. 37th St., New York City. + Van Duzee, Col. C. A., St. Paul, Minn. + Walter, Dr. Harry, The Chalfonte, Atlantic City, N. J. + Wentink, Frank, 75 Grove St., Passaic, N. J. + Williams, Dr. Charles Mallory, 48 E. 49th St., New York City. + Williams, Harrison, Erie R. R. Co., 50 Church St., New York City. + +Wissmann, Mrs. P. deR., 707 Fifth Ave., New York City. + Womack, B. F., Ancon Canal Zone, Panama. + + *Honorary member. + +Life member. + + + + + + CONSTITUTION AND RULES OF THE NORTHERN NUT GROWERS ASSOCIATION. + + _Name._ The society shall be known as the NORTHERN NUT GROWERS + ASSOCIATION. + + _Object._ The promotion of interest in nut-producing plants, their + products and their culture. + + _Membership._ Membership in the society shall be open to all persons who + desire to further nut culture, without reference to place of residence + or nationality, subject to the approval of the committee on membership. + + _Officers._ There shall be a president, a vice-president, and a + secretary-treasurer; an executive committee of five persons, of which + the president, vice-president and secretary shall be members; and a + state vice-president from each state represented in the membership of + the association. + + _Election of Officers._ A committee of five members shall be elected at + the annual meeting for the purpose of nominating officers for the + subsequent year. + + _Meetings._ The place and time of the annual meeting shall be selected + by the membership in session or, in the event of no selection being made + at this time, the executive committee shall choose the place and time + for the holding of the annual convention. Such other meetings as may + seem desirable may be called by the president and executive committee. + + _Fees._ The fees shall be of two kinds, annual and life. The former + shall be two dollars, the latter twenty dollars. + + _Discipline._ The committee on membership may make recommendations to + the association as to the discipline or expulsion of any member. + + _Committees._ The association shall appoint standing committees of three + members each to consider and report on the following topics at each + annual meeting: first, on promising seedlings; second, on nomenclature; + third, on hybrids; fourth, on membership; fifth, on press and + publication. + + + + +The Northern Nut Growers Association + +SECOND ANNUAL MEETING + +THURSDAY, DECEMBER 14, 1911, 10 A. M. + +ROOM 191, NEW YORK STATE COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE, ITHACA, NEW YORK. + + +President Morris: The meeting is called to order and I will first ask +Professor Craig to make a few remarks on behalf of the College Director +and the President of the University. + +Professor Craig: It is my privilege and pleasure to welcome the +representatives of the Northern Nut Growers' Association in this, their +second annual meeting, to the New York State College of Agriculture. I +regret exceedingly that Director Bailey, who has been avoiding out of +state engagements this winter quite generally, made one about two months +ago for this day, about a thousand miles away, which makes it absolutely +impossible for him to be with us. He regretted this very much, and asked +me particularly to impress upon you the idea that he was most anxious +that this Association should meet here, and that all the facilities of +the College of Agriculture should be placed at your disposal, for the +purpose of making your meeting as profitable and as pleasant as +possible. + +President Schurman, whose time at this period of the year is much +monopolized and who is by previous engagements occupied very completely +this morning, has asked me to say to you that he hoped to be able to +come over and join us informally some time during the afternoon. I wish +then to impress the thought that, although the official representatives +of the University and College are not with us, they have not forgotten +this meeting. As a member of the Executive Committee, in charge of the +sessions, I have made up a tentative program for this morning for the +purpose of starting the meeting off; and as the President will +undoubtedly tell you later on, this program is subject to revision and +change according to the convenience of the members. It is proposed to +occupy this morning with regular program subjects, and it has been +suggested that this afternoon we take a couple of hours' leisure which +we may use in examining the exhibits or in viewing the University, if +you care to consider that an exhibit worth while. It will be our +pleasure to furnish guides for those who desire to make an excursion +around and through the University buildings. + +Let me say in conclusion that I hope you will make use of the +opportunities and facilities that are at your full disposal. The +Department of Horticulture is located on the second floor. I would like +you to make that office your headquarters, and make use of our clerical +force, and such facilities as are available, to the fullest measure +possible, so that your visit will be pleasant, as I am sure it will be +profitable. + +President Morris: The next order of business will be the report from the +Secretary-Treasurer, and the report of the last meeting. + + * * * * * + +Doctor Deming: A meeting for organization of Northern Nut Growers was +held, on the invitation of Dr. N. L. Britton, at the Botanical Museum in +Bronx Park, New York City, on Nov. 17th, 1910. + +Dr. Britton called the meeting to order, stated its purpose and +presented specimens. + +Those present were: + +Dr. N. L. Britton, Director N. Y. Botanic Gardens. +Dr. Robert T. Morris, 616 Madison Ave., New York City. +Prof. John Craig, of Cornell University. +Mr. T. P. Littlepage, Union Trust Building, Washington, D. C. +Mr. A. B. Malcomson, Orange, N. J. +Mr. Henry Hales, Ridgewood, N. J. +Mrs. Joseph L. Lovett, Emilie, Bucks County, Pa. +Mrs. Yardly (with Mrs. Lovett). +Dr. Geo. Knapp, (at the request of Simpson Bros., Vincennes, Ind.) 21 +Claremont Ave., New York City. +Mr. C. A. Schwartze, 92 Stagg St., Brooklyn, N. Y. +Mr. Nash, of the Botanical Museum. +Dr. W. C. Deming, Westchester, New York City. + +On the retirement of Dr. Britton Dr. Deming acted as temporary chairman +and read a number of letters from persons interested in nut culture +encouraging the formation of an association. + +The chairman appointed Prof. Craig, Dr. Morris and Mr. Littlepage a +committee to draw up a tentative constitution or set of working rules +until permanent organization could be effected. The committee made the +following report which was adopted with the understanding that the +executive committee should consider the question of constitution and +by-laws and report at the next regular meeting. + + * * * * * + +_Name._ The society shall be known as the NORTHERN NUT GROWERS +ASSOCIATION. + +_Object._ The promotion of interest in nut-producing plants, their +products and their culture. + +_Membership._ Membership in the society shall be open to all persons who +desire to further nut culture, without reference to place of residence +or nationality. + +_Officers._ There shall be a president, a vice-president, a +secretary-treasurer and an executive committee of five persons, of which +latter the president and secretary shall be members. + +_Meetings._ The association shall hold an annual meeting on or about +Nov. 15 and such other special meetings as may seem desirable, these to +be called by the president and executive committee. + +_Fees._ The fees shall be of two kinds, annual and life. The former +shall be $2.00, the latter $20.00. + + +In addition to the large number of letters showing a wide spread +interest in nut growing, communications of especial interest were +received from Prof. W. N. Hutt, State Horticulturist of North Carolina, +Mr. W. N. Roper, former editor of the American Fruit and Nut Journal, +and from Mr. Henry Hicks of Westbury, Long Island. + +The election of officers resulted as follows: + +President--Dr. Robert T. Morris, New York City. + +Vice-President--Mr. T. P. Littlepage, Washington, D. C. + +Secretary-Treasurer--Dr. W. C. Deming, Westchester, New York +City. + +Executive Committee: Prof. John Craig, Cornell University; +Henry Hales, Ridgewood, N. J.; Prof. C. P. Close, College +Park, Md. + +Exhibits of nuts, nut literature, trees, grafting methods, a budding +tool, etc., were received and shown from nineteen different +contributors. A detailed account of these has been published and is on +file. + +The following resolution, introduced by Mr. T. P. Littlepage, was +unanimously adopted: + +Resolved, that the Northern Nut Growers' Association express its +appreciation of the attitude of the National Nut Growers' Association in +encouraging the organization of associations which have for their +purpose the development of the nut industry, and we hereby pledge our +support to, and our cooperation with, said National Nut Growers' +Association. And be it further + +Resolved, that we hereby acknowledge our great obligation to the many +pioneer nut growers of the South who have done so much to put nut +culture on a scientific basis, and that we express to them our deep +gratitude for the fund of valuable information and data which they have +worked out and made available. + +The meeting then adjourned. + +The Secretary-Treasurer has received for membership fees $108.00, and +expended for postage, printing and stationery, telephone and telegrams, +$59.27. Remaining in treasury, $48.73. + +The following leaflets were issued during the year: + +A reprint of Dr. Morris's article "Nut Culture for Physicians." + +A list of societies, books and other publications devoted to nut +culture. + +A list of some of the chief nurserymen carrying nut trees in stock. + +The President also published in the Garden Magazine for May an article +on nut culture, in which he referred to our organization, as a result of +which some 45 letters of inquiry were received by the secretary, +covering the country from Canada to Texas and from British Columbia to +Panama. + +The leaflets, and notices of the annual meeting, have been sent to about +321 addresses, including the members, agricultural journals, nurserymen +and nut dealers, government and state officials, state horticulturists, +correspondents and persons who it was thought might be interested. + +The following letter was sent to 21 leading nurserymen: + + "The President of our association, Dr. Robert T. Morris of New + York, asks me to suggest to you that it might be well for your + firm, or some member of it, to join the association, to be present + at the meetings and to take up the matter of raising such nursery + stock as is in constant and growing demand by the members. We need + to be in touch with those who are growing things commercially and + if they are present at the meetings they will know what we want. + The national association is largely made up of professional + nurserymen." + + Nov. 15, 1911. + +Two nurserymen have accepted the invitation. Evidently the others do not +yet think the northern nut grower one whose acquaintance is worth +cultivating. We hope to convince them to the contrary. + +The following letter has been sent to the state horticulturists of the +northern states and the provinces of Canada. + + "The Northern Nut Growers' Association desires your interest, your + aid and advice, your membership and, if possible, your attendance + at the meetings. + + It would also be of help to the association in its work if you + would give it information of those persons in your state who are + interested in nut culture." + + Nov. 15, 1911. + +Cordial replies have been received from M. B. Cummings, Secretary of the +Vermont Horticultural Society; from Le Roy Cady, Chief of the Division +of Horticulture, Minnesota Agricultural Experiment Station; and from J. +H. Poster, Professor of Forestry, New Hampshire Agricultural College. + +Fifty postal card reminders of this meeting were sent to members and +others a week ago. + +The secretary has also made investigation by correspondence on the +hickory bark beetle and the identity of _Juglans mandshurica_. + +The response from all communications to the various officials of the +Department of Agriculture at Washington has been prompt, cordial, +interesting and helpful. This should certainly be very encouraging, if +encouragement is needed, coming from men likely to be far-seeing as to +the needs for, and the possibilities of, nut culture. Prof. Frederick V. +Coville is conducting experiments in rooting hickory cuttings sent by +the secretary. Prof. Walter Swingle offers his cooperation in +experiments in propagation. + +The general correspondence received by the secretary shows an interest +and an enthusiasm that reveals the growing appreciation of the +importance of the purposes for which this association stands. + +(The following figures are brought up to date of going to press.) + +Eighteen of our 60 members are from New York, 8 from Connecticut, 6 from +Pennsylvania, 4 from New Jersey and Illinois, 3 from the District of +Columbia, 2 each from Indiana, Virginia and Minnesota, and one each from +Massachusetts, Ohio, Georgia, Louisiana, Florida, Colorado, Kentucky, +Michigan, Oklahoma, Panama and Canada. Thus seventeen states, the +District of Columbia, Panama and Canada are represented in our +membership. + +Eight of our members are women, one of them a life member, nine are +professional nurserymen, eight are physicians, six are connected with +educational institutions, three are lawyers, five agriculturists, two at +least are capitalists, and all expect to be, two are in literature and +there are one each of the following: clergyman, painter, insurance, +secretary, railroads, senator. + +The national association has 273 members of whom 52 are from the +northern states. We ought to have all of these. + +The secretary is keeping a record of the scattered articles, +communications to agricultural journals and other literature relating to +nut growing. He would consider it a favor if the members would send him +information of anything of this kind that may come to their knowledge. + +Mr. Littlepage: I move that the report of the Secretary-Treasurer be +approved. + +Professor Craig: I second that motion. I would like to add just a word, +to the effect that it seems to me that the Secretary has started out in +a very promising manner. He has not merely performed the routine duties +of the secretary, but he has studied the case, and has presented in an +analytical and striking form a good many facts not apparent on the +surface, had he only given us the stereotyped matter in the conventional +way; and it seems to me that this augurs well for the future of the +Secretary's office. I trust he can keep up the gait. (Carried.) + +Professor Craig: May I say that it seems to me there are one or two +matters arising out of the Secretary's report which are worthy of +special action? One is the question of the invasion of the Scolytus +beetle; the other is the nomenclature of _Juglans mandshurica_. It +occurs to me that it might be well to appoint committees on these +subjects to report during the sessions of the society. I might say on +the Scolytus matter, that I have conferred with Professor Comstock, who +has been kind enough to say he would place the matter in the hands of +one of his assistants, who will present to the society the latest we +have on that subject; and in the event of a committee being appointed, I +would suggest that that person, Professor Herrick, be made the chairman +of that committee. + +President Morris: I will appoint Professor Herrick and Professor Craig +on the scolytus committee, and on the nomenclature committee I will +appoint Doctor Deming and Mr. Barron. + +In this connection, I will have to say, however, that I neglected to +bring my correspondence relating to the nomenclature of _Juglans +mandshurica_. I can say a word that the committee may wish to use. For a +long while, I have been trying to trace the origin of the name _Juglans +mandshurica_. It is applied to two different nuts. The one described in +the United States government bulletin is the nut originally described by +Maxim as _Juglans mandshurica_ more than thirty years ago. That +nomenclature has priority for two reasons: first, because of the date, +and in the second place, because of the recognized standing of Maxim as +a botanist. The Yokohama Nursery Company has been sending out a very +different nut which they call _Juglans mandshurica_, evidently of the +race of _Juglans regia_. The _Juglans mandshurica_ of the government +bulletin is like the butternut, the _Juglans mandshurica_ of the nursery +companies is evidently a race of _Juglans regia_. I have conferred with +Doctor Britton, Sargent, and other authorities, and we have never been +able to trace the name given to this walnut of the _Juglans regia_ type, +_Juglans mandshurica_, until by accident I happened to get word from the +Yokohama Nursery Company to the effect that they had made up that name +in the office a few years ago, not knowing that a previous _Juglans +mandshurica_ existed and had been named by Maxim. So that traces the +rodent to its hole. The name _Juglans mandshurica_ by Maxim is the +proper name for the worthless butternut-like nut from China. De Candolle +named the valuable walnut that has been sent out by the Yokohama Nursery +Company _Juglans regia sinensis_. So both of these nuts have been +previously named, and by authority. + +Professor Craig: It is a question, then, of priority. + +President Morris: Yes, a question of priority; but really the Yokohama +Company had no right to make up that name. It was simply made up in the +office as a matter of trade convenience, and they attached to this +_Juglans regia_ nut a name that had been applied to an entirely +different nut, not knowing that this name had been previously applied. +So there is a _Juglans mandshurica_ and a _Juglans regia sinensis_, +respectively. + +Mr. Littlepage: Is the walnut, _Juglans mandshurica_, which you have +been discussing, similar to the ordinary butternut of the Middle West, +the Indiana white walnut? + +President Morris: You can find nuts much alike on first inspection, but +the mandshurica nut has six ridges in addition to the suture ridges. The +leaf of _Juglans mandshurica_ is sometimes a yard in length, with +twenty-seven to thirty-one leaflets, sometimes--an enormous tropical +leaf. The nut is usually too small to be valuable. + +Mr. Littlepage: I have seen the butternut of the Middle West nearly +similar, but it grows on the ordinary tree with white bark, and has +small leaves. + +President Morris: The general outline of the nut is about the same in +both, but the air chambers are very much larger in the _mandshurica_ +than they are in the butternut and there is a marked difference in the +flavor. You can distinguish them readily enough. + +Mr. Littlepage: The butternut grows wild throughout the Middle West, +usually along small water courses and alluvial lands. There are perhaps +one hundred and fifty on a creek corner on one of my farms. + +President Morris: They are very plenty here at Ithaca. In fact, you will +find them in Maine and Nova Scotia. + +Mr. Littlepage: I saw them in Michigan. + +President Morris: I will state, that from two until four the members +will view the collections, and make the tour of the Campus buildings. +During that time the report on competition, or at least examination of +specimens in competition, should be made, and I would like to appoint +Professor Reed and Mr. Littlepage on that committee, and I will serve as +_ex-officio_ member of the committee. The other committees I can make up +a little later. The next order of business will be the President's +address. Mr. Littlepage, will you take the chair? + + + + +THE HICKORIES. + +ROBERT T. MORRIS, M. D. + +So far as we know, the hickories, belonging to the Juglandaceae, are +indigenous to the North American continent only. Representatives of the +group occur naturally from southern Canada to the central latitude of +Mexico, in a curved band upon the map, which would be bounded upon the +east by the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico, and on the west +roughly by the Missouri River, until that river bends east from the +eastern boundary of Kansas. From the angle of that bend the hickory runs +approximately southwest into Mexico. + +The exact number of species has not been determined as yet, because of +the open question of specific or varietal differences in some members of +the family. Sargent's classification at present includes eleven species: +Hicoria pecan, H. Texana, H. minima, H. myristicaeformis, H. aquatica, +H. ovata, H. Carolinae-septentrionalis, H. laciniosa, H. alba. H. +glabra, and H. villosa. To this list may be added H. Mexicana (Palmer), +which so far seems to have been found only in the high mountains of +Alvarez, near San Louis Potosi in Mexico; and H. Buckleyi from Texas, +which was described once by Durand, and since that time overlooked by +writers, excepting by Mrs. M. J. Young in 1873, who included the species +in her "Lessons in Botany." Professor Sargent tells me that the Buckley +hickory will be included in the next edition of Sargent's "Manual of the +Trees of North America." This brings the number of species up to +thirteen. In addition we have well marked varieties: H. glabra odorata, +H. glabra pallida, and H. glabra microcarpa, making sixteen well defined +hickories that have been described. + +Nuts of all of these hickories are in the collection of "Edible Nuts of +the World" at Cornell University, with the exception of nuts of the +varieties H. glabra odorata and H. glabra pallida. + +In addition to the sixteen described varieties and species of hickories +in America, we have an endless variety of hybrid forms, because +cross-pollenization seems to take place readily between hickories of +synchronous flowering time. + +Five of the hickories: H. pecan, H. Texana, H. minima, H. +myristicaeformis, and H. aquatica belong to the open-bud group, while +the rest belong to the scale-bud group. The winter buds of the open-bud +group resemble the winter buds of the walnuts in a general way, and in +artificial hybridization experiments I seem to note a close relationship +between the open-bud hickories and the walnuts. + +There is no more promising work for the horticulturist than crossing +hickories with walnuts, and crossing hickories with each other. Five +hundred years from now we shall probably find extensive orchards of such +hybrids occupying thousands of acres of land which is now practically +worthless. The hickories are to furnish a substantial part of the food +supply of the world in the years to come. At the present time wild +hickories held most highly in esteem are: H. pecan, H. ovata, H. +Carolinae-septentrionalis, and H. laciniosa. Several other kinds have +edible kernels, sometimes of excellent character, but not readily +obtained except by boys and squirrels, whose time is not valuable. In +this group we have H. alba, H. glabra, H. villosa, H. glabra pallida, H. +glabra odorata, H. glabra microcarpa, H. Mexicana, H. Buckleyi, and H. +myristicaeformis. In another group of hickories with temptingly thin +shells and plump kernels, we have a bitter or astringent pellicle of the +kernel. This group contains H. Texana, H. minima, and H. aquatica. +Sometimes in the bitter group we find individual trees with edible nuts, +and it is not unlikely that some of them represent hybrids in which the +bitter and astringent qualities have been recessive. + +Among the desirable species of wild hickories there is much variation in +character, and selection of trees for propagation is in its infancy. One +reason for this has been the difficulty of transplanting hickories. +Another reason is the fact that hickories do not come true to parent +type from seed. A third reason is the length of time required for +seedling hickories to come into bearing. + +Concerning the first reason, the enormous taproot of young hickories +requires so much pabulum for maintenance that when the trees are +transplanted, with destruction of root-hairs along with the feeding +roots, transplanted stocks may remain a year or two years in the ground +before they are ready to send out buds from the top. On this account, +the Stringfellow method has in my locality proven of value. This +consists in extreme cutting back of root and top, leaving little more +than a short club for transplantation. The short club does not require +much pabulum for maintenance, and new feeding roots with their +root-hairs get the club under way quickly, because there is little +useless load for them to carry. The Stringfellow method further includes +the idea that stock should be planted in very hard ground, and seems to +be practicable with the hickories. The root-hairs which take up +nourishment from the soil find it difficult to carry on osmosis in loose +soil. The close contact obtained by forcing a way through compact soil +facilitates feeding. On this account, autumn is perhaps a better time +for transplantation of hickories, in the northern latitudes, at least. +Callus forms over the ends of cut roots at all times when the ground is +not frozen, and the more complete the callus formation the more readily +are feeding roots sent out. + +One of the main obstacles to propagation of hickories has depended upon +the fact that nuts did not come true to parent type from seed. This is +overcome by budding or grafting, and we can now multiply the progeny +from any one desirable plant indefinitely. In the South grafting is +nearly as successful as budding, but in the North budding seems to be +the better method for propagation. The chief difficulty in grafting or +budding the hickories is due to slow formation of callus and of +granulation processes which carry on repair of wounds. + +The propagation of trees from a desirable individual plant can be +accomplished also by transplanting roots. A hickory root dug from the +ground, divested of small rootlets, cut into segments a foot or more in +length, and set perpendicularly in sand with half an inch protruding, +will throw out shoots from adventitious buds. In my experimental work +with hickory roots, in covered jars, surrounded by wet moss, but with +the entire root reached by light, adventitious buds have started along +the entire length of the root, and we may find this an economical way +for root propagation, dividing up sprouting roots into small segments. +The chief objection to this method of propagation as compared with +budding is the length of time required for seedling trees to come into +bearing, propagation from roots probably requiring the same length of +time as propagation from seed, whereas by budding or grafting the +bearing period begins very much earlier. Forty-six years ago Mr. J. W. +Kerr of Denton, Maryland, planted three pecks of large shagbark hickory +nuts, but of the progeny only about twenty were satisfactory, most of +the trees bearing inferior nuts. These trees required from thirteen to +eighteen years to come into bearing, and young trees that Mr. Kerr +purchased from nurseries and planted were twenty-five years old before +they began to bear. Others who have planted shagbark hickories and +pecans state that nearly twenty years are required for the trees to come +into bearing on an average. When budded or grafted the pecan sometimes +comes into bearing in two years, and frequently in four years. We may +anticipate that other hickories will act analogously. + +The hickories prefer rich, well drained soil for best development of +nuts, and an abundance of moisture, provided the land is well drained. +Many of the hickories, however, are so adaptable to various soils that +they often thrive in lands that are sandy, and dry, and almost barren. +In the latter case, they have to maintain an enormous root system for +feeding purposes, and this is detrimental to good bearing qualities. The +mocker-nut, pignut, and hairy hickory, perhaps adapt themselves best to +sandy soils. This feature may make them valuable species for planting +when one has no other soil, because the stocks can be used for grafting +better kinds. + +While the hickories prefer neutral or alkaline soil, most of them will +grow fairly well even in acid glacial tills. Their preference, however, +for neutral or alkaline soils would suggest the use of a good deal of +lime in acid soils, when hickories are to be grown in orchard form. + +All of the trees in the hickory group are intolerant of shade and of +competition with other trees. The more sunlight they can have the +better. Most of us are familiar with the hickory tree standing alone in +the cultivated field, which bears a heavy annual crop, when the +neighbors at the edge of the forest bear sparingly. Hickories in forest +growth put their energies into the formation of wood chiefly, and in the +struggle for food and light devote very little energy to fruiting. + +The best method for cultivation of hickories has been worked out only +with the pecan up to the present time. With this species, it has been +determined that clean cultivation with plenty of fertilization gives +best results, as with apples. It is probable that Stringfellow's sod +culture method will come next in order, and will perhaps be most +generally used by nut orchardists, because it is less expensive and +requires less labor. The sod culture method includes the idea of cutting +all grass and weeds beneath the trees, in order to take away +competition, allowing these vegetable substances to decompose beneath +the trees and furnish food. There is no objection to adding artificial +fertilizer, or a still greater amount of vegetable matter. + +The enemies of the hickories are not many in the forest, where the +balance of nature is maintained, but when man disturbs the balance of +nature by planting hickories in large numbers in orchard form certain +enemies increase, and must be met by our resources. Fungous and +bacterial enemies are beginning to menace some varieties of the pecan in +the South, and both in the North and in the South certain insect enemies +are becoming important in relation to all valuable hickories. + +The bark boring beetle (Scolytus) has been reported as destructive to +hickories in some sections, the trees dying as a result of depredations +of the larvae of this beetle. + +I find a large borer at work on some of my hickories, but have not as +yet determined its species. It may be the painted hickory borer +(Cylene), or the locust borer. It makes a hole as large as a small lead +pencil, directly into the trunk or limbs, and excavates long tunnels +into the heart wood. The painted hickory borer is supposed to occur +chiefly on dead and dying hickories, but the borer of which I speak is +found in the vigorous young hickories in the vicinity of my locusts, +which are riddled with locust borers. + +In some localities involucre borers make tunnels between the nut and the +involucre, interfering with the development of the kernel. + +The hickory twig girdler (Oncideres) is abundant in some localities, but +not as yet very destructive. + +Hickory nut weevils destroy many nuts in some localities, and their +colonies increase about individual trees markedly. In such cases, it is +important to collect the entire crop each year from a given tree, taking +pains to destroy all nuts which contain weevil larvae. These may be +selected in a general way by dumping the freshly gathered nuts into a +tub of water. Nuts containing weevil larvae will float for the most +part, and in order to make sure of the destruction of larvae in the +remaining nuts they may be placed in a closed receptacle, and carbon +bisulphide poured over them. + +One of the bud worms is sometimes very destructive to individual hickory +trees which have developed colonies, the larvae destroying the axillary +buds, and burrowing into the base of the petioles of leaves. + +A new enemy which I found this year for the first time is the +_Conotrachelus juglandis_. This beetle ordinarily lays its eggs in the +involucre of the butternut. With the introduction of exotic walnuts, the +beetle has changed its habits, and lays its eggs in the herbaceous +shoots of walnuts and hickories. The larvae tunnel into the center of a +shoot, and destroy it, or seriously interfere with its nutrition. + +Among the enemies of the hickory we must not forget the common field +mouse, and the pine mouse, which burrow beneath the surface of the +ground, and in winter feed freely upon the bark of the roots of the +hickories. They have destroyed many thousands of young hickories of +various kinds in my nursery, and in digging up roots of old hickories +for experimental root grafting I find that mice have been living freely +for years upon the bark of some roots. + + +RANDOM NOTES + +Aside from the facts which have been grouped together in this paper, +certain notes may be of interest, as introducing questions for +speculation. + +Are we likely to find more species among the hickories than the ones +already described? If so well described a species as the H. Buckleyi has +almost escaped observation, and if H. Mexicana is confined, as it seems +to be, to a very limited area, and if most of the hickories grow in +regions where few botanists are at work, it seems to me probable that +several species remain as yet undiscovered. These are likely to be +species which lack means of defence, and which are restricted to certain +small areas. If we make a parallel with other observations of recent +discoveries, one thinks, for instance, in Ichthyology of the Marston's +trout, the Sunapee sabling, Ausable greyling, and the Kern River trout, +confined almost to a certain stream or lake, and remaining undiscovered +for years by naturalists, although familiar to thousands of local +fishermen. + +Sometimes there is a very apparent reason for the check to distribution +of a species. The men whom I employed to go into the mountains of +Alvarez for the Mexican hickory tell me that the trees are so loaded +down with mistletoe that they rarely bear a crop, and there are few nuts +with well developed kernels to be found. + +Distribution of a powerful species of hickory, like the pecan, seems to +be limited in the North by incomplete development of the pistillate +flowers. These are borne on the ends of the herbaceous shoots of the +year, and the pecan has such a long growing season that in the North the +pistillate buds, which are last developed, are exposed to winter +killing. Southern limitation of hickories which have a very short +growing period, like the shagbark, may be due to the fact that after a +period of summer rest, new growth begins in the autumn rains, and this +new growth may not lignify for winter rest. + +By artificial selection we can extend the range of all hickories far +beyond their indigenous range, which is limited by natural checks. +Extension of range, adaptation to various soils, and changes in the +character of the nut are likely to occur from grafting hickories upon +different stocks of the family. Thus we can graft a shagbark, which does +not thrive in poor sandy soil, upon the mocker-nut, which does grow in +such soils. Some varieties of the species may grow freely far out of +their natural range if they are simply transplanted. For instance, the +Stuart pecan, which comes from the very shores of the Gulf of Mexico, is +one of the hardiest pecans at the latitude of New York. I don't know +about its northern fruiting as yet. + +If the Satsuma orange grafted upon trifoliate orange stock gives a +heavy, well flavored fruit, while the same variety grafted upon sweet +orange stock gives a spongy fruit of little value, we may assume that +similar changes in character of fruit will follow nut grafting. Perhaps +the astringent feature of the pecan nut will be found to disappear when +the pecan has been grafted upon certain other hickories. Sometimes +undesirable results are obtained from such grafting; for instance, the +pecan grafted upon water hickory stock has been found to grow freely for +four or five years, and then to die back unaccountably. + +Stocks of rapidly growing hickories, like the pecan and the bitternut, +may serve to shorten the bearing time of slowly growing species, like +the shagbark, when scions of the latter are grafted upon such stocks. At +the present time I have shagbark grafted upon stocks of the pecan, +shagbark, bitternut, mocker-nut, and pignut, but these are all young, +and I cannot at the present time discern much difference in effect of +stock upon scion. + +In cross pollenization of hickories, I have not as yet discovered the +best way to prevent the development of aphides and of other insects +under the protection of the paper bags (which cover the pistillate +flowers) sometimes to the point of destruction of flowers before nuts +are started. It is probable that sprinkling the leaves with Persian +insect powder, and leaving a little insect powder in the bag, will +settle the question. + +I have not as yet learned how to prevent squirrels from getting at +hybridized nuts while they are still upon the tree. Squirrels cut +through mosquito netting which is tied about nuts to prevent them from +falling to the ground, and if wire gauze is used, they cut off the +branch, allowing gauze and all to fall to the ground, and then manage to +get the nut out of the gauze. The red squirrel particularly is a pest in +this regard, and will even cut off the tape which is tied about the +branches for marking purposes, for no apparent reason aside from pure +mischievousness. + +Nuts which are to be planted must be kept away not only from the +squirrels, but from rats and mice. One of my farmhouses got the +reputation of being haunted because of mysterious noises made by rats in +rattling hybrid nuts worth a dollar apiece about between the partitions. +The best way that I have found for keeping nuts for sprouting purposes +is to have a number of large wire cages made. These are set in the +ground, nuts are stratified in sand within these cages, and allowed to +remain exposed to the elements during the winter. + +It is probable that some of the hickories will be grown in forest form +in future because of the increased value of the wood of the species. For +growing hickories in forest form, it is probable that they should be set +not more than six or eight feet apart at the outset. At ten years of age +the first thinning will give a valuable lot of hoop poles. The second +thinning will give turning stock. The third thinning will give wood for +a large variety of purposes. I know of no tree which promises to return +a revenue more quickly when planted in forest form than hickories like +the shagbark and the shellbark, mocker-nut and pignut. These trees will +not be expected to bear nuts, because in the struggle for food and light +their energies will be directed toward making trunks. + +Hickories are undoubtedly to be used for decorative purposes in parks +and streets by future generations. The stately pecan, the sturdy +shagbark, can be made to replace, South and North, the millions of +useless poplars, willows, and other bunches of leaves, which please the +eye but render no valuable annual or final returns. The chief reason why +this has not been done is because people have not thought about it. + + * * * * * + +President Morris: This paper is not to be considered with the respect +that is ordinarily due to a presidential address, but is open for +discussion, and I would like to have any of my theories disproven. + +Professor Craig: Doctor Morris has covered a very extensive field in his +presidential address, and has raised so many interesting questions that +I imagine the difficulty with you is to know just where to begin. +Personally, and because I am not as thoroughly aware of the field of +Doctor Morris' hybridization work as I ought to be, I should like to ask +him what combinations of the hickories he has effected thus far. The +field of hybridizing nuts is an exceedingly interesting one, and Doctor +Morris has been the foremost worker in it. I am sure it would be +interesting to you, as it is to myself, to know briefly what ground he +has covered in the extensive range of his experiments. + +President Morris: In answering that question, I am speaking from memory +and may not speak correctly. I have made crosses back and forth between +shagbark, bitternut, mocker-nut, pignut, and pecan. In the crosses I +made, using pecans, pollen was received from the South and put upon the +others. The number of crosses that are fertile I cannot state as yet, +because I have not had experience enough in protecting these nuts, and +many of the hybrid nuts were lost. Squirrels and mice destroyed the +labor of three of my men and myself during one season. I have secured +fertile hybrids between the pecan and the bitternut and between the +pecan and the shagbark. If I remember correctly, those are the only +fertile hybrids I have between hickories at the present time. In regard +to crossing hickories and walnuts, I have crossed back and forth several +of the walnuts, our black walnut, our butternut, the Siebold walnut, +with the pecan, and with the bitternut, and have fertile hybrids. These +are open bud hickories, and the open bud hickories seem to cross +pollenize freely with the walnuts back and forth, while the scale bud +hickories do not accept pollen readily from the walnuts. I would rather +perhaps not make a report to this effect for publication at the present +time, for two reasons. In the first place, I am speaking from memory; in +the second place, rats, mice, squirrels, small boys, visitors, and high +winds have made such inroads upon my specimens, and upon my work, that +it is not quite time to report. I am merely speaking offhand in a +general way, stating that the hickories, open bud and scale bud, both +seem to cross rather freely back and forth. Open bud hickories and the +walnuts seem to cross rather freely back and forth, while the walnuts +and the scale bud hickories apparently do not cross so readily back and +forth. + +Professor Craig: In growing your hickories from root cuttings, have you +had any trouble from excessive sprouting? + +President Morris: Anywhere from one to eight sprouts will start from +adventitious buds at the circle near the ground, and then I break all +these off but one, letting that one grow. + +Mr. Wilcox (Pennsylvania): How do you prepare your stocks for budding +and grafting, in pots? + +President Morris: I have tried practically every method that has ever +been described, and the only successful method that I have now has been +topworking vigorous sprouts of one year's growth. That is, I would cut +off the tops of the trees now. Next spring those tops send out very +vigorous sprouts. I bud those early in August or the latter part of +July, or else in the following spring, sometimes, we graft them; and in +grafting, it is quite important to cut longitudinally at one side of the +stock, and go clear to the cambium layer. That gives the flexible slice +on one side, and adapts itself to the tying. + +Mr. Wilcox: Have you prepared any stocks in pots at all? + +President Morris: Yes. I personally have to leave these to others. I +tell my men to do it, but it is rather new work for them, and I give +them so much to do that things are apt to be neglected; and just a +moment of neglect at the wrong time will wipe out a whole year's work. I +have not cared very much at the present time for root grafting in pots. +I have lost a great proportion of the grafts, and it does not at the +present time seem desirable; but I believe if that is done in hot houses +with the ground warmed from the bottom, it is very apt to succeed. Give +them plenty of time for granulating. They granulate very, very slowly. + +Mr. Wilcox: What kind of pots do you use? + +President Morris: Some Professor Sargent showed me, long, made for the +purpose. + +Mr. Collins (Pennsylvania): You spoke of the hairy hickory. What hickory +is that? + +President Morris: _Hicoria villosa_, that you find from Carolina +southward. + +Mr. Littlepage: You spoke of the Stuart as being the most hardy pecan in +the latitude of New York. I presume you meant of the southern pecans? + +President Morris: It seems to be one of the hardiest anyway. Even +Virginia forms don't stand it through the winter as well as the Stuart. +Mine are not fruiting as yet. + +Mr. Littlepage: What varieties have you there? + +President Morris: Appomattox and Mantura are northern ones I have. + +Mr. Littlepage: Have you none of the Indiana varieties? + +President Morris: Yes, I have the Indiana varieties on northern stocks, +but those have only gone through one winter. They went through all +right. I would say that the Stuart is quite as hardy as those. + +Mr. Littlepage: I have observed the Stuart in Indiana. A friend of mine +has a small orchard of several varieties of pecans. I notice some places +where the Stuart has lived six or seven years, and then some +particularly hard freeze has frozen it back. I have a letter from Mr. +Jones in Louisiana, in which he says they had a recent freeze, and +every variety of pecan he had there had suffered, except the Stuart. I +don't recall whether he mentioned the Moneymaker in a previous letter or +not, but he did mention the Russell and some other varieties. + +President Morris: We have a number of pecan trees about New York that +have been grown on private estates. Pecans have been planted in +Connecticut and Massachusetts. You run across seedling trees here and +there, and a good many of them are perfectly hardy. They are very apt to +be infertile. The staminate flowers are apt to be destroyed because they +mature so late, and they may not carry any nuts. Pollination is +imperfect as a rule, and nuts may not fill. + +Mr. Reed (Washington, D. C.): But trees of Stuart are in bearing? + +President Morris: I don't know about bearing. Three years they have +stood a temperature of twenty below zero, so that is a pretty good test. + +Mr. Reed: You haven't seen any nuts yet? + +President Morris: No, I haven't seen any nuts; but they mature their +wood, and if they mature their wood, they are likely to mature staminate +and pistillate flowers. + +Mr. Littlepage: While it is true they may mature staminate and +pistillate blossoms, the question arises whether or not the growing +season is going to be long enough at the end to mature the nuts. I +notice in going through wild groves in Indiana, once in a while you have +a tree which never matures any nuts, though it has bountiful crops. The +frost gets them. + +Professor Craig: There is evidently a lack of summer heat to ripen +fruit. Before we get quite away from this subject, I would like to ask +Mr. Roper if he has noticed any striking differences in the hardiness of +Stuart and other northern forms of the pecan in his particular locality. +Does Stuart maintain its reputation for hardiness in his locality? We +are interested in that question from the northern standpoint. + +Mr. Roper (Virginia): I think it does, but that is discussed in a paper +which I shall read some time here in the meeting. Both the Stuart and +Moneymaker have done better with us than any other of the southern +varieties when they are budded on hardy stocks. The grafted trees do not +do well with us. + +President Morris: Professor Lake, will you speak on any of these +points? + +Professor Lake: I am learning much and prefer to continue a learner. I +shouldn't know anything about this crossing, except in the case of the +_Juglans regia_ and the oaks of California. That is one case that was +not mentioned. We have a remarkable hybrid between the native oaks and +the Persian walnut. It is remarkable in many ways. It has foliage that +is perhaps half way between the oak and the walnut, and the nut on the +surface looks like a small walnut, and on the inside it is between a +walnut and an acorn. I had an opportunity to sample the flesh, but it is +not edible yet. They are interested in the work very much, especially at +Chico and the Southern California Station. + +President Morris: It is said to be a cross between the live oak and the +walnut. It seems absolutely impossible, but I have seen the nuts, and a +photograph of the tree. + +Mr. Reed: We haven't devoted a great deal of attention to the +hybridization of nuts in our Department work. There is one thing that +occurred to me, as I sat here, merely of passing interest. A gentleman +in Mississippi sent a specimen of foliage, together with berries, from +what he said was a hybrid between the pecan and the China berry; and he +had the evidence, because the parent pecan tree stood right there, and +the China berry was the other parent tree! He wanted world wide +attention called to that. They were taken to the botanist, and he +recognized them as one of the ordinary soap berries. There was a similar +case this fall. A gentleman in Texas exhibited some nuts at the State +Fair at Dallas that he said were a hybrid between the mocker-nut, the +common hickory there in Texas, and the pecan. He said that the parent +trees stood near one another and that the pecan blossomed some years +about the same time that the hickory did, and in those years the hickory +nut was long, and in other years it was short. Somebody sent one of the +nuts to Mr. Taylor, Assistant Chief of the Bureau of Plant Industry. He +sent the nut on to me, and I looked it up. I struck Texas on one of +those cold wave days, and drove five miles out and back in a Texas +livery rig, and found an ordinary hickory that bore nuts just a little +different from others. That is one way the Department is called upon to +ferret these things out. + +Mr. Littlepage: I would like to ask Mr. Reed what information he has as +to the success of pecans bearing when grafted or budded on other +varieties of hickory? I say that because I know from traveling around +through the country that there is a widespread impression that it is +possible to have very extensive pecan orchards throughout the North by +topworking the wild hickory. I have had some little experience along +that line, but I don't know what the facts are; and Mr. Reed has made an +extensive trip recently for the Department of Agriculture, collecting +data in reference to the pecan. + +Mr. Reed: The present situation, so far as we have been able to gather +the information, is just this. The pecan has been grafted on a good many +species of hickory, all the way from Virginia south to Florida, and west +to Texas; but rarely ever can we find an instance in which they have +produced satisfactorily after they have come to a bearing stage. We find +that they unite readily ordinarily, and grow rapidly; but the pecan +eventually proves to be a more rapid grower than the hickory, and when +it catches up and is the same diameter, then the pecan growth is slower, +and while they bear a little the first few years, later on they are not +productive. I don't wish to say that is final, but it has been the +experience so far. You will find most enthusiastic advocates of pecan on +hickory where it hasn't been tried for any length of time. The men who +try it find it unites readily and makes this quick growth, and think the +question is solved. But aside from a few instances in Texas, I don't +find very encouraging reports. It may be due largely to the fact that +the right varieties of pecan haven't been used. We know that in the +early history of pecan culture the Rome and Centennial and some others +that are light bearers were used; and then the pecan on hickory has been +looked at as so much saved, and they haven't been given much attention. +It is still very much a matter of doubt, but is not in a very favorable +light at present. + +Professor Craig: I would like to ask Mr. Reed if he has looked over Mr. +Ramsey's work recently at Austin, Texas. + +Mr. Reed: I was at Mr. Ramsey's last year, and I don't recall that that +matter came up at all. + +Professor Craig: Didn't you see his plantation of top worked hickories? + +Mr. Reed: I didn't know he had topworked hickories. He has topworked +pecans. Professor Kyle of the Station in Texas has recently issued a +bulletin on that very thing, and he cites a number of cases in which he +concludes that there will be a favorable outcome; but for some reason, +in the instances which he cites, the trees haven't borne very much. They +attribute it this season in one instance to the fact that they had a +storm at pollinating time, and last year some other accident happened +that prevented them from maturing after a quantity of nuts had set. + +Mr. Littlepage: I mention this at this time because I want to get Mr. +Reed's testimony in the record, because I think that every prospective +nut grower must go through this stage. A year ago I undertook on my farm +in Indiana to bud the pecan into other varieties of hickory--I have a +great many wild hickories growing all over my farm,--shagbark, +shellbark, and different varieties of those even. So I went to work and +budded perhaps one hundred of those trees, and for a while it seemed +that there was going to be a great degree of success. I budded them all +upon the limbs where the bark was thinner, and tied the bud in with +waxed cloth very tightly; and by absorption the majority of the buds +lived a week or ten days. After that, there was perhaps a third of them +alive. For the next two weeks, we could find an occasional bud that +remained green, and then the number became so very small that I gave up +the idea that any would live. But this spring I found a few of these had +started to grow, but I had tied them so very tightly that in some +instances where there had been a growth of an inch or two, the bud part +had been cut in two. Then I undertook it on a much smaller scale. I cut +back eight or ten small hickory trees three to four inches in diameter, +let them throw up water sprouts, and budded into these. The bud wood I +used stuck very tight, and I examined the buds in November, and there +were quite a number alive of the Greenriver and Huntington varieties of +pecan. Whether they will grow finally remains to be seen. + + (A discussion then occurred as to holding the afternoon session and + it was decided to continue the business during the afternoon, + instead of visiting the Campus.) + +President Morris: I would like to comment on one point made by Mr. +Littlepage. He has given us perhaps the reason why pecans die back when +grafted upon other stocks. Mr. Reed, that is an extremely important +point. He has shown that the pecan grows so much more rapidly than other +hickories that when it has arrived at a proportion to be supported by +the root of the other hickory, it then ceases bearing because all the +energy is required for maintaining this new pecan top that tries to grow +faster than the hickory, if that is my understanding of this point. + +May we not graft freely back and forth hickories of kinds which have +about the same rate of growth, and may we not graft other kinds of +hickories upon pecan stock, for we don't care how much nourishment is +given to a fine young shagbark? + +Mr. Littlepage: That is a fine point. + +President Morris: I am very glad Mr. Reed brought up that point. It is +going to save thousands of dollars if it is a fact recognized in time, +because many would go to putting pecans upon other hickories. We may +learn that certain kinds of hickories can be grafted to advantage upon +other stock, however. + +Mr. Reed: There is another point right there I would like to have your +views on, and that is, the smaller the hickory is at the time the pecan +is grafted on it, the greater will be the influence of the pecan on the +hickory. + +President Morris: It can drag the stock along perhaps. It has been +proved, I think, that a graft has a certain influence upon the stock, +and in some cases can drag it along willy nilly to a certain extent. The +root and the top get to balance each other fairly well if the root is +very small at the time the graft is put on. Most of the trees that have +been topworked to pecan have been various kinds of large hickories. +Perhaps if you were to take a shagbark hickory one to two years of age +and graft it, the pecan top would dominate or control that root, no +matter whether it wanted to grow or not. + +Mr. Reed: The claim is sometimes made that if the pecan is grafted on +other hickory young enough, it will transform the hickory completely. It +will make a sufficient root system to feed the pecan as well as the +pecan root would. But I have never seen that demonstrated. + +President Morris: That is speculative. It is a very valuable point, one +of the sort of points that would naturally be brought out at a meeting +of this kind. + +Mr. Reed: Have you seen that with other fruits, Professor Craig? + +Professor Craig: Yes. Each variety of apple produces its own kind of +roots without reference to the seedling stock. That is to say the scion +overrules the root in budding or grafting upon one or two year old +seedlings. + +President Morris: A parallel that comes to mind now is the grafting of +Burbank's Royal walnut upon ordinary walnut stock. When that was done, +his Royal walnut was said to drag the other walnut along. + +Professor Craig: I think it is a very valuable suggestion. I am not sure +I will go as far as the President has gone; but I think it is +exceedingly suggestive, and worthy of careful consideration. + +Mr. Rush (Pennsylvania): I find the same experience in some instances, +that the graft outgrows the stocks. That is a peculiar instance of the +work of improper unions. Eventually the stock pushes up and forms a +perfect union in growth, with the Persian walnut. This is particularly +applicable to pecan and hickory. I suppose Mr. Reed will bear me out in +that, with regard to English walnut and black walnut. + +Mr. Reed: Oh, yes. + +President Morris: You occasionally see a variety of apple grafted on +another in which the graft part gives the tree a sort of slipshod +appearance. How about the bearing in that kind of a tree? + +Professor Craig: They usually bear heavily where the food supply is +restricted. + +Mr. Reed: That would make our pecans bear more heavily on hickory stock +than on their own. + +Professor Craig: As a matter of theory, they ought to. The bearing +ought to be increased, because it is a system of girdling, or brings +about the same effect,--in other words it restricts the return flow of +the elaborated food. The food is checked at the point of union. Another +parallel is in the case of _Prunus domestica_, the European plum, when +worked on _Prunus Americana_, the American plum. In that case, the top +always outgrows the stock, and in ten years it presents a very curious +appearance. It presents the appearance of a very top-heavy head on a +very spindling stem. The bearing is usually encouraged, but the fruit is +usually small. The amount of fruit measured by numbers is increased, but +the amount of fruit measured by the size of individual specimens is +decreased. + +Mr. Collins: Isn't the size of the fruit increased in the case of +apples? + +Professor Craig: By topworking, usually, it is, but that doesn't +contemplate such an extreme case as that. It means when the union is +reasonably uniform, when there is a reasonable affinity between stock +and scion. But in extreme cases we get the opposite result. Reproduction +is encouraged, but size of fruit is checked. + +President Morris: I would like to hear from Mr. Rush or Mr. Pomeroy in +connection with the hickory. + +Mr. Pomeroy: I haven't ever tried any experiments with the hickory. + +President Morris: We will discuss further some of the points that have +been suggested in this paper, because it seems to me we are along a good +line of cleavage, and this line of cleavage may dispose of some +questions that we haven't discussed. One question brought up was if the +bitter, astringent qualities are likely to be recessive among hybrids in +the trees which have bitter nuts. + +Mr. Littlepage: I made a trip through Missouri and Arkansas a year ago, +and while there, took occasion to go into the forests, and investigate +to some extent the Arkansas and Missouri hickory and pecan. Among other +things, I found two hybrids, one of the pecan and one of the pignut, one +of which was bitter and inedible, the other a fairly good nut. I have +both of them with me here today. One of them was very astringent and +bitter, the other had taken more the quality of the pecan as to meat, +and was a fairly good substitute. I don't know what the reason for it +is, that one is fit to eat, and the other isn't, when they are both +hybrids between the pignut and the pecan. + +Doctor Deming: How did you know they were hybrids, by the appearance? + +Mr. Littlepage: Yes, the appearance is unmistakable. The pignut +characteristics are very prominent, also the pecan characteristics. + +President Morris: Have the members anything to say about the +Stringfellow method of transplanting hickories? + +Doctor Deming: I have had very little experience in transplanting +hickories, but I set out two Hales hickories I got from Meehan, and they +are both living, although they have made little growth in some three +years. Can you tell us what stocks the Hales hickory is grafted upon? + +Mr. Brown (Pennsylvania): Upon the bitternut. All there are have been +upon the bitternut from the start. + +Doctor Deming: Mr. Littlepage, what do you think of the future of +topworking our seedling hickories in the North with improved varieties +of hickory or pecan,--the commercial future? + +Mr. Littlepage: It is largely speculative. I suppose it is the province +of every nut enthusiast to have an opinion about these things. In fact, +I find it is encouraging to talk to the fellow who has an opinion. My +notion is that there is a great future for topworking the various +varieties of the hickory in the North to the desirable forms of the +hickory, that is, of the hickory other than the _Hicoria pecan_. On my +farm I expect next year to devote some time to topworking the various +hickories I have to the desirable varieties of the shagbark. I think +that can be done throughout the whole country. The shagbark seems to be +indigenous to such extensive latitudes, that it seems to me there are +great possibilities along that line. I observe that around here we find +many of those trees. I have some very beautiful shagbarks that came from +Canada. My opinion is that it will be successful. I think the reason the +pecan has not proved very satisfactory upon the other species of hickory +is that most of those hickories have a close grained wood, and that the +distribution of available food depends largely upon the amount of sap. +The _Hicoria pecan_ is a much coarser grained wood. The flow of the sap +upward is facilitated much more than the flow of the sap upward through +the hickory stock of other varieties. I believe that is the reason the +theoretical rule would probably not work in this case, simply because +the distribution of sap cannot take place fast enough through the tight, +close grained stock of other varieties of hickory. Otherwise, I don't +see why the rule would not obtain, as with fruits. The experiences Mr. +Reed gives, I think, are generally recognized by those who have +experimented with them to any extent. I noticed in visiting Mr. Roper's +nursery he had one very beautiful specimen of the pecan grafted on a +hickory. That was the Stuart, was it not? + +Mr. Roper: The Moneymaker. It had made a growth of four or five feet in +two years. + +Mr. Littlepage: Do you know the variety of hickory that it was topworked +to? + +Mr. Roper: Just our common hickory, I suppose the pignut. + +Mr. Littlepage: It made beautiful growth from the wood standpoint. + +Mr. Roper: Mr. Reed's point was that it would do that till it got by the +period of good nutrition from the root. Professor Craig says the +elaboration of food from the pecan top more than overcomes the +deficiency. + +Professor Lake: I would like to question Mr. Littlepage's physiological +ground for the lack of proper fusion of liquids between the pecan and +the other hickories. I believe it is not authenticated that the water +supplies from the earth would not distil as fast in the close grained +hickories as in the more open grained pecan. At least, the very close +grained, firm woods of the tropics transmit a tremendous amount of +water, much in excess of many of our fine grained woods of the North. +And it seems to me I wouldn't like to have this Association go on record +as vouching for this explanation exactly. It seems to me there are +better explanations. Lack of fusion is not due to the amount of water +that is carried up, but rather to the fact that the root system of the +hickory does not develop fast enough to collect water to transmit. + +Mr. Littlepage: I am very glad to hear Professor Lake's statements. My +suggestions were given only as a possible theory that occurred to me, +and I don't vouch for their accuracy. There must be some explanation to +controvert the general rule which Professor Craig has given us. + +Professor Craig: May I add one word? When a stock and scion unite, the +union is really a mechanical one. It is a union of cells, and in that +respect it is simply mechanical, not a physiological union. The +different life types or character of the scion and top do not fuse, but +we have a mechanical union of cells, and that mechanical union is as +clearly shown forth as possible when we make a section through the point +of union. If your type of cell in the stock differs very materially from +the type of structure in the scion, the union is unsatisfactory. If the +types of tissue are much alike, the union is good and you do not have +either overgrowth of stock or undergrowth of scion very much, but you +have what is called a good union. It is to some extent a question of +mechanics, in my judgment, influenced by the cell structure of stock and +scion. If you have a good, smooth union, the two grow equally. Where you +have overgrowth of scion, you usually have a starved root, because the +food which is to be returned elaborated is checked at the point of +union, the root is starved, and you have a short lived tree, because +your root system, which ought to receive its share of the distributed +food, is underfed, finally weakens, and the whole structure fails. + +Professor Lake: You may have mechanical union, but you can't have the +after fusion in which you are going to have proper function of stock and +scion. + +Professor Craig: Each cell functions after its own kind. It is a +question of passage or transmission of food through that carrier, after +the union is effected. If the character of the two types differs very +much, the transmission of food is checked and is difficult. + +President Morris: There is another mechanical point I'd like to ask +about. When the two types of cells differ, will the difference in degree +of capillarity regulate the amount of pabulum distributed, or does it +depend upon negative and positive pressure? + +Professor Craig: That is a very difficult question, because it isn't +settled at the present time what credit we should give to capillarity +and what to root pressure in sap circulation. + +Mr. Reed: There is another question I would like to ask Professor Craig. +Supposing you have a mechanical union perfected, what is the difference +in the food that different species of the same genus transmit? Has that +been worked out? + +Professor Craig: I don't think so. Of course, there is a difference in +the food. That is proven, because there is a difference in the quality +of the food. The tree machine, the tree factory speaking individually, +evidently makes different products, and that is shown by the different +quality of nuts. That is all we know about it. + +Professor Lake: That part below the scion still continues to be normal +hickory, and that part above, pecan, so really it is not a matter of +distribution of water supply by gravity or other pressure, but rather a +distribution of the proper amount of elaborated food; and that is +transmitted through the cell itself, not the cell walls. Because this +top makes a food that is different from the normal requirements, or +because the latent character of those cells below does not respond to +the food supply as actively as the part above, is the whole question, it +seems to me. If the cells below functioned as the cells above, there +would be no question about the stock and scion being the same. + +Mr. Littlepage: Of course there must be sufficient flow of sap to +distribute food. The hickory root might not send the flow of sap as fast +as the pecan top would like. + +Mr. Reed: Is Mr. Lake's point always true, that the stock below the +point of union remains a normal hickory? + +Professor Craig: I don't believe there are more than one or two +exceptions noted to that, and those exceptions are recorded under graft +hybrids. + +Mr. Reed: A seedling pecan tree owned by Mr. B. M. Young of Morgan City, +Louisiana, was top worked with scions from the McAllister hican some +seven or eight feet above ground, and later on the bark of the pecan +trunk below the point of union became scaly like that of the hican +above. + +Professor Lake: That would suggest something worth while, if that part +below would produce fruit like the part above, but I would want to +question a little the modification in bark characteristics being a +direct result of cross grafting. + +Mr. Reed: Of course, it was no check--only one instance. + +Professor Craig: There are one or two others that are authentic. I have +known a case of plum. Here we have the plum stock, we will say it is +_Prunus Americana_, grafted with _Prunus triflora_, the Japanese, then +later on, _Prunus domestica_ is put on top. I have seen a sprout from +triflora bearing Japanese plums, while the top of the tree bore _Prunus +domestica_, although there was only a small section of stem in there +between our two distinct species. They were perfectly normal. + +President Morris: Each elaborates its own kind of food in its own kind +of cell. I would like to hear from Mr. Brown and Mr. Wilcox on this +matter of grafting--the influence of stock on scion. + +Mr. Wilcox: We had a good show of stocks, but instead of allowing them +to become established in the pots, we grafted them as they started into +growth after rooting. Had they been established, we would have expected +better results. + +Professor Craig: What method do you employ? + +Mr. Wilcox: Side grafting. + +Professor Craig: Do you mean whip grafting? + +Mr. Wilcox: Side whip grafting. + +Doctor Deming: I would like to ask Doctor Morris what he thinks of the +practical future of grafting our hickory seedlings with improved +varieties of hickory or pecan, and the method most likely to +succeed,--whether grafting or budding, and at what season. It is +important to learn whether we can so graft or bud our hickory sprouts +that within a few years we can hope to get something from them. + +President Morris: We can only make a parallel with the pecan. If we know +that it requires fifteen or twenty years for coming into bearing as a +seedling tree, and if we know that it bears frequently in two, three, or +four years after being grafted we can anticipate analogous action with +other species of hickories. I haven't been able to get testimony from +men who have grafted hickories. One man told me he thought shagbark +grafted upon other shagbark, topworked, came into bearing in seven or +eight years. Another man told me that his came into bearing in a much +shorter time than it would otherwise, while with one particular variety, +the Hale, I think that twelve years has been required for the tree to +come into bearing. + +Doctor Deming: I have a communication from Mr. Hales in which he speaks +of a tree grafted in 1880, but doesn't say when it began to bear. + +Mr. Littlepage: He told me it has taken some of them twenty years. + +Doctor Deming: But the pecan on hickory has been known to bear the +second season, that is, topworked. Can we expect such results in +topworking our own hickories? + +Mr. Littlepage: I think so. + +Doctor Deming: Are we going to have success in topworking, and by what +method? + +President Morris: I believe in the South they can graft, but in the +North we have got to do it by budding. My best results have been late +July or early August. I believe herbaceous budding promises a good deal. + +Mr. Rush: Were those buds then of the year previous?. + +President Morris: Those were buds from the year of the scion, and +herbaceous stock of the year. + +Doctor Deming: Mr. Littlepage has had some success in budding hickory +very early, haven't you? + +Mr. Littlepage: I was just stating that I started in last year to bud. I +think it would be possible to make a pecan orchard bear early by budding +into these hickories, ten, fifteen, or twenty years old. This next year +I am going to try hickory on hickory. I am going to try three processes. +I am going to try bark grafting, and whip grafting in the body of the +tree which has been cut off. Then, I have quite a number of hickories +each four or five inches in diameter that I have sawed off and allowed +to put up clusters of water sprouts, and I am going to whip graft some +and put paper sacks over them, and see which is the best. + +President Morris: I have found budding the best. + +Mr. Reed: Doctor Morris referred to the analogy of the pecan grafted on +pecan as coming into bearing in two years. Do you account for that in +the fact of its being a graft, or the fact that the wood you selected +came from a tree that had the characteristic of early bearing? + +President Morris: No doubt that characteristic was transmitted, and +further, no doubt the grafted stock was used from bearing wood. Those +points are all of interest. + +Mr. Reed: Does the mere operation of grafting or budding influence +earliness of bearing? + +President Morris: Yes, if I understand the question rightly. A tree that +might not bear for fifteen years as a seedling may bear in three years +grafted. + +Mr. Rush: I have Persian walnuts that bore two fine nuts the second +year. I have young trees, one about thirty inches, and I am sure it +will be full of nuts next year, unless some providential misfortune +should intervene. + +Mr. Reed: At what age did the original trees begin to bear? + +Mr. Rush: Those were buds shipped to me from California. + +Mr. Littlepage: I am firmly convinced that there is something in the +process of budding or grafting that stimulates the growth. For example, +I have scions that were not over four to eight inches long grafted on +one year seedling pecans which, at the end of this season's growth, were +as much as thirty inches high. All along in the same row where seedling +pecans were not grafted, there is none over eighteen inches high. + +Mr. Reed: To have made exact comparison, you would have had to take buds +from your seedling nursery trees, and graft on other trees. You are +comparing these buds from one tree with seedlings of another. + +Professor Lake: I would like to ask if you didn't bud or graft the best +stocks in the row too? + +Mr. Littlepage: We took the whole row, as we came to it, but that +particular tree might have been on some particularly favorable stock. It +is a matter of a good deal of interest to see why a seedling which +wasn't budded at all didn't grow as high as a scion which was budded in +summer, stratified all winter, then put into the ground in an unnatural +position. + +Professor Craig: It is the same principle, I think, which we discover in +pruning. If we prune heavily during the dormant season, the effect is +increased vegetative growth. If we wish to stimulate the growth of an +old tree somewhat debilitated, we go to work and cut off a large portion +of the top. We don't disturb the root. The effect is that with the same +amount of pushing power from the root, we have a decreased area over +which that energy is spread, and it results in apparently increased +growth. I am not quite sure if we were to measure it up in a scientific +way, we would actually find it was increased growth. There are fewer +branches, but they have made greater length. In the case of grafting our +pecans, we cut off our tops, set a two-bud scion in the root, and +usually but one starts and receives all the vigor from the established +root, instead of the vigor being distributed over several buds on the +original seedling top. We have as a result of that concentration of +vitality increased growth. I think that theoretical explanation will +stand fairly well, because it seems to be directly in line with the +effect of winter pruning. + +Mr. Reed: I would like to ask Professor Craig to what extent he would +select seed for nursery purposes? What influence would the characters of +the parent tree from which the seed came have on the grafted tree? + +Professor Craig: I don't believe that we can expect the characters of +our stock to affect the scion to any extent. I think what the nurserymen +should have in mind and keep in mind is a good, vigorous stock, and as +many stocks as possible,--as he can get out of a pound of nuts. +Otherwise, I don't think it cuts much figure. In that connection there +is a principle which I have discovered by experience, namely, that if +you are growing stocks it is wise to get your nuts as near your own +locality as possible. My experience last year in planting five hundred +pounds of northern grown nuts in a southern locality, and five hundred +pounds of southern grown nuts in the same locality, gathered in that +locality, is that I got fifty per cent more trees from my southern grown +nuts than northern, and trees that were fully thirty per cent better. + +Mr. Littlepage: Where were your northern grown nuts stratified? + +Professor Craig: They were not stratified. They were planted as soon as +they were received, and they were received within two weeks from the +time they were taken from the trees. + +Mr. Littlepage: I am inclined to believe that if your northern grown +nuts had been stratified in the North, and undergone the customary +freezing and thawing, then had been taken up in the spring, you wouldn't +have seen that difference. + +Professor Craig: I think that point is well taken. + +President Morris: There is no doubt about that. In that same +connection--I would choose nuts for seed purposes of a mean type, for +the reason that nature is all the while establishing a mean. The big +pecan is a freak. If you plant big or small nuts, you don't get big or +small nuts in return. You get both big and little seeking a mean. + +Mr. Roper: The large nut will give a better tree. We have tested that +out. + +President Morris: Does that work out logically in that way, is it a +comparative matter all the time? + +Mr. Roper: We haven't worked that out in the bearing, but in the nuts in +the row, the small nuts did not produce as large trees as the large +nuts. We never tested the mean nuts. We did select some of the very +smallest we had, and planted one of the northern and one of the southern +type. They came up, but the trees amounted to nothing. + +President Morris: The idea I meant to convey was that both very small +and very large nuts are freaks, and neither likely to give as good a +tree as mean types. What would you anticipate, Professor Craig? + +Professor Craig: I think that would resolve itself on a practical basis +from the practical standpoint. I think the mean or average sized nut +would give you the best results. There is no doubt, as Mr. Roper said, +the very small nut would give you weak seedlings. On the other hand, you +couldn't afford to use the very largest, so that a mean between large +and small would be the natural thing to choose. But we should do nothing +to discourage the planting of the finest specimens, with the possibility +of getting something unusually good. That is certainly the work for +every amateur. + +Professor Lake: Does that statement, that you think it doesn't make much +difference about the parent of the nuts for stock, apply to walnuts? + +Professor Craig: I haven't had any experience in walnuts. + +Mr. Littlepage: I would like to ask Mr. Roper if he knows of any +examples where selection of fine varieties of seed has not resulted in +getting a more productive variety of the plant which he was producing? + +Mr. Roper: Only one, and that wasn't in a tree. + +President Morris: In regard to coming true to type, I think records have +been made of many thousands of pecans, and I don't know of any instance +where the progeny resembled the parent closely. + +Mr. Pomeroy: Maybe someone could explain one of my failures a few years +ago in planting some Persian walnuts. I went to another tree in western +New York, and got a peck or more. They were planted the same day, in the +same ground, and all came up. Those I got from another tree resembled a +hill of beans, and stayed that way for three years. Why wouldn't those +grow? In soil three feet from those, there were trees growing. Those +nuts never did make trees. The nuts were of good size. + +Colonel Van Duzee: As a practical nurseryman, I wouldn't think of +planting nuts from a tree that I didn't know individually. We have had +very much better success with nursery stock where we have chosen as seed +medium sized nuts from vigorous trees with which we were acquainted. In +the case of Mr. Pomeroy, I don't think there is any question but that +the history of his tree would account for the failure. In other words, +his nursery stock was undoubtedly from the results of years of slow +growth on the part of the original tree, or unfavorable conditions of +some kind. I don't quite agree with Professor Craig on the question of +the influence of stock, because I believe it is really a very important +point. + +President Morris: We are not here to agree upon anything. + +Colonel Van Duzee: I can't speak from the scientific standpoint, but I +am quite sure that in the nursery business I shouldn't care to overlook +that influence. + +President Morris: When men agree, it means we are on stale old ground +which has been thrashed over. + + +THURSDAY AFTERNOON, DECEMBER 14, 1911. + +President Morris: The meeting is called to order. The first paper this +afternoon will be that by Mr. J. Franklin Collins of the United States +Department of Agriculture, on the chestnut bark disease. + + + + +THE CHESTNUT BARK DISEASE. + +J. FRANKLIN COLLINS, Washington, D. C. + + +I presume some of you know as much about certain features of this +chestnut disease as I do myself; for I have only worked over certain +sides of the whole question. I also presume that you are all acquainted +with the fact that this disease, which is known as chestnut blight or +the chestnut bark disease, is without doubt the most serious disease of +any forest tree which we have had in this country at any time, that is, +so far as its inroads at present appear to suggest. + +I want to call your attention to certain general historical facts in +connection with the disease, facts which are familiar to some of you, +but unfamiliar possibly to others. The Forester of the Bronx Zoological +Park, Dr. Merkel, discovered in the fall of 1904, or had his attention +particularly called in 1904 to the fact, that a good many chestnut trees +were dying in his vicinity, a number sufficient to have attracted +especial attention. He looked at the matter carefully, and decided that +there was a definite disease on these trees. He handed specimens over to +Doctor Murrill of the New York Botanical Garden; who worked out the +disease, and decided that it was a new fungus which was causing the +trouble. He named it _Diaporthe parasitica_, the name under which it is +generally known today, although there is some question as to whether +that is the one which should be applied to it. This, you remember, was +in 1904--in the fall. + +The first publication which appeared on the disease was in 1906, as I +recall it. The publication which then appeared was Doctor Murrill's upon +his investigations. The disease has spread very rapidly since then, so +that today we know the disease in a general area indicated by the red +color on this map. The green area indicates in a general way the natural +distribution of the common chestnut. Since 1904 investigations upon the +geographical range of the disease have been carried on so far as to show +that the disease is now known over approximately the area indicated in +red on that map. The northern limits of the disease are perhaps in New +York State. Further east, it is known as far north as northern +Massachusetts, mainly in the western part, and it is also known in +Boston. There have been two or three cases of the disease found in the +Arnold Arboretum. On the west, we have two cases in West Virginia, and +the most southern station which I know of is in Bedford County, +Virginia. But those are isolated stations beyond the area which is +indicated here. I shall have a little more to say in regard to the +distribution. + +Before speaking of that, I want to call your attention to a few points +in regard to fungi in general, points of common knowledge to all who +have studied fungi or mycology. A fungus is a kind of plant which does +not, on account of the absence of the green coloring matter, manufacture +its own food. It is a plant which has, in other words, no green foliage, +and as it has no green foliage, it must obtain its organic or elaborated +food from some other source. The fungi have very aptly been termed the +tramps of the vegetable kingdom, that is, they live on food prepared by +somebody else. They can take certain organic substances and change them +apparently into other organic matter which can be used by the plant. In +the case of this chestnut fungus, we have a fairly typical fungus in +certain respects. We have a vegetative stage of the fungus which is +nothing more or less than a lot of threadlike structures penetrating the +bark of the chestnut, the inner bark or the middle bark, and there +drawing the organic matter from the bark of the chestnut and +appropriating it to its own use. Fungi, like practically all other +plants, have two stages of existence, one the vegetative or growing +stage, the other the reproductive stage. Sooner or later the fungus will +produce the fruiting bodies, after it has obtained a sufficient amount +of food to justify the formation of these more highly organized +structures. In the case of the fruiting body of the chestnut fungus, we +have very small, pinhead-like structures, which come out to the surface +of the bark, the vegetative portion developing through the interior of +the bark. On smooth bark we find that these fruiting pustules are apt to +appear all over the surface. With bark that is sufficiently old to have +ridges and crevices, we find these fruiting bodies only in the crevices. + +These fruiting pustules which you will see on this bark are the +structures which produce the reproductive bodies, these latter being +known as the spores. There are two types of spores which are produced by +this fungus. One is the type which is commonly spoken of as the summer +spore, the other the type which is spoken of as the winter spore. The +winter spore is known from the point of view of the mycologist as the +perfect stage of the fungus, that is, it is the more characteristic of +this particular fungus. If we should make a cross section of the bark, +we should find that the vegetative stage is running through the middle +bark, and commonly the inner bark, sometimes in one place only, +sometimes in the other only, sometimes in both. This vegetative stage +later sends up in various ways a mass of tissue which results in the +formation of pustules. These appear on the surface, sometimes more or +less regularly rounded, sometimes rather irregular. In the case of the +summer spore stage, we have inside the pustules a mass of tissue which +is formed into spores. The interior of the spore mass, or at least +portions of it, is somewhat mucilaginous, so that when moisture is +applied a swelling of the interior mass is produced at a certain stage +and something has to break. As a result, we have a mucilaginous mass +pressed out through the break in the shape of a twisted thread, much the +same as if you take a collapsible tube of paste and pinch it. + +Now, one of those summer spore threads may contain anywhere from one to +five million spores. I have tried to estimate the number in a thread of +this sort which was about an eighth of an inch long, and by taking a +certain portion of that thread, mounting it in a drop of water, and then +counting over a certain measured area under the microscope, I have +estimated, by multiplying, that there were 2,400,000 spores in that one +thread. So you can imagine how many of these spores may be produced by a +single diseased area which has produced perhaps four or five hundred of +those pustules, each pustule containing anywhere from one to twenty +threads. Each one of those spores may develop a new diseased area, +provided it is transported to a fresh break in the bark of a chestnut +tree. Fortunately, only a very small fraction of one per cent ever +reaches the proper place for growth. + +This last is what I alluded to as the summer spore stage. There is a +winter spore stage, or technically, the ascospore stage, which comes, as +a rule, later in the development of the fungus. In this same pustule, +later in the season, certain sacs are formed. These have long necks +which extend to the top of the pustule. These sacs are sufficiently +large to be seen with the naked eye. They are dark colored. Inside +these, we have a lot of smaller transparent sacs or cases in each of +which we get eight spores, sometimes in one row, sometimes in two rows. +Each spore can propagate the fungus. + +We have, then, two types of spores, either one of which can reproduce +the fungus under suitable conditions. There is still another way by +which the disease may be kept going. The vegetative stage can survive +the winter and continue growing the following year. + +I will say right here that I am planning to give you merely an outline +of this disease, and have time afterwards for questions which I think in +a meeting of this sort are one of the most productive sources of +information. + +In regard to the rapidity of spread of this disease, I will merely call +your attention to two cases as illustrations, or to certain facts, +rather. One is that the disease, so far as our attention has been +directed to it, has developed over the area indicated on the map since +the fall of 1904. Another case is one which has occurred in Rhode +Island, where I have had a chance to watch its development a little more +closely than in other places, that is, more constantly. In the fall of +1908, after I had made over thirty excursions around Rhode Island, I was +unable to find a single trace of this disease, and no one else was able +to find a single case of the disease in Rhode Island. In May, 1909, I +happened to be about five miles west of the city of Providence, and I +found two or three cases, all in one rather restricted spot. Later, it +was discovered a little farther south, and soon, a little to the north, +so that at the end of the season of 1909 we knew of about ten cases in +Rhode Island. At the end of 1910, a season in which very few trips were +made with the special object of surveying for the disease, we had more +than doubled the number of infections found. That led to putting someone +into the field in 1910 to make a survey of Rhode Island. A man was also +put into the state of Massachusetts for the same purpose. Mr. Rankin, in +cooperation with the United States Department of Agriculture, made a +survey of New York State, which has resulted in this map. A man was put +into Pennsylvania and one into Maryland for the same purpose. As a +result of the survey in Rhode Island, where at the end of 1910 we knew +of less than fifty cases at the outside, we now know of very nearly 4000 +cases. It has been much the same story in Massachusetts. At the +beginning of this year, there were four towns in which the disease was +known; now there are seventy-one. At present in Connecticut, the disease +is known in one hundred thirty-two towns of the one hundred sixty-eight +in the state, and the southwestern part of Connecticut is very badly +infected, just as badly as the adjoining portions of New York.[A] + +[Footnote A: Since this statement was made the disease has been +definitely reported in approximately 164 towns in Conn. [J. F. C]] + +So much for illustrations of the rapidity with which the disease +develops. I am not going to say at this time anything special about the +origin of the disease, simply because we haven't yet decided what was +the probable origin. I will merely say there are some different theories +in regard to the origin. One is that it was imported from the Orient, +another, that it is a saprophyte, a fungus which has lived normally upon +dead organic matter, but which has taken on the parasitic form, which +develops on living organisms. + +In connection with any disease of this sort, one naturally inquires, how +are we going to recognize this disease? This past summer Pennsylvania +has put into the field thirty or more men who have been trained to +recognize this disease, with the idea of locating the infections in +Pennsylvania. As perhaps all of you know, the legislature of +Pennsylvania has passed a law relating to this particular disease, and +has appropriated $275,000 to see if the disease can be controlled. Their +idea is that they have perhaps fifty million dollars' worth of +chestnuts, and if $275,000 can show whether or not this disease can be +controlled, it is economy to try it. + +So far as Pennsylvania is concerned, it means possibly the saving of the +chestnuts in the middle and western parts of the state; but it also +means that if they can check it there, it is likely to save the great +area of chestnut growth along the southern Appalachians. I don't want to +make any prophecy as to how that experiment is likely to come out, but, +however it comes out, it will be a very great object lesson as to what +can be done on a large scale with a disease of this sort. + +One of the first things which had to be considered in Pennsylvania was +to train a number of men to recognize the disease, so as to go over the +country and locate the diseased spots. The method of recognizing the +disease I will briefly outline. Of course, over a large country, many +hundreds of square miles, it is a long, and laborious operation to look +over every tree. It is perhaps impossible without a very much larger +force than $275,000 could put into the field. But there are certain +clues to the location of the disease which can be seen a long distance, +a quarter of a mile, at any rate. The means of recognition is by what I +commonly call danger signals. This fungus, when growing through the +bark, starts from the common point of infection and grows in all +directions, up the stem, down the stem, and around the stem. Wherever +this vegetative stage, technically known as mycelium, penetrates, the +bark is killed; and of course, you all know what that means. When this +has succeeded in reaching around a twig, branch, or trunk, everything +beyond that girdled area dies, not immediately, perhaps, but sooner or +later it dies; and it dies in such a way that the leaves change color +during the summer. The first obvious change which can be noted is a +slight wilting of the leaf; then the leaf assumes a pale green color, +and from the pale green it takes on a yellow stage; from this a reddish +yellow stage, and then a brown, till the leaf is the ordinary dark dull +brown of the dead leaves. This coloration which takes place is +conspicuous. There is your guide, your danger signal. If the disease has +worked very long, half a season, in one locality, you are almost sure of +getting some of these danger signals. Where one is present, you can go +and look up the cause of that danger signal. It may be a broken twig, +but the point is to find out if it is this disease which has caused the +danger signal. We start by looking at the danger signal, then at the +base of the dead area. If we find here some of the reddish pustules +which have been shown on this bark we are quite sure that the disease +is present. Then by cutting into the bark a little, instead of the +normal buff or yellowish tint of the fresh clean bark, we get, when the +disease is present, a rather mottled effect, varying from a brownish to +lighter or even darker. There is a peculiar fan-like effect to this +mycelium which penetrates the bark, so that by shaving off the surface +of the bark, you get this mottled appearance, which gives you another +means of identifying the disease. So we look for the danger signals, and +then look for the meaning of the danger signals. If we find those two +things, the pustules and the mottled mycelium, we can very safely say +that this disease is present. + +There are a few fungi which closely resemble this chestnut disease in +general appearance, but they are not very common, and are not confused +with the disease, as a rule, when you get the lens on them. + +In regard to the experiments for the control of the disease. I want to +say a few words. As far back as 1907, the United States Department of +Agriculture began experiments on certain experimental plots, +particularly in Long Island near the region where the earliest cases of +this disease were known, to see if it could be controlled on individual +trees after they had become infected. Later, experiments were undertaken +along the same line in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Spraying was +tried, although there was no idea that it would be of any use, because +the vegetative stage of this fungus is running through the interior of +the bark, where no spray could reach it. Thus spraying was found to be +of no use whatever. Then the operation of cutting out the disease was +tried. Where the diseased spot appeared, it was cut out with a gouge. +Then the exposed area was covered in various ways with antiseptics. + +This gave, for a year or two, very promising results, but about the +third year the disease appeared to get over on to the margin, where it +had been cut. This led to the later discovery that the disease had been +running in the wood, as we had previously suspected. So the cutting out +of the bark alone is not sufficient. This year cutting has been done so +as to include a portion of the sap wood. + +There is just one other topic which I want to allude to. That is in +regard to the immunity question. It has been found that this disease +attacks the common native chestnut, the chinquapin, the various +cultivated European chestnuts, but very rarely the Japanese. In regard +to this point. I hope that Doctor Morris will tell us something about +his experiments on the breeding of chestnuts with the idea of producing +a new and immune variety. + +You will understand that I have just made an outline of this disease, +and I hope that, if there are any questions to be asked, you will make +them easy, so that I can answer them. + +President Morris: This very interesting paper is now open for +discussion, and I hope that we can get some points which will allow us +to know how to control the disease. With the wind-borne spores that are +carried miles and miles by a single sharp gust of wind, this disease is +a difficult matter to control. We must, I believe, find some natural +enemies, if we can. I don't know where to look for these. I will have to +ask the mycologists what we may anticipate along the line of natural +enemies. I would like to ask if it is common for a weak species to +become a devastating species. Have we many parallels in the field of +mycology? The point relating to raising immune kinds is one for +discussion. Are we to raise immune chestnuts? The history of most +plants, I think, has been this, that where they have met their enemies +in their natural environment, the fittest survive; and it seems to me +that this is a case in which we perhaps have survival of the fittest in +North Asia; for the North Asian chestnuts certainly resist the disease +better than any others, but the chestnuts of southern Asia are quite +vulnerable to it. In my own orchards, I have twenty-six kinds of +chestnuts, and have followed them along, for the purpose of determining +which ones would resist the blight best. I cut out last year 5000 old +American chestnut trees on my property. There is not a tree in all that +part of Connecticut, the vicinity of Stamford, that is not blighted, and +very few that are not dead. Now, in the midst of this disaster, what was +the behavior of my experimental chestnuts of various kinds? It was this. +I had about one thousand Koreans that lived up to five years of age, +growing in the midst of blighted chestnuts, and none of these blighted. +It occurred to me that it might be well to graft these on the stumps of +American chestnut, because these Koreans resisted the blight; but when I +grafted them on the sprouts of American stumps, at least fifty per cent +of the Koreans blighted, showing that the pabulum wanted by the +_Diaporthe_ seemed to be furnished by the American chestnut. I had some +chestnuts from North Japan that resisted the blight, and yet these +grafted on the sprouts from American chestnuts blighted. I had some +Chinese chestnuts, and none of those have blighted as yet; and in +grafting them, two or three have not been blighted. I have perhaps +twenty-four chinquapins, both the western form and the eastern, and only +one branch of one tree has blighted. Of the southern Japanese chestnuts, +very many are blighted. They are not as resistant as the northern. I +have a good many chestnuts of European descent, and among these some +resist the blight pretty well; and some of the American progeny, like +the Hannum and Ridgely, seem to resist well enough, so that now I am +grafting these upon many different sprouts. This should be worked out, +and I wish to know what men have tried experiments along this line. I +would like to ask Professor Reddick to discuss this question. + +Professor Reddick: I have very little that I can add at the present +time. The points the talk has raised here are of the greatest +importance, and there is certainly room for a great many people to work, +though here in this state we have only one man who is devoting his +attention particularly to this disease. I find in connection with the +work that Professor Collins is doing, and in connection with the +Pennsylvania work, that there are some people engaged on these very +vital and important problems. They are not giving any particular +attention to field work, but are working on these special problems. I +think you all appreciate that progress of investigations on this kind of +subjects is rather slow, and in the meantime the man who has his trees +and his nurseries blighting is surely up against it. + +I have only one thing in mind, a thing which I suggested to Mr. Rankin +when he first started on this work, and it is a thing which Doctor Peck, +our state botanist, suggested at the chestnut bark conference that was +held in Albany not long since. Doctor Peck says that he has lived a good +while, and he has seen epidemics come and go. Certain plants, certain +varieties were threatened with extermination, yet at the present time +they are still with us. I suggested to Mr. Rankin that, while it looked +as if chestnut blight was going to be with us indefinitely, the chances +were it would all be gone before he had a chance to find out all the +things he thought he was going to. Our friend Doctor Clinton of +Connecticut would have us think it is only a matter of a few years to +have conditions come around so that the chestnut blight will not be a +thing of serious importance. In other words, Doctor Clinton stoutly +maintains that, while this fungus is doing so much now, it is largely +due to the condition to which our trees have come, owing to a succession +of very unfavorable summers and winters; and as soon as the conditions +get around to normal, the disease will be no more. Some of us are not +inclined to agree with him entirely. + +Professor Craig: Perhaps you can tell us what Mr. Rankin has been doing +this year. + +Professor Reddick: At the beginning of the past summer, from the surveys +and observations that had been made almost entirely by the United States +Department of Agriculture authorities, it was known that the chestnut +disease had extended up the Hudson River perhaps as far as Poughkeepsie. +It was our idea that he would probably find the border line of healthy +and diseased trees somewhere in the vicinity of Poughkeepsie, so Mr. +Rankin located it opposite Poughkeepsie at Highlands. During the course +of the summer, the assistance of the State Survey Commission and the +State Department of Agriculture was enlisted, and there were six or +eight men who spent part of July and all of August surveying the portion +which now appears on this map in red. The results of this survey show +that the entire Hudson River Valley, with the exception of a small part +in the vicinity of Albany, is now infected. In fact, it is the general +opinion that there is no use whatever to attempt in any way to save the +trees in this locality. Very fortunately there is a strip of territory +which is almost solid spruce forest, and in which there are almost +absolutely no chestnut trees. We have already, then, abandoned the +Hudson River Valley, but with this great natural barrier, you see that +it is going to be relatively easy, so far as the State of New York is +concerned, to put some sort of an artificial barrier across the little +neck there. This all depends on what can be done in Pennsylvania. This +cross-hatching of red along the Delaware River represents an area in +which the infection is only partial, and the few dots of red shown about +Binghamton represent localities in which the blight has now been +exterminated. The diseased trees have been taken out, stumps killed, and +bark burned. We are in hopes the disease will not reappear there. I +don't believe things have been definitely settled at Albany in the +Department of Agriculture, where the control work naturally lies, but +Commissioner Pearson is very anxious that something be done to try to +control or prevent the further spread of the disease in our state. Plans +are being made so that a large number of men will be located in this +territory next summer, making very careful inspection, removing the +occasional diseased trees, killing stumps, and burning bark; and a +forester will be connected with the work, for the purpose of advising +with regard to the use of the diseased timber. I might call attention to +the fact that our state agricultural law, as it now reads, empowers our +Commissioner of Agriculture to quarantine against this or any other +dangerous fungous disease,--a very broad step from what it was before +that time, when the only fungous disease he had any power to act against +was the black knot of plums. + +Mr. Reed: From the chart, it appears that the disease is more common in +the vicinity of streams and bodies of water. + +Professor Reddick: That is an observation that has often been recorded. + +Mr. Reed: How is it elsewhere than in New York? + +Professor Collins? The question has been asked more often than +otherwise, why do we find the disease on the tops of hills away from the +water? I think there isn't a sufficient amount of evidence or +observation on that point to say whether it is more common near or away +from bodies of water. + +I will call your attention to one experiment that can be performed by +anybody with the microscope. Take a piece of one of those spore horns or +threads, put it in a drop of water on a microscope slide. Inside of two +minutes, it will disappear entirely. It is dissipated in the water, and +the spores are so small you cannot see them with the naked eye. If you +let the water dry on the slide, then put that slide under the microscope +and try to blow those spores off, you can do it just about as easily as +you can blow the shellac off a door. You can brush that film under the +microscope, and you can't see that a single spore has been disturbed. +The explanation, I think, lies in the fact that these spores are of a +mucilaginous nature, and when they dry, they stick to whatever they come +in contact with. That does not mean that these spores cannot be blown, +because they may lie on fragments of leaves and be blown about by the +wind. Again, some of the spores may be detached in a mechanical way and +thus blown by the wind. But I am quite convinced that the spores are not +blown broadcast, simply because they are of a sticky nature. + +Now, those spore threads are forced out under certain conditions, +moisture conditions, as a rule. It has been shown after repeated +observation that these spore threads are pushed out a day or two after a +rain. Of course, in the springtime, the atmosphere is much more moist +than later in the season. Consequently, we find more of these spore +threads in the spring than at any other time. You will recall that the +last week of August this year was a week of almost continuous rain. Two +days after that ceased, I saw as many of these spore threads as I had +seen at any one time all summer. So that, although conditions are best +in the spring for greater abundance of these spores, they may occur at +any time. If a bird alights on these spore masses, there is no reason +that I see why they should not be carried. We know the rain water +running down the trunk dissolves these spore masses, and they are +carried down, there to reinfect the tree when insects crawl around. + +President Morris: My brother has some Japanese chestnuts twenty-five or +thirty years of age. By cutting off one branch at a time as fast as they +blighted, he has saved those trees. + +Professor Collins: You spoke, Doctor Morris, of grafting Japanese on to +American stock. I have seen repeated cases where the Japanese has been +grafted on to American stock. The whole Japanese tree has been killed, +and we find the disease has killed the tree by girdling the American +stock below the graft. + +President Morris: Yes, I find this over and over again. In one case +where I had a very choice variety of Burley's chestnut, the _Diaporthe_ +attacked the American stock underneath this, and had practically girdled +it when I saw it. There remained a fraction of an inch of good bark. I +cut off all except that, and put tar over it, and grafting wax over +that, and this year the graft has grown a foot or more. So by giving a +great deal of attention to some one little injury, we can overcome the +effect of it. + +Mr. Jensen: In your grafting, what was the relationship of the rapidity +of the growth of top after grafting, compared with the old stock? + +President Morris: When these grafts are put on the stock, on rapidly +growing shoots from a large root, they grow enormously, and sometimes we +have had nearly one hundred feet of growth in one year. That, however, +would be a chestnut like the Scott or the Ridgely. We frequently get +thirty, forty, or fifty feet growth in one year. + +Mr. Jensen: Does the plant grow more rapidly when it is grafted than on +its own stock? + +President Morris: I have not grafted Japanese on Japanese stock, but the +Japanese and Korean grafted on American stock does grow more rapidly +than it does on its own roots. + +Professor Craig: Mr. Hall has another interesting instance of chestnut +blight. + +Mr. Hall: On the ground where the blight appeared, there were four +chestnuts set by a nurseryman, two Japanese and two European chestnuts. +Of the European chestnuts, one has succumbed to the blight, and the +other has been continually attacked for the past four or five years, +twice in a period of four years, and it is still alive and recently +appears to be in a more healthy condition than for the past four or five +years. During that time it has never borne any chestnuts. The companion +tree of the same kind was girdled in two or three years. + +President Morris: There is comparative resistance. Some of my trees went +down instantly, and went all to pieces, while others stood up for four +or five years. Chestnuts of the Paragon type I hoped were going to be +fairly immune, but they are going pretty fast. I have advised people who +have asked about Paragon chestnuts to buy them, but be prepared to have +to cut out blighted branches as they appeared. It is a question whether +I can advise even buying them much longer, because I have lost nearly +all my Paragons, but they have not gone as fast as the Americans. + +Doctor Deming: Ought we not before we leave this subject either to +appoint a committee, or to pass resolutions urging action on the part of +the state similar to the action taken by Pennsylvania in attempts to +limit this disease? I would make such a motion, that the Northern Nut +Growers' Association urge legislative action similar to that already +taken by the State of Pennsylvania to limit the spread of the chestnut +bark disease. + +Mr. Littlepage: I second the motion. (Carried.) + +Professor Craig: Should not the Secretary be empowered to send a copy of +those resolutions to the Commissioner of Agriculture? I think the motion +includes that. + +Mr. Reed: It seems to me that this disease is of as much importance to +other states as it is to New York and Pennsylvania, and that this +sentiment, as this action can only be a sentiment of the Association, +should be sent to the Commissioner of Agriculture in other states, as +well as in New York. This is not the New York Nut Growers' Association. +I would make that as a motion, that the sentiment of this Association in +favor of state action similar to that of Pennsylvania be pressed upon +the Commissioner of Agriculture in each state where that disease is +prevalent. + +President Morris: Shall we make Mr. Reed's motion take the place of +Doctor Deming's? + +Doctor Deming: I would accept that as an amended motion. (Carried.) + +Professor Craig: Inasmuch as we have gone that far, should we not take +another step, and that is, fearing lest the United States Secretary of +Agriculture should feel slighted, should we not as the Northern Nut +Growers' Association draw his attention to the fact that here is a +serious disease sweeping over the whole northern part of the country, +representing a very considerable portion of his domain, and ask his aid +and cooperation with the various states which are attempting to do such +good work? + +President Morris: Will that have to go as another motion or as an +amendment to Doctor Deming's? + +Professor Craig: I move that a resolution of a similar type be passed, +and forwarded to the Secretary of Agriculture of the United States. +(Carried.) + +Mr. Wilcox: May I ask some of the gentlemen who have experience along +this line if we may look for any cure or help for it in the future, and +if so, along what lines will it be possible, along the lines of +isolation, of natural enemies, or some other preventive or cure? + +President Morris: Yes, I would like to ask if anyone has a definite +proposition beyond the one that has been proposed, restricting it by +cutting out the advance agents of the blight. I believe that has been +the only proposition so far. We certainly can't kill off the birds that +will carry off blight on their feet. We don't know if a fungous enemy is +likely to follow it up, or if it is a weak species, brought into +activity by certain conditions, which will be brought back to its normal +mode of life again. I don't know that anything definite could be stated +till we know more about it. + +Professor Craig: Perhaps Mr. Collins or Professor Reddick might offer +something in the way of suggestions on that. + +Mr. Collins: I don't think that I have anything to propose beyond the +points suggested by the President. I think there are a good many points +which should be kept watch of, and I don't know any one that looks any +more promising than the other, except perhaps this of cutting out the +disease. But this is an expensive method. + +Mr. Reed: Have you ever found any individual trees in infested districts +that were immune? + +Mr. Collins: Only the Japanese, but I think Doctor Morris has found the +Korean even more immune. I shouldn't use the word "immune," perhaps, but +"highly resistant" to the disease. I have watched quite a number of +trees, in the midst of disease, which seemed to be resisting the +disease. I explained it in some cases by the fact that the bark was very +free from injury--maybe that was the reason why they did not take the +disease so easily as they might otherwise. + +President Morris: The next paper will be that of Mr. C. A. Reed of the +United States Department of Agriculture on "The Present Status of Nut +Growing in the Northern States." + + + + +NUT GROWING IN THE NORTHERN STATES. + +C. A. REED, Washington. D. C. + + +With the exception of the chestnut, no species of native nut-bearing +tree has become of prominent commercial importance as a cultivated +product in that portion of the United States lying east of the +Mississippi and north of the Ohio and Potomac Rivers. The growing of +foreign nuts has attracted greater attention than has the development of +the native species. Almost with the beginning of our national history, +the culture of Persian walnuts attracted considerable attention +throughout the East, especially in the States of the Middle and North +Atlantic Coast. The European and Japan chestnuts, the European hazels +and the Japan walnuts have since come into considerable prominence in +the same area. + +Within the district so outlined, which comprises practically the entire +northeastern quarter of the United States, there are few sections of +large extent to which some species of native or foreign origin has not +already demonstrated its adaptability to the soil and climatic +conditions, or to some other locality of approximately similar +conditions. + +In order of importance, the species of native nut-bearing trees known to +be suited to some portion of the area under discussion, the following +list is probably not incorrect: The American chestnut (_Castanea +dentata_); the shagbark (_Hicoria ovata_); the American black walnut +(_Juglans nigra_); the butternut (_Juglans cinerea_); the pecan +(_Hicoria pecan_); the shellbark (_Hicoria laciniosa_); and the hazels +(_Corylus americana_; _Corylus rostrata_). The American beechnut (_Fagus +atropunicea_, Sudworth) naturally belongs to this list, but as it is +probably not under cultivation as a nut tree at any place in the United +States, it will not be discussed at this time. + +The principal foreign species which have been tried in the +Northeastern States are: The European and Japanese chestnuts +(_Castanea sativa_ and _C. japonica)_; the Persian (English) walnut +(_Juglans regia_); the Japanese walnuts (_J. Sieboldiana; J. +cordiformis_ and _J. mandshurica_); the European hazels (_Corylus +avellana_ and _C. tubulosa_). + + +THE AMERICAN CHESTNUT (_Castanea dentata_, Marsh). + +Representatives of the American species of chestnut are found native to +a large area. The species seems to avoid extremes of temperature, cold, +alkaline or acid soils, and an excess of moisture. It is apparently at +its best in the sandy and coarse gravelly soils of the uplands from +lower New England to the southern extremity of the Piedmont Plateau in +the East and from the extreme southern part of eastern Michigan to +northern Mississippi on the West. + +Although the quality of the American chestnut is unapproached by most of +the foreign species, comparatively little attention has been paid to its +development, while considerable effort has been directed toward the +introduction and cultivation of the large European and Asiatic species. +Comparatively few varieties of the American species have been +originated, and of these none have been widely disseminated. The one +variety, which, because of its size, productiveness, and quality, has +been extensively propagated and widely planted, is the Paragon. This +variety originated at Germantown, Pa., and was introduced about 1888. It +is believed to have originated from a seed grown from a nut obtained +from a European seedling, then in one of the gardens of Philadelphia. +This variety has been propagated very extensively both in the nursery +and by grafting on native stumps and sprouts of cleared-over forest +lands. In the nursery it is now chiefly grafted to seedlings grown from +Paragon nuts. This variety is both precocious and prolific. In a 25 acre +orchard of young nursery grown trees planted near Boonville, Indiana, +during the spring of 1910, nearly every tree set a number of burs during +the same season. From two or three to from fifteen to seventeen burs had +to be removed from each tree in order to prevent over-taxation. + +Mr. Charles A. Green of Rochester, New York, Mr. E. H. Riehl of Alton, +Illinois, and Mr. G. W. Endicott of Villa Ridge, Illinois, are the +introducers of a number of improved varieties of the American sweet +chestnut, illustrations and descriptions of which may be had upon +application to these gentlemen. + +The extreme severity of the chestnut blight throughout the section where +it has made its appearance, the rapidity with which it has spread since +its discovery, and the present practical impossibility of keeping it +under control have put the future of the chestnut industry of this +country much in doubt. As has already been made clear during the present +meeting, this disease has resulted in the entire destruction of +thousands of forest and park chestnut trees in the sections where it has +appeared, and as evidence of the further apprehension with which the +chestnut blight is taken into account by the authorities familiar with +it, it may be well to state that at the last meeting of the Pennsylvania +State Legislature, the sum of $275,000 was appropriated for use in +studying and combatting this disease. Above every other question bearing +upon the subject of chestnut culture, that of this disease is by far of +the greatest importance to the prospective planter. + + +THE SHAGBARK HICKORY (_Hicoria ovata_). + +This species is native to the greater portion of the area under +discussion. It is not common north of southern Maine and is much less +abundant than the chestnut in the lower New England and North Atlantic +States. It is best adapted to regions of deep fertile soils well +supplied with moisture, yet without standing water. It is very difficult +to propagate by asexual methods and ordinarily requires from twelve to +twenty years to bring it into commercial bearing. For these reasons +exceedingly few varieties have been called to public attention. The +location of several individual trees of superior merit to that of the +average are now known and arrangements are being made for their early +propagation. + +The most practical means of obtaining young trees for nut purposes it +the present time is to plant nuts from selected trees. This method will, +of course, lead to the wide variation common with seedling trees, but +until experienced propagators meet with better success in their efforts +at grafting or budding this species than in the past, there is little +use for the amateur to undertake it. + + +THE AMERICAN BLACK WALNUT (_Juglans nigra_). + +The American black walnut is common to much the same general area as the +shagbark hickory. It is much less exacting in its soil and moisture +requirements than that species and is much more frequent within the same +area. Its representatives, either native or planted, are found in almost +every kind of soil and at nearly every degree of elevation from the +well drained lowlands to the mountain sides. As with the shagbark, few +varieties of the black walnut have been introduced. The same interest is +now being shown by leaders in nut culture in their efforts to locate and +insure for propagation superior varieties of black walnuts as with the +shagbarks. + + +THE BUTTERNUT (_Juglans cinerea_). + +The butternut or white walnut, as it is sometimes called, is one of the +most neglected of our native nut bearing trees. In the forest it abounds +under much the same conditions as does the black walnut, to which it is +closely related. Its native range within the entire United States +extends further to the East and North and is not found so far to the +South or West as is the black walnut. Like the shagbark, it is generally +less abundant within the area of its native range than is either the +chestnut or the black walnut within their respective native areas. + +So far it is known to the writer, not a single variety of the butternut +has been introduced. + + +THE PECAN (_Hicoria pecan_). + +The pecan is native to a very small portion of the area under +discussion. North of the 38th parallel it is found native along the +river bottoms bordering on the Mississippi River and its tributaries to +Davenport, Iowa, Terre Haute, Indiana, and nearly to Cincinnati. + +Scattered individual trees are by no means rare in Illinois, Indiana, +Ohio, Pennsylvania, Delaware and New Jersey, as far north as the 41st +parallel, and they are occasionally found in the lower parts of +Michigan, New York and Connecticut. In rare instances, they have been +reported near the Atlantic coast in Massachusetts. + +It is doubtful if any of these northern trees which are well outside of +the area included by the native range of the pecan have yet borne nuts +of good size and quality to an important extent. The efforts to carry +the pecan beyond the limits of its accepted range have thus far been +mainly by the planting of seedling nuts. During the past 3 or 4 years, +intelligent efforts have been made by several persons in the State of +Indiana to locate wild or seedling trees of sufficient merit to justify +their propagation as named varieties for northern planting. Already they +have called to attention and are propagating as rapidly as possible the +Indiana, the Busseron, the Major, the Greenriver, the Warrick, and the +Hinton. Some of these varieties compare favorably in the matter of size +with the average pecans of the South, and while none of those yet +discovered are of extremely thin shell, in points of plumpness, +richness, bright color of kernel and pleasant flavor one or two of these +northern varieties are not excelled by any of the southern sorts. +Scions and buds from these trees have been used in the propagation of +nursery trees, and already a few trees have been disseminated. Several +nurseries are now propagating these varieties but all combined their +output will necessarily be very limited for some years to come. + +Somewhat in advance of the steps taken in Indiana two varieties, the +Mantura and the Appomattox, have been introduced from southeastern +Virginia by Mr. W. N. Roper of Petersburg. + +The Mantura pecan is distinctly of the southern type,--large, thin +shelled and a ready cracker. It has been disseminated throughout the +North to some extent when grafted upon the stocks of southern seedlings. +None of the trees are yet in bearing. It is now being propagated by +grafting to stocks of northern seedlings and it is highly probable more +hardy trees will be the result. + +The Appomattox pecan has not yet been propagated to great extent. Since +the variety was called to public attention, a horse stable has been +erected immediately under the tree; and consequently, being greatly +over-supplied with nitrogen, it has been unable to normally develop its +crops. Good specimens, therefore, have not been obtainable for +description during the past several years. + +In the mind of the introducer, however, it is a valuable variety, and +well worthy of further observation. + + +THE SHELLBARK HICKORY (_Hicoria laciniosa_). + +The shellbark hickory is much less common and far less well known than +is the shagbark. In its native range it appears in certain counties of +central New York, eastern Pennsylvania and in parts of Ohio, Indiana, +Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Nebraska and Oklahoma. +According to Nut Culture in the United States,[B] this species attains +its "greatest development along the streams of southern Kansas and +Missouri, Arkansas and Oklahoma." + +[Footnote B: Published by the U. S. Department of Agriculture in 1896.] + +The nuts of this species are considerably larger than those of the +shagbark and of much thicker shell, and commonly do not have as plump +kernels. Exceedingly few have been propagated. + + +THE AMERICAN HAZELS (_Corylus Americana; Corylus rostrata_). + +Shrubs of these two species are often seen growing together throughout +the greater portion of the area under discussion. The former (_C. +americana_) is of somewhat the better quality. Neither has been +propagated asexually or cultivated to any extent, but it is doubtful if +any native species of the nut tree offers a more inviting field for +improvement than do these two species of hazels. The same methods of +searching out the individuals of superior merit to that of the general +average for propagation by grafting and budding by which other nut trees +are being improved should be followed with the hazels. + + +THE CHINKAPIN (_Castanea pumila_). + +Except as a wild product, this nut has perhaps the least commercial +importance of any species mentioned in this paper. A few cultivated +varieties are in existence but the nuts are commonly looked upon by +experienced growers as novelties rather than as products worthy of +special attention. The species is merely that of a dwarf chestnut +growing as a shrub instead of as a tree. It is less hardy than the +chestnut, being evidently best adapted to the climatic conditions of the +southern portion of the chestnut area and even farther south. + + + + +FOREIGN NUTS. + +THE EUROPEAN AND ASIATIC CHESTNUTS (_Castanea sativa_; _Castanea +japonica_). + + +It is probable that within the area under discussion greater attention +has been paid to the introduction of European and Asiatic chestnuts than +to any other foreign species. The former is a moderately strong grower +usually, with a low, rather broad top. The latter makes a small tree +chiefly of value for ornamental purposes. Both are grown principally +from second generation seedlings, which seem better adapted to American +conditions than do imported trees. + +As in the case of the American sweet chestnuts the existence of these +species in the United States is threatened by the swiftly spreading +chestnut blight. + + +THE PERSIAN WALNUT (_Juglans regia_). + +The Persian walnut was among the first nut species to be introduced. The +area east of the Rocky Mountains within which it seemed most successful +previous to 1896 was described in Nut Culture at that time as being "A +limited area along the Atlantic Slope from New York southward through +New Jersey, southeastern Pennsylvania, central Virginia, North Carolina +and Georgia." Continuing, the same publication said, "The tree endures +the winter in favored localities near the coast as far north as +Connecticut, Rhode Island and Massachusetts, but has never been planted +there except in a small way." + +What was then said is still very largely correct. However, contrary to +the construction which might be implied from the wording, there are few +commercial orchards of Persian walnuts anywhere east of the Rockies; +one, that of Mrs. J. L. Lovett of Emilie, Bucks County, Pa., of from +fifty to seventy-five trees, approximately twenty years of age, is +bearing fully as well as could be expected under its present +environment. The trees appear to be entirely unaffected by the severity +of climatic conditions, but being seedlings altogether, and +uncultivated, the crop production is irregular. Reports from +northwestern New York and Pennsylvania indicate that this species may be +safely grown in those sections when within the zones which are tempered +by the influence of the Great Lakes. + +Ordinarily the trees scattered over the Eastern States do not seem able +to permanently withstand the severe winters, as in most cases they are +not infrequently severely frozen back. In eastern Pennsylvania, +Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey and New York City, the writer recently +inspected numbers of fine trees apparently from 50 to 75 years of age +which showed no indications of winter injury. The owners seemed to be +entirely ignorant of the reputation of the species with respect to its +inability to withstand severe weather. + +The nuts from many of these trees were of such large size and good +quality that a number are to be extensively propagated in the near +future. + + +THE JAPAN WALNUTS (_Juglans sieboldiana_; _Juglans cordiformis_; +_Juglans mandshurica_). + +These nuts are of comparatively recent introduction into the United +States, having been brought from Asia since 1860. All are generally +hardy; the first two are rapid growers, very productive and serve to an +excellent purpose as ornamentals; the last is well known. The nuts of +the former two are smaller than those of our native black walnut, of +about equally thick shell, usually of no better quality, and as yet are +not in great demand on our markets. A few trees, however, should +certainly be given a place about the home grounds. + + +THE EUROPEAN HAZELS (_Corylus avellana_; _Corylus tubulosa_). + +Numerous efforts have been made to introduce these species into the +Eastern states, but owing to the severity of a blight everywhere +prevalent with the American species in this section, such efforts have +usually met with failure. There have been very few instances in which +either species has been cultivated in the Eastern states for any great +period of time without being destroyed by blight. + +The future of hazel nut production in this section evidently depends +upon the development of our native species or by hybridizing with some +of the foreign species. + +In concluding this article, it may not be amiss to throw out the +following suggestions as to the steps by which all may help in the +development of the nut industry: + +(1) Ordinarily, stick to the native species. + +(2) Plant nuts or seedling trees only when budded or grafted varieties +cannot be had, but do not fail to plant nut trees of some kind. + +(3) Whenever a tree or shrub is located which because of the superior +quality, size, thinness of shell and quantity of nuts appears to be +worthy of propagation, specimens should be sent to the officers of this +Association; to the State Experiment Stations or to the U. S. Department +of Agriculture at Washington, D. C, for examination. (Franks for the +mailing of such nuts to the U. S. Department of Agriculture without +postage will be sent upon application.) + +(4) Nut trees must be accorded the same degree of cultivation and +horticultural attention given to other fruit-bearing trees, if +commercial production of nuts is to be expected. + +President Morris: This interesting paper is now open for discussion. I +will start it by saying that the criticism of the Japanese walnut is +correct, so far as it goes; but we have there a fine opportunity for +good new work, and if the nurseries would take up this question in the +right way, they could open up an enormous trade for stock. Let us take +the _Juglans mandshurica_, and the _sieboldiana_, which have been +distributed more than any others over this country because of the beauty +of the trees. They grow rapidly, and are tremendously hardy, although +not so much so as the best of the Japanese walnuts, the cordiformis. It +was found on the Pacific Coast that the cordiformis went largely to +wood. In the East, it bears well, is perfectly hardy and the nut is +delicious. Individual trees bear thin shelled nuts, and individual trees +bear large nuts. In fact, I have seen the nut quite as large as the nut +of the average American butternut, and thin shelled, at that. The thing +for the large nurseries is not to sell Japanese nuts under that name, +but to sell the cordiformis, and sell only that, and only grafted trees. +In that way we would get rid of the less desirable varieties, just as +with the hickories a thousand and one shagbarks that we find are not +remarkable, and yet we will find here and there one that is worth +grafting and propagating. It is the same way with the Japanese walnuts, +but particularly this cordiformis which is hardy and growing native in a +climate which corresponds to Nova Scotia. If the nurseries will put out +this nut, grafted, they will have a very valuable nut to give us. I +notice that the speaker distinguished a "little shagbark." Now, I +wonder if that is not a question worthy of discussion right here. The +names shagbark, shellbark, and scaly bark, are applied indifferently to +_Hicoria ovata_, _Hicoria cinerea_, and _Hicoria septentrionalis_. We +can distinguish them much better if we take different names for the +little and the big shagbark,--if we call the little one shagbark and the +big one shellbark, it makes a distinction; and the reason why that +distinction seems legitimate is that the bark comes off like great +sheets from the big shellbark, and the little shagbark has the scales of +the bark coming off in smaller scales, shelling off. At the same time, +it is more scaly than the other. If we call the shaggy one, _Hicoria +ovata_, shagbark, and call the big western one shellbark, it seems to me +a distinction that we may as well make in our discussions, and fix the +names in such a way as to afford convenience. + +Mr. Reed: My reference was to _Hicoria ovata_. + +President Morris: Yes, that is for the little one, and if we call the +_laciniosa_ shellbark, that will make a distinction. Shall we call the +little one shagbark, and the big shagbark shellbark, or must we always +depend upon the scientific names in classifying? + +Mr. Collins: May I call attention to another complication? To botanists +who are not particularly nut growers, there is another tree which is +known as the little shellbark,--that is the _microcarpa_, with a nut +about one-half to three-quarters of an inch long. + +Professor Lake: Have we a committee on nomenclature? + +President Morris: We haven't appointed that committee yet. + +Professor Lake: I was going to move that the matter go to them, with the +suggestion that they take official action. + +President Morris: Supposing we extend the function of the committee on +the nomenclature of _mandshurica_ to include this question of the naming +of the shagbarks. + +Doctor Deming: Then had we not better include the President, +_ex-officio_, on that committee? + +President Morris: We may as well begin, because there is no need of +having this eternal confusion. + +Doctor Deming: I have never been able to understand why more attention +hasn't been given to the hazels. Here we apparently have a nut which is +easy to transplant, which is perfectly hardy, which comes into bearing +early, which bears a valuable nut--so valuable that when I went into a +confectionery store in New York, I saw trays of nut meats lying side by +side, and pecan meats were priced at $1.00 a pound and filbert meats +were $1.25. I understand the only obstacle to the growth of the filbert, +which might well fill the early waiting years of the nut grower, is the +hazel blight. I tried to get information on the hazel blight from Doctor +Waite of the United States Department of Agriculture, and also from Mr. +Kerr of Denton, Maryland, who, I know, has grown hazels for a long time, +and done it very successfully; but I have not succeeded in getting any +accurate information on the blight, and as I understand it, no accurate +experiments have been carried out in the treatment of the blight, or in +its prevention. It seems as if the blight, being an external fungous +disease, ought to be one amenable to treatment by sprays. I am not aware +of any experiments which have been made with that object. + +President Morris: Henry Hicks of Westboro has given as much attention as +anybody to this matter. He made a great effort to introduce the European +hazels for years. They all went down with the blight. Specimens of the +blight you can get without difficulty. + +Doctor Deming: Did he practice spraying experiments carefully? + +President Morris: He told me he had tried all. What have the Meehans +done? + +Mr. Wilcox: They have never had any trouble with the blight. + +President Morris: How long do they keep them in the nurseries? + +Mr. Wilcox: We keep them to six or eight feet. + +President Morris: Do you have the common hazel abundant? + +Mr. Wilcox: Yes, along the water courses. + +President Morris: This blight is more apt to attack the exotics, and +over where Mr. Kerr lives there are no native hazels. He happens to be +on an island. He started Europeans where we have no American hazels, so +that accounts for his immunity. + +Mr. Reed: His trees are practically all dead now. He has given up. + +President Morris: That has been the history everywhere. That is the last +instance I have been able to find of successful raising of hazels. One +line, it seems to me, offers promise--that is the making of hybrids. I +am making hybrids between the American hazel and various European and +Asiatic. + +Mr. Rush: I have had some experience with the hazel. I have exchanged +with Mr. Roody of Washington. He has sent the Barcelona and Du Chilly, +and they are growing very hardy without the least indication of blight. +There are two kinds of American hazels. I have them growing as large in +the bush as twenty to twenty-five feet. And then we have a small bush. +The small type is worthy of propagation. The Barcelona and Du Chilly are +thickly set with catkins this fall, and by all indications there will be +a very nice crop next summer. + +President Morris: The rule is they begin to blight about the fifth year. +About the eighth they are gone. + +Doctor Deming: Isn't that a most promising field for experiment, in +producing blight-free varieties, and also in spraying? + +President Morris: As I understand it, this fungus lives in the cambium +layer of the bark, very much as _Diaporthe parasitica_ does, and at such +a depth that spraying is not much advantage. The fungus does not attack +the native hazel, except when it has been injured. + +Professor Craig: We haven't heard from Mr. Barron. + +Mr. Barron: I don't know that I have anything to say. I came here to +gather some information. I am chiefly interested in the possibility of +the use of nut trees for landscape effect. + +President Morris: This belongs right with this paper, because the uses +of nut trees are not limited to the nuts for fruit purposes. Their +decorative value is one Mr. Barron brings in very properly, and it seems +to me we may replace thousands of practically useless trees in the parks +with wonderfully beautiful nut trees. What had you in mind particularly? +Had you thought it out? + +Mr. Pomeroy: The nurserymen must have done something to induce people to +set out horse-chestnuts. There can't be anything more unsightly. It is +always shedding something in the way of filth. There are two or three +varieties of Japanese walnuts that are beautiful, at the time of year +when they are in blossom, with that long, red blossom. It seems as if +the nurserymen might do something to induce people to set out these. + +President Morris: What could be finer than your English walnuts? + +Mr. Barron: Mr. Hicks has given up hazel, but right close by Mr. +Havemeyer is starting right in again. He has had them there for two +years. + +Doctor Deming: One of my correspondents wrote, asking me what varieties +of nut trees were most rapid growing and best for shade or screens. I +think that is a very good subject for investigation. + +President Morris: We can discuss it right here. + +Doctor Deming: I said the most rapid growing trees were the Japanese +walnuts, and perhaps the best for screens were the Japanese chestnuts. I +should hardly know what to say are the best for shade, because all of +the nut trees are so good. + +Mr. Reed: It would depend very largely on the locality. Of course, there +are some of us here who are disciples of the pecan, and where you can +grow the pecan successfully, it is doubtful if there is a prettier shade +tree and one that makes less litter, or that grows faster. Some of the +hickories--the mocker-nut especially, _Hicoria alba_, makes a very +beautiful growth, and has a dense foliage of rich, dark green. For other +purposes, there is no prettier tree than the chestnut, aside from the +blight. It grows to greater size than most of the hickories and more +rapidly. The Japanese chestnuts I am not familiar with. The butternut is +not usually a compact enough grower to be a beautiful tree, but the +black walnuts and certain of our hickories, the rapid growing +hickories, are very fine, and this Rush chinquapin, I expect, would be +very fitting for hedge planting. It is a very compact grower, and grows +up about fifteen or twenty feet, making a very pretty tree. But every +one of these trees we are mentioning has its particular place in the +landscape. You can't use any one of them in all places. + +President Morris: The objection to black walnut and butternut is the +early loss of leaves in autumn. I have heard others speak about it as an +objection. Among the rapid growing ones, there is no doubt the Japanese +walnuts are tremendously rapid growers, during the first few years. For +screen purposes, the chestnuts and chinquapin certainly would do +remarkably well. We have forgotten the beech altogether, simply because +we haven't been classifying it as a nut tree. But the nurserymen can put +out beech trees grafted from trees that bear fine, valuable nuts, and +give us the beech as a tree of double value. + +Mr. Reed: Dr. Deming raised the question as to why the hazel nut was not +given more attention. It occurs to me that we have an analogy in the +pecan situation. The pecan is native up and down the Mississippi River +and out in Texas, and in that district you will find that a great deal +less attention has been paid to development of varieties of the pecan as +an orchard tree than farther east. All through Mississippi, Alabama, +Georgia, and Florida, we find new varieties by the scores. It seems to +be a case of distance lending enchantment. + +Professor Lake: Going back, I wanted to ask you, Doctor Morris, if in +your work of reproducing the hazel, you had used the Pacific Coast hazel +for stock. + +President Morris: Yes, the Pacific Coast hazel is really the same +species as ours, only it grows thirty or forty feet out there, and I +have seen it nearly thirty feet high up in the Hudson Bay country. In +some of the rich valleys in the far North, both on the Pacific and +Atlantic Coasts, the hazel becomes almost a tree. I have used it for +grafting stock, but I haven't used it for crossing as yet. I have a lot +of hazels ready for pollenizing next spring. + +Professor Lake: It seems to me it would be a most excellent thing if +this Association could do something in the way of stimulating the +improvement of varieties of the native hazel. I can't help thinking that +bush is entitled to much more attention than we have given it in the +past. + +President Morris: Some work has been done along that line. I devoted the +entire nut-collecting part of one year to studying the hazel. I went +over many thousands of hazels. One day, when I asked a neighbor if I +might go over his grounds, he said, "Yes, but what better hazel do you +want than that one that grows above your north bars?" He said, "We have +known of that for one hundred years about here." He couldn't find it. +Finally it was found, covered by a ton of grape vine. It has wonderful +hazels on it. I have transplanted it. It is a large, thin-shelled, fine +hazel, but a shy bearer. I have three very fine American hazels I am +going to use in crossing. This big, thin-shelled one is a wonderful +hazel, except that it is a shy bearer, and it is difficult to +transplant. I have transplanted four American hazels, and it took me +about two or three years to get them under way. It is a nuisance with +us. It grows in our pastures so rapidly the cows have to get out of the +way--crowds everything out. I have no doubt a great deal more work will +be done with the hazel. Now my bushes are all ready for pollenizing. I +have crossed a lot of them this year. + +Professor Craig: I think Mr. Barron's point in reference to the +ornamental or esthetic value of the nut trees is very well taken, +indeed. It is a fact that nurserymen have paid more attention in the +past to those forms which are particularly striking in some way, rather +than to the forms which are actually and intrinsically beautiful. +Anything which has variegated leaves or purple leaves is sure to catch +the eye. As a matter of fact, I believe there are few trees which are +more picturesque than the hickories here in New York. The summer season +is not the season in which they carry their most beautiful forms. The +winter is the time when we see that picturesque framework standing out +against the sky, distinctive in every respect. + +Mr. Collins: Isn't this subject one in which the Association might +interest itself? + +President Morris: I have found that nurserymen to whom I have talked for +the most part were men of naturally esthetic taste, but dropped their +esthetic taste in order to adjust themselves to economic principles. If +a customer says, "Please give me a thousand Carolina poplars," the +nurseryman knows these will be beautiful for about fifteen years, then +ragged and dead and unsightly; but the customer wants them, and the +nurseryman has to furnish Carolina poplars. + +Mr. Barron: The nurseryman, as a rule, doesn't take much trouble towards +educating the people up to the better stuff. + +President Morris: I believe that if the nurserymen make a concerted +movement--or not necessarily a concerted movement--if any one firm or +two or three firms will make a business of introducing beautiful, useful +trees of the nut-bearing group, they will open up a new group. People +just haven't thought about it. They give an order for trees in a sort of +perfunctory way, because they must have them. + +If there is no further discussion, we will go on to the Indiana pecan, +by Mr. T. P. Littlepage, and this will be the last paper of the +afternoon. + + + + +THE INDIANA PECAN. + +T. P. LITTLEPAGE, Washington, D. C. + + +The subject of the northern pecan is one that I have been interested in +for more than thirty years. Away down in Spencer County, Indiana, on the +banks of the Ohio River, stand many large native pecan trees, and some +of my earliest recollections and most pleasant experiences are connected +with gathering the nuts from under these large trees; and, without +realizing it, I acquired much of the information in those early days +that has of late enabled me to carefully discriminate between the +desirable and undesirable varieties of pecans, viewed from the +standpoint of one who propagates them for orchard purposes. My interest +in the various points connected with pecan growing was at that time a +very direct interest, and the only motive I had for determining various +facts was the fundamental motive which largely dominates the world +today, and that is the question of securing the thing we desire for our +immediate use. + +The large, magnificent pecan trees growing on the banks of the beautiful +Ohio year after year became a matter of the deepest interest to me. I +have seen the Ohio surging swiftly through their branches in the winter, +have seen them withstand the storms and vicissitudes of snow and ice and +raging floods; and as the spring came on I have beheld them, with more +or less surprise and pleasure, laden with blossoms. As summer advanced, +I watched the growing clusters of delicious nuts; and as the nuts began +to ripen in the fall, I soon learned to pick out the best bearing trees. +It was not a matter of science or unselfish research that enabled me to +determine the fact that some trees rarely ever missed a crop, while +others were very uncertain; that some nuts were large, thin-shelled, and +of fine flavor, while others were small and hard to crack, and otherwise +undesirable; that some of the trees ripened their nuts early, long +before frost, while others seemed to hang on and resent the coming of +autumn with all their might. At the age of nine, I could take many +different varieties of Indiana seedling pecans, separate them, and +locate the trees from whence they came, and give the essential points of +their bearing record. I could also tell whether the respective owners +watched them very carefully, kept a dog, or lived at a safe distance +away, all of which points were just as essential so far as I was +concerned as the size of the nut and its quality. The pecan captured me +early in life, and I have been a willing victim ever since. My interest +in this nut of late years is based on more scientific principles, but I +doubt if the facts arrived at are any more reliable than the facts which +came from the simple desire to appease a boyish appetite with the best +nut that nature has ever produced. + +When I was about fourteen years old I came into personal possession of +twelve acres of land which had descended to me from my father's estate. +The land was almost valueless for general cropping purposes, but I had +already, at that age, determined something of the value of a pecan +orchard, and I proceeded to gather nuts from the best trees in that +section, and the following spring planted the whole twelve acres in +pecans. I knew, however, that even though the ground was not very +productive it would have to be cultivated that summer, so I planted the +pecans around stumps where the young trees would be protected. My +information as to the value of pecans was accurate and unerring; +however, there were several things I had not taken into consideration. +First, that a pecan that is kept in the dry all winter is very slow to +germinate in the spring, and in fact the percentage of them that does +germinate is very small. Second, that the field mice have an abiding +hunger for pecans. Third, that the pecan does not come true to seed, and +that an orchard of seedlings is of very questionable value. The first +two facts, which I failed to take into consideration--that is, the poor +germinating qualities of a dry pecan, and the appetite of the field +mice, relieved me from the embarrassment of the third, for it is +needless to say that this attempt made twenty-five years ago was a +complete failure, and for the time being discouraged my ambitions in +this direction. But after many years they revived sufficiently to +stimulate me to action again in the line of pecan culture. + +I mention the above facts merely to show my credibility as a witness on +this subject. Being a lawyer by profession, I have learned long since +that the value of one's opinion, and especially the value of testimony +is directly in proportion to one's knowledge of and interest in the +subject matter at issue. Therefore, trusting that I have sufficiently +established my credibility, at least to my own satisfaction, I shall +proceed to make some observations relative to nut culture in the North. + +First, let me say that I most heartily endorse the line of work +undertaken by our Association--that is, the work of collecting and +diffusing information in reference to nut culture that will be valuable +to the prospective grower. Our southern brethren have very largely +passed this stage in nut work in the South. They still have many +problems before them, but the fundamental problems of the determination +and propagation of the most desirable varieties of pecans have been +already worked out and they are producing in their nurseries hundreds of +thousands of fine budded and grafted pecan trees. There is such a lack +of information on this subject in the North that it is indeed opportune +that our Association should at the beginning of the interest in nut +culture in that section take up these various question and give the +public the benefit of our experience and information in reference to +them. There are yet many people who think that you cannot transplant a +pecan tree, and that if you cut the tap root it will not produce, while +the fact is that the pecan tree can be transplanted with almost as much +success as can fruit trees. Two years ago I transplanted a number of +cherry trees. At the same time I transplanted some pecan trees, and I +had a higher percentage of loss among the cherries than among the +pecans. There are some who believe that it is even a benefit to cut the +tap root. I have never belonged to the school which endorses cutting the +roots of any tree to accelerate its growth, except, of course, where it +is necessary to take up a tree and reset it, in which case it is +necessary to cut some of the roots. It is unquestionably true that if +the roots are cut too severely the tree receives too great a shock, but +the pecan tree seems to recover as quickly as any other variety of tree. +However, there are hundreds of farmers today who would not undertake to +raise pecans, for the reason that they think they cannot be +transplanted. Also, in every community where the pecan is native, can be +seen many seedling trees ranging anywhere from ten-to twenty-five years +old that have never borne a nut. These trees are pointed out by the +general public as horrible examples of the uselessness of attempted +pecan culture. Near my home at Boonville, Ind., is a row of seedling +pecan trees planted in a garden. The trees are now old enough to bear a +half bushel of pecans every year, but so far as I know they have never +borne a nut. The general public throughout the North and Middle West +have not yet learned that the average seedling pecan is an uncertain +quantity, grows slowly, bears irregularly, if at all, and probably +inferior nuts. However, once in a while, nature, through her wonderful +workings, has produced a tree that bears large crops of fine nuts +regularly, and when the seedling pecan is grafted or budded from this +kind of tree the trees so propagated take on the qualities of the parent +and begin bearing very early. I have frequently taken pictures of small +pecan trees not over three feet high, each bearing a cluster of large, +fine nuts. This, of course, is unusual, but shows the tendency of the +grafted or budded tree. I mention the above two points not for the +purpose at this point of entering into a discussion of the propagation +of the pecan, but to show the necessity for general enlightenment on the +possibilities, and to dispel some of the bug-a-boos that exist in the +minds of many persons. Those of you here who have engaged in the various +phases of nut culture may think these points primitive and unnecessary, +and they are, perhaps, unnecessary to the expert, but it is my pleasure +every summer to spend considerable time in the rural sections of the +country, and it is surprising how very little is known, even by our most +enlightened farmers, on the subject of nut culture. I have made many +trips throughout the South, and I find the farmers in that section have +read the various proceedings of the National Nut Growers' Association +until a knowledge of nut culture throughout the South is becoming very +general. It is, therefore, the duty and the province of the Northern Nut +Growers' Association to diffuse as much information as possible among +the farmers of the North and Middle West on this subject. + +This is important for many reasons. At a recent meeting of the National +Nut Growers' Association held at Mobile, Ala., in discussing the subject +of the Extension of the Pecan Area, I used the following language: + +"In my opinion nothing is more important to the permanency of the pecan +industry than the development of the pecan area in different parts of +the country, and having orchards cultivated under as many different +conditions as are consistent with the known probable successful area. +This is important, for the reason that this more than anything else will +insure a supply of pecans each year, and this will develop a public +dependency upon this most valuable nut. Nothing can be more detrimental +to any industry than a spasmodic and irregular supply of the product +upon which that industry depends." + +I quote this language for the reason that the culture of the pecan in +the North is just now in its infancy, and it is peculiarly the function +of our organization to get before the public the essential facts upon +which its success depends. We are under great obligation for the work +that has been done in the South and the information that is made +available through the National Nut Growers' Association. Much of this is +valuable in the North, but there are a great many of the essential +points that have yet to be worked out, as the climatic conditions make +it impossible to follow exactly in all cases the line of work that has +been done in the South. + +The fake promoter and the crooked nurseryman will no doubt come in for +their inning in the North, as they have in the South, and the public +will be imposed upon by inferior and "doctored" trees, and all sorts of +get-rich-quick orchard schemes will no doubt make their advent +throughout the North; but it is very probably that our Association, +through its proper committee, having in mind the experiences of the +South, can keep closely in touch with the general work that is going on +and have on hand sufficient information to protect those who will take +the trouble to make inquiry. Nothing in the horticultural line is more +satisfactory, more beautiful or more valuable than a fine young grove of +grafted or budded pecan trees of good varieties; but like all other good +things, it will attract the counterfeiter. + +Coming now more specifically to the subject which has been assigned to +me by the committee--that is, "The Indiana Pecan and My Experience in +Nut Culture," I want to explain what is meant by the "Indiana pecan." +It is true, of course, that some of the very finest of the northern +pecans have originated in Indiana, yet I prefer to speak of pecans in +that whole section of the country as belonging to the "Indiana group." +Taking Evansville, Ind., as the center, there grow, within a radius of +fifty miles, in Indiana, Illinois and Kentucky, many thousands of wild +pecan trees; and after an investigation extending through a number of +years, there have been selected from these various wild groves a few +trees from which it has been deemed desirable to propagate. In this +connection I want to mention the valuable work that has been done along +this line by Mason J. Niblack, of Vincennes, Ind.; Prof. C. G. Woodbury, +of Lafayette, Ind.; R. L. McCoy, of Lake, Ind.; and J. F. Wilkinson, of +Rockport, Ind. These men, with the assistance of others throughout the +State, have for several years been making investigations of these pecans +with a view of determining the most desirable varieties from which to +propagate. It has been my privilege to have the benefit of the +information gathered by these gentlemen, which, added to my own +experience, has given me a fairly comprehensive view of the desirable +nuts in that section, and, as the geographical center of the present +known desirable varieties seems to be about Evansville, Ind., I will, +for matter of convenience, designate them as belonging to the "Indiana +Group." + +We have been able to determine with some certainly the desirability of +six or seven varieties of pecans for propagating purposes. We have a +number of others under observation. In investigating a pecan for +propagating purposes, it is necessary to examine it from two +standpoints, first, the tree qualities, and second, the qualities of the +nut itself. + +The tree must be of a thrifty nature, a rapid grower, not especially +subject to any particular diseases, must bear regularly, and the crops +must be of a good average as to quantity. When observing a great number +of pecan trees, it soon becomes apparent that some varieties grow much +faster than others. This is first noticed in the nursery rows, and it is +highly desirable to select not only those varieties which grow fast, but +even the best growing trees of any particular variety. Most of the trees +from which propagating is done are generally full grown, and it is +sometimes difficult to tell from observing them in the woods what their +growing qualities are, yet it is occasionally apparent from observing a +tree that it is thrifty and strong, while another tree may look entirely +different. The growing quality, however, does not usually become +apparent until after they are propagated and put under proper conditions +of cultivation. + +The bearing record of a tree can be determined only by observing the +tree for a number of years and measuring its crops. There are many trees +that are almost infallible producers, but some years the crop is +lighter than others, although it is not probable that an orchard, even +from one of these unusual bearers, can be obtained which will not +occasionally miss a crop. + +The influence of the stock upon the scion is something that has not yet +been fully worked out, and for that reason it is impossible to say why +the grafted or budded tree does not always take on the bearing qualities +of the parent, although it is pretty safe to say that as a rule its +qualities are very closely approximated, and by careful selection it is +possible to get grafted and budded trees that begin bearing very early +and bear with a great degree of regularity. + +In visiting a tree while the nuts are green, one can get some idea as to +its bearing quality by the number and size of the clusters hanging on +the limbs. A tree that is a poor bearer, or bears only a fair crop, +usually bears its nuts in clusters of one to three, while a good bearer +produces clusters of from three to six. I have seen as many as eight +nuts in a cluster in the South, and have seen some clusters of seven on +some of our Indiana trees, but as a rule good bearing trees of the +Indiana group have clusters of about four to five nuts each. + +After the tree qualities have been determined, it is then necessary to +consider the nut itself. The nut must be of fair size, of good flavor, +thin to medium thickness of shell, well filled, and of good cracking +quality--that is, the conformation of the shell and kernel must be such +that a large percentage of the kernels can be taken out as whole halves, +and the convolutions of the kernels must be wide enough that the +partitions do not adhere to them. When all of these qualities, both of +the tree and nut, can be combined, we then have a desirable tree from +which to propagate, and it is very surprising how few come up to the +standard. In one wild grove in Kentucky, on the banks of the Ohio River +just across from Indiana, near the mouth of the Green River, there are +nearly 300 acres of wild pecan trees. In this grove are perhaps more +than a thousand trees, and so far as I have been able to determine up to +date, there are but three trees out of the whole grove that come near my +notion of the standard. + +Sometimes, however, a tree or a nut may grade up so high on some one +point as to make it a desirable variety from which to propagate, even +though it does not grade high on other desirable points. For example, +one of the most desirable southern pecans, perhaps, considering only the +nut itself, is the "Schley," yet the tree is reputed to be of very +medium bearing quality. The nut is so very fine, however, that no +southern grove of pecans is complete without a fair percentage of +"Schley" trees. On the other hand, the "Stuart," another southern +variety, has not ranked nearly so high as the "Schley," considering only +the nut; and yet there are probably twice as many "Stuarts" being put +out in the South today as any other variety, for the simple reason that +it is a good-sized nut and the tree has a very fine bearing record. All +these things have to be taken into consideration by those of us who are +undertaking to propagate northern varieties. + +There is unquestionably a large area of country extending approximately +from the latitude of Atlanta, Ga., to that of Terre Haute, Ind., in +which there is a great field for experimenting with the northern +varieties of pecans. It is a great mistake to undertake to bring the +southern varieties too far north. A majority of the finest of the +southern varieties originated on the Gulf Coast, and it is true that +they can be brought a considerable distance north of there, but I have +always doubted their successful growth with any degree of certainty of +crops north of Atlanta, Ga.; for I think it is pretty well conceded that +if one undertakes to crowd the northern limits with the southern +varieties of pecans, they become uncertain in their bearing habits and +the pecans are much smaller and not as well filled. On the other hand, +it is my opinion that the northern pecan can be taken south of its +origin with complete safety. The longer growing season will probably add +to the certainty of the crops and the size of the nuts. It is also very +important for the grower of these northern varieties of pecans to +recognize the fact that they cannot be taken too far north of the +location of the parent tree. The limits, however, both of the northern +and southern varieties are not arbitrary, as they depend very much upon +proximity to the ocean and other moderating influences. For example, it +is very probable that pecans can be cultivated much farther north close +to either the Atlantic or Pacific Coast than they can in the Middle +West. All of these things remain yet to be determined, but it is +important to distinguish between the setting of orchards for commercial +purposes and the setting of trees for purely experimental purposes. + +There is unquestionably a great section of the country comprising +approximately, as I have said, the territory lying between the latitude +of Atlanta, Ga., and Terre Haute, Ind., in which pecans can be +commercially produced successfully. In the near future I expect to see +pecan orchards of these northern varieties producing fine nuts and +bearing as regularly in the northern sections as they do in the South. +The prospective orchardist, however, must look well to the varieties +which he selects and the latitude of the parent tree from whence they +come and the geographical conditions that influence the weather. + +I have referred to Evansville, Ind., as being about the center of the +Indiana Group. The average fall frost period at Evansville is about the +20th of October. The average period of the last spring frost is about +April the 9th. This will serve somewhat as a guide to the prospective +commercial orchardist. However, most of the trees of the Indiana Group +do not pollenate until about the 10th of May, and the great majority of +them ripen their nuts by the 15th of October, and several of the good +trees ripen their nuts by the 1st of October, though they usually are +not gathered till later. + +The northernmost tree, so far as I know, that has been deemed worthy of +observation is the "Hodge," which is native in Illinois, about +eighty-five miles north of Evansville, Ind., and a few miles southwest +of Terre Haute, Ind. It is one of the largest of the northern varieties, +and is a fair nut, but does not grade high in filling qualities, and the +bearing record of the parent tree has not yet been determined. The tree +is crooked and very unprepossessing looking, and stands in the woods +where it has a very poor chance. When I visited it this year, it had a +very light crop of nuts, but I did not condemn it, for the reason that +any tree growing under the same conditions could not be expected to bear +very well. I expect to observe the tree for several years in the future, +and determine further as to its bearing record. It is possible that +trees propagated from this variety, under favorable conditions, may +prove to be good bearers. + +The next northernmost trees of the desirable varieties are the "Indiana" +and "Busseron," standing about 100 yards apart, west of Oaktown, Knox +County, Indiana, about sixty-five miles north of Evansville. Mr. Mason +J. Niblack, of Vincennes, Ind., has had these trees under observation +for a number of years, and it is due to his interest that they were +brought to the attention of the public. The "Busseron" is an old tree +that is reputed to have a very fine bearing record. A few years ago, the +owner of this tree cut all the top out of it, and this crippled the tree +very badly and set it back for quite a while. When I visited it last +August, it had put up new growth, and the few remaining old limbs that +had been left on it were hanging full of clusters containing four and +five nuts each. "The Indiana," standing a short distance away, is a +comparatively young tree, and is thought to be a seedling of the +"Busseron," as the two nuts resemble one another very much. The +"Indiana" has been cut very severely for grafting wood the last few +years, and it is therefore difficult to give very authentic information +as to its bearing record. It appears, however, to be a very promising +tree, and when I visited it in August it had a fair crop of nuts. The +clusters were not large--mostly two and three each. The tree looked very +thrifty, and from the best information that I have been able to gather +in reference to it, I consider it a desirable variety from which to +propagate. My choice of the two trees is the "Busseron," although the +"Indiana" has made an excellent showing, considering the severe prunings +for grafting wood. + +Coming down near the center of the Indiana Group, we have the +"Warrick," growing in Warrick County, Indiana, which took the prize at +the pecan show at Mt. Vernon, Ind., in 1909, and is a fair nut of more +than average size. It is reputed to have a good bearing record, but I +have not yet had opportunity to completely verify this. + +In Posey County, Ind., near Evansville, are hundreds of wild pecan +trees, many of which produce good nuts. One of them, from which I +propagated last year under the name of the "Hoosier," is a very prolific +tree. The nut itself is of medium size, beautiful color and thin shell, +but the kernel qualities are not nearly so desirable as many of the +other of our Indiana pecans, and it does not take a very high rank in +the estimation of some of our observers. I visited the tree in August, +1910, and at that time it had one of the most bountiful crops of nuts +that I had ever seen growing on a tree. It was hanging full of clusters +containing five and six nuts each. I visited it again an October and +found that the nuts had ripened very early. This nut took the prize at +the Mt. Vernon pecan show in 1910. + +Crossing the river from Indiana, we have in the Major woods at the mouth +of Green River, nine miles from Evansville, three desirable pecans--the +"Greenriver," the "Major," and the "Hinton." The "Major" and the +"Hinton" have been propagated by Mr. William N. Roper, at Petersburg, +Va., for some time. They are round, well filled nuts, and are considered +by confectioners as the most desirable type of pecan for many of the +confectionery purposes. The "Major" is the best cracking pecan that I +have ever seen, either North or South, and is a regular bearer, but not +as high in flavor as some other varieties. The "Hinton" is an +oval-shaped nut, having a corrugated shell, of fine cracking and kernel +qualities, but I have not yet satisfactorily determined its bearing +record. + +The "Greenriver" is a little larger than either of the above nuts, and +is one of the very finest medium-sized pecans that I have found. The +tree is reported not to have missed a crop in eleven years, although the +crop this year was very light, probably owing to the fact that it was +cut pretty severely last year for grafting wood. All three of these +varieties coming from the Major woods at the mouth of Green River give +excellent promise, with perhaps the "Greenriver" in the lead for general +qualities. + +Down on the banks of the Wabash in Posey County, Indiana, and across on +the Illinois side, are several very fine, large, beautiful varieties of +pecans, which Mr. R. L. McCoy, of Lake, Ind., and myself are observing. +Several of these pecans are as large as many of the standard southern +varieties, and when I visited the trees this year in August, they were +bearing good crops of nuts. We have not yet named these varieties, but +expect to do so after we have observed them the coming year. There are +one or two varieties in this neighborhood that may take rank over all +the northern pecans that have been discovered. It is no longer a +question of finding nuts in the North of good size, for we have already +located some that rank well with many of the standard southern varieties +in size, and one of the surprising and favorable points of the northern +pecan is their fine filling qualities and high flavor. When placed on +the scales their weight is most surprising to those who have not tested +them. + +The problem before the prospective pecan grower in the North is to +secure good trees of these most desirable varieties. Seedling trees are +not worth setting out. Until last year the successful propagation of +pecans in the North was doubted by many, but the experiments conducted +by myself and Mr. R. L. McCoy, at Lake, Ind., who worked in conjunction +with me, have demonstrated that they can be successfully propagated. A +number of points, however, must be carefully observed in this work. + +First, in reference to grafting: The grafting should be done on northern +two-year-old stocks. One-year-old stocks can be used, but two-year-olds +are thought to be better. The stocks must be grown from northern +seedlings. There is no place in the North for the southern stock, and +right here let me suggest that the individual who buys northern trees +grafted on southern stocks or southern trees grafted on northern stocks +is throwing his money away. I set fifty trees last fall of the "Indiana" +grafted on southern stocks, and the first freeze that came promptly +killed them all. They put up a few new sprouts last summer, but finally +the roots rotted, and this fall I dug them up. I have a neighbor who put +out an orchard of southern grown trees. Some of them seemed to grow all +right for six or seven years, and then froze down to the ground, and so +far as I have been able to find out, experiments with southern trees in +the North have been practically a waste of time and money. So it is +necessary to bear in mind that these northern varieties must be grafted +or budded on trees grown from northern seed. + +The proper time for grafting in the Evansville latitude is the last week +in March and the first week in April. The scions must be cut from +thrifty growing trees and must be used immediately after they are cut. +Experience has shown that scions kept in cold storage or stratified in +sand for any length of time lose a very large part of their vitality, +and success with them is very limited in that section. Last year I cut +most of my scions in November and December, stratified them in sand +until spring, and my percentage of success with them was very small, +while on the other hand Mr. McCoy used scions directly off the tree and +had a satisfactory stand. I am of the opinion that it will be proven +later that the best method of grafting in the North is to graft above +the ground and tie paper bags over the scions for two or three weeks +until they start into growth. Our experiments so far have been confined +to root-grafting, and while it has proven fairly successful under proper +conditions, yet I believe that grafting above the ground will prove more +successful. We have not done much budding in our section, but what we +have done gives fair promise of success, and it may be that this will +prove to be the best method of propagating nut trees in the North. In +grafting we use both one and two-year-old wood, but one-year-old wood, +if it is thrifty, is more desirable, although it is better to use +thrifty two-year-old wood than to use weak scions of one year's growth. +Either one or two-year-old growth can be used successfully. + +My experiments and adventures in the work of propagating pecan trees +were made for the purpose of securing enough of the desirable varieties +of these trees to put out an orchard for myself. I found, upon inquiry, +that it was impossible to buy hardy northern trees, and furthermore that +but few of the desirable varieties had been propagated. In fact, I knew +that some of the best ones had never been brought to the attention of +the nurserymen, and being more anxious to risk my own judgment on this +than that of anyone else, I started in to produce my own trees. Up to +date I have accumulated a vast amount of experience and have a few trees +to show for my work, but I would not take many times the cost and +trouble of my work, for the information I have acquired. I have also +sent to some of my friends bud-wood from our best trees for the purpose +of getting these varieties propagated for the benefit of those who +desire to grow them. My suggestion is that unless one is looking for the +experience and enjoys a great deal of hard work and some expense, he had +better buy his trees from some reliable person who has successfully +propagated them. + +If the farmers in the latitude of the good varieties of pecans were to +put out ten to twenty acres on some corner of their farm and cultivate +the trees properly, they would soon be surprised to find that this small +piece of ground would be worth more money than all the rest of their +farm, and they would leave not only a valuable estate to their children, +but also a monument by which they would be remembered for more than a +hundred years after they had passed from the toils of this earth. Ten +acres of pecan trees can be cultivated at less expense annually than ten +acres of corn, and if the grove consists of the right varieties and has +been properly cultivated, it will be worth not less than $500 per acre +in ten years. In fact, I do not know of a single grove of pecan trees in +the United States--and I have seen many--of the right varieties that has +been properly cultivated that can be bought for $500 per acre at ten +years of age, yet the principal reason that this very thing has not been +done by the farmers throughout the pecan belt is because they have not +had sufficient information on the subject and have had no means of +acquiring it. + +I do not want to close this long paper without saying something about +walnuts and hickory nuts in Indiana. While it is true that the pecan is +unquestionably the most attractive and valuable nut that grows in the +world, yet there is much profit and satisfaction in the culture of +walnuts and hickories. In southern Indiana we have some very fine +varieties of the shagbark, and I am making some experiments in +propagating it. One of the advantages of this nut is that it will grow +far into the north. In fact, I have had some specimens of very beautiful +shagbarks sent me by Dr. D. S. Sager, from Ontario, Canada. The shagbark +is a slower growing tree than the pecan, but when properly cultivated +shows a very satisfactory growth. + +I am also experimenting with the propagation of the Persian (English) +walnut, and so far have had very satisfactory results. I am trying some +of the California varieties--the "Franquette" and "Parisienne" +especially--and last spring I grafted a number of them on the wild +seedling black walnut and they grew as much as four feet in height +during the summer. There are several very fine varieties of the Persian +walnut that are hardy throughout our latitude, and when grafted on the +native black walnut stocks, make very satisfactory growth. I have had +several Persian walnut trees under observation in Washington, close to +where I live, and have found that some of these trees bear good crops of +very fine walnuts. I cannot make this paper long enough to go into the +details of this subject as it has been discussed here by others who know +more about it than I. I merely desire to mention the fact that so far as +our experiments have gone in Indiana up to date with the Persian walnut, +everything seems to indicate that it can be very successfully propagated +and grown there, provided the right varieties are selected; but with +this, as with all other nut trees, the prospective orchardist must make +very careful selection of the varieties which he plants. + +In closing, I want to add just a few words more as to the value and +beauty of nut trees. It is very hard to overstate either if the trees +are properly cared for. A friend of mine recently asked me how early a +pecan tree would bear, and how big it would grow within a certain time. +I told him that it depended altogether upon who owned the tree. Nothing +adds so much to the value of a home or to a farm as beautiful trees, and +nothing indicates more the intelligence and taste of the person who owns +a home or farm than the character of the trees surrounding it. In taking +a trip through the country, it is very painful to notice how little +attention has been given to trees, and I take it that this is due to the +lack of information on this subject. A house can be built in a very +short time. It can be furnished beautifully if one has taste and money. +The science of mechanics can do much toward making an attractive place +in which to dwell, but after all, the home that is remembered and +admired, both by its occupants and by others, is the home surrounded by +beautiful trees that bring forth their leaves and blossoms and fruit to +please the eye and the taste and temper the heat of summer. These cannot +be bought with mere money nor made in a day, but when placed there with +care and intelligence come forth with surprising rapidity and beauty and +not only add manifold value to the home and farm, but bespeak for some +one a standard of intelligence and nobility that is better than great +riches; for he who plants and cares for a tree is of the true, the +beautiful and the good. + + * * * * * + +President Morris: The paper is now open for discussion. + +Professor Lake: I'd like to ask Mr. Littlepage a question. What is the +condition of the wood of those large growths of walnuts? + +Mr. Littlepage: When I observed it in November, it was ripening off very +nicely. The average frost period for that latitude is about the +twentieth of October, and we had had quite a number of very hard +frosts,--in fact, there had been some ice. It had not been injured. + +Professor Lake: That is remarkable. + +Mr. Littlepage: I have pictures here of those, taken the twentieth of +June. There was perhaps three feet of growth at that time. They quit +growing about the middle of August down there, and to that I attribute +very largely the fact that the wood ripened up. + +Professor Craig: What is your minimum temperature? + +Mr. Littlepage: I have seen the thermometer ten degrees below zero. I +have seen the Ohio River frozen over so thick that for a month at +Rockport the wagons could go across the river on ice. In fact, a +threshing machine was hauled over. I don't know how low the thermometer +got. I imagine it went lower than ten degrees. + +President Morris: I have seen it lower still on Persian walnuts and +pecans. It is the early starting of sap in spring that hurts mine most. + +Mr. Littlepage: The pecans differ from native hickory. The native +hickories in that section opened their buds and began to show strong +flow of sap long before the pecans gave any indication whatever. Some of +the pecans there seem to be very slow about starting sap. Very few +pollinate before the tenth of May. + +President Morris: My trees had to stand twenty-eight degrees one night +only, but they have had to stand twenty sometimes, and frequently +several degrees below. + +Mr. Pomeroy: I want to ask if he thinks he will have any difficulty in +transplanting those black walnuts seven or eight years old? + +Mr. Littlepage: That suggests a very painful subject. I have had that +very thing in mind. They stand six or seven feet apart. I have got to +settle that very question some of these times. + +Mr. Pomeroy: I might suggest that you begin the fall before, and take a +whole lot of time in digging around the trees, then leave them till +nearly spring, then finish the transplanting before the ground has a +chance to thaw entirely. + +President Morris: I believe that is a good point, if you will do your +cutting early, and let the callus form well during the winter. Let us +hear more about that particular point. + +Mr. Reed: In view of the fact that this Association is trying to rectify +as many mistakes as it can, and the fact that it is looked upon as an +establisher of precedents, I make the motion that all of our references +to the nut just under discussion be to it as the Persian walnut, and not +as the English walnut. + +Mr. Pomeroy: I second that motion. (Carried.) + +President Morris: Let us hear from Mr. Roper. + +Mr. Roper: I don't think I know much about the Indiana pecan trees, +except what we have been doing in Virginia with them. I have discussed +some of the results in the paper on pecan trees for planting in the +North. + + * * * * * + +President Morris: Committee appointments are as follows: Committee on +Competition, Messrs. Reed, Littlepage, and myself, _ex-officio_. +Committee on General Exhibits, Messrs. Barron and Roper. Committee on +Resolutions, Messrs. Reed, Littlepage, and Schempp. Committee on +Membership, Messrs. Deming, Lake, and Rush. Nominating Committee, +Professor Craig and Col. Van Duzee. + +Professor Lake: Does that complete all the committees? + +President Morris: That is all on the list here. + +Professor Lake: I would like to suggest one, because I think it will +materially help the matter of bringing the nut subject before the people +in an effective manner,--a committee on score card. That is at the basis +of competitions, and when the nut grower gets acquainted with the score +card, and knows that is going to be the basis of judging the +competitions, he knows there is going to be something doing. + +President Morris: That is a rather important point. I would like to have +the matter discussed. + +Professor Craig: I think the idea is an excellent one. There is no way +in which we can analyze the qualities of fruit better than by having a +systematic method of discussing its different characters. The score card +does that,--separates each one and makes them stand for what they are +worth. In order to unify methods of judging used by the different +societies, a score card which this society might develop and recommend +would be a very valuable thing as a guide for nut growers here in the +Northeast. The National Nut Growers' Association has a score card for +pecans, and a score card has been recommended by the Department of +Agriculture. I am not sure that score cards have been provided for the +Persian walnut and for the hickories, and our northern types. I think +Mr. Lake's suggestion is entirely in order and well worthy of +consideration. + +President Morris: It appeals to me at once. I think we would put Mr. +Lake and Professor Craig on a score card committee. + +Professor Craig: I think a score card can be presented, subject to +revision, which will answer the present demand. + + + + +FRIDAY MORNING, DECEMBER 15, 1911. + + +President Morris: The meeting is called to order. The Secretary will +read the proposed amendments to the constitution. I believe there is no +provision in the by-laws for making such amendment. I don't know what +the customary rule is in the matter. I presume we could submit it to a +vote. + +Doctor Deming: Under the heading "Committees," the following is +proposed: "The Association shall appoint standing committees of three +members each to consider and report on the following topics at each +annual meeting: first, on promising seedlings; second, on nomenclature; +third, on hybrids; fourth, on membership; fifth, on press and +publication." + +Professor Craig: I move the adoption of this amendment to our +constitution. (Seconded. Carried.) + +Doctor Deming: Under the head of "Meetings," the amendment is as +follows: "The Association shall hold an annual meeting, to be held at +the time and place to be selected by the Executive Committee." + +Professor Lake: Some way or another, I feel that I oppose that attitude. +I believe a delegate will often go to a convention with the idea of +presenting views upon holding it at some specific place. It seems to me +we ought to give the annual meeting an opportunity to designate the +place of meeting. Some people say they will pack a convention. If they +are sufficiently enthusiastic to pack a convention they are entitled to +have the meeting. I have heard an expression from one or two members +that they would like to see it at a certain place. It is true they can +present their views to the Executive Committee, but if the Executive +Committee is not present at this place, it is necessary for them to make +another trip, or appeal to them by correspondence. I would like to have +that put in such a way that the annual meeting might select the place of +meeting. + +President Morris: It is a matter for consideration. Is there any further +discussion on this point? + +Doctor Deming: It seems to me that the question of the selection of the +meeting place is a matter for very deliberate consideration, and it +isn't always that a question of this kind will get deliberate +consideration in a meeting which acts very often without considering all +sides of the question. It seems to me that, while it would be advisable +to have the place of the next meeting discussed by the Association as a +whole, the decision as to the place of meeting might very safely be left +to the Executive Committee. + +Mr. Littlepage: I think, as a general rule, it is pretty wise to give +some latitude in these matters, for the reason that conditions may +develop from time to time which make it desirable to have some +flexibility as to the place of meeting. I think, especially with the +able Executive Committee we now have, it could safely be left to the +Executive Committee. + +Professor Craig: Since Professor Lake has spoken, I have a good deal of +sympathy with his attitude, and I am rather inclined to think it would +be wise to modify that clause in such a way as to give the meeting the +privilege, in case there was an overwhelming element in favor of a +certain place, of selecting the next place for the convention; and I +would suggest a modification of that clause to this effect, that the +place of meeting shall be selected at the annual meeting, or by the +Executive Committee subsequently thereto. That would give the membership +an opportunity of having a word in it, and would open the door so that +it could be considered at the annual meeting; but in the event of this +not taking place then, it would fall to the Executive Committee to +select the meeting place. I move that as an amendment to the proposed +clause. + +Professor Lake: I support Professor Craig's motion. + +Professor Craig: If my seconder will approve, I will offer that as a +substitute instead of an amendment. + +Professor Lake: I accept it. (Carried.) + +Doctor Deming: Under the head of "Officers," the following amendment is +proposed: "There shall be a president, a vice-president, a +secretary-treasurer, and an executive committee of five persons, of +which latter the president, vice-president, and secretary shall be +members, and a vice-president from each state represented in the +membership of the Association." + +Professor Lake: I move that the clause be accepted. + +Mr. Rush: I second the motion. (Carried.) + +Doctor Deming: Under the heading of "Election of Officers," this +addition is proposed: "The President shall appoint a nominating +committee of three persons at the annual meeting, whose duty it shall +be to report to the meeting a list of officers for the ensuing year." + +Professor Lake: I don't want to be an objector. I simply want to file a +protest against this method of election in an organization, on general +principles. I am opposed to anything that looks like continuing an +administration. This doesn't give an opportunity for election from the +floor. It might be so amended, that an annual meeting may elect from the +floor. I am thoroughly in sympathy with popular government. I have seen +a good deal of this, and I would like to get away from the sentiment of +anything of that kind by allowing nominations from the floor. + +Doctor Deming: How would it be if the nominating committee, instead of +being appointed by the President, were appointed in some elective way by +the meeting as a whole? + +Professor Lake: I accept Doctor Deming's suggestion. That is a most +excellent way of eliminating both sides of the controversy. I would like +to put that definitely into form, that we have a committee of +five,--that is sufficient for the present,--that a committee of five be +elected at the annual meeting for the purpose of nominating officers for +the subsequent year. I put that as a motion. + +Mr. Rush: I second that motion. (Carried.) + +President Morris: The committee for the nomination of new officers will +consist of Professor Craig and Colonel Van Duzee. This other committee +of five, as I understand it, is not to be appointed now. + +Doctor Deming: The only thing that I have now is the proposition that we +honor Mr. Henry Hales by electing him an honorary member of the +Association. I would like to move that Mr. Henry Hales of Ridgewood, New +Jersey, be elected an honorary member of this Association. + +Mr. Littlepage: I second that motion. (Carried.) + +President Morris: On the competition, the committee consisted of Mr. +Reed, Mr. Littlepage, and myself. Mr. Littlepage has specimens in for +competition, and I will appoint Mr. Roper in his place. The next order +of business will be the paper on experiences in propagation, by +Professor Close. + + + + +THE BENCH ROOT-GRAFTING OF PERSIAN WALNUTS AND PECANS. + +BY C. P. CLOSE, U. S. DEPT, OF AGRICULTURE, WASHINGTON, D. C. + + +The results of my bench root-grafting of Persian walnuts and pecans at +the Maryland Agricultural Experiment Station in 1911 were not as +satisfactory as might be wished, partly owing, at least, to the +unusually long and hot drought which was disastrous in many respects in +this section of the country. + + +PURPOSE AND METHOD OF THE EXPERIMENT. + +The purpose of this experimental work was to devise some method of +procedure in the bench grafting of nut trees which would be reliable and +practical, especially if done during January, February, and March. The +whip or tongue method with variation in thinness of tongue to make +closely fitting unions, was employed. For the Persian walnut cions, +black walnut, butternut and Persian walnut roots were used, and for the +pecan cions, hardy Indiana and ordinary southern pecan seedlings, whole +root and piece root, were used. Part of the grafts were planted outdoors +in nursery rows as soon as made and part were placed in soil or decayed +sawdust in a cool greenhouse. This was for the purpose of determining +whether or not it would prove advantageous to go to the extra expense +and trouble of placing the grafts under greenhouse conditions until +April or May. Ground beds were used and thus bottom heat was not +applied. + + +PERSIAN WALNUTS. + +There were 287 grafts of San Jose, Concord and Franquette Persian +walnuts, made from February 15 to April 4, which were planted in nursery +rows very soon after being made. Only 40 of these were alive in October, +the best results being obtained with San Jose on black walnut stocks. +Sixty-four walnut grafts were placed in decayed sawdust in the +greenhouse in February and March and of these 22 were alive early in May +when they were taken out. + + +PECANS. + +The pecan grafts, set in nursery rows as soon as made, numbered 474 and +consisted of the following varieties: Mantura, Appomattox, Frotscher, +Moneymaker, Van Deman, Stuart, and Pabst. Only one of these, a Pabst on +a piece root, lived during the season. + +The grafts which were placed in the greenhouse gave pretty good results +as shown by the following data given respectively under the headings +"Earth Bed" and "Decayed Sawdust." + + +EARTH BED. + +Jan. 14. 10 Moneymaker on Indiana stocks, not waxed. 8 alive in May. + 10 Moneymaker on Indiana stocks, waxed 4 alive in May. +Feb. 14. 10 Mantura on Indiana stocks, not waxed. 8 alive in May. + 15 Moneymaker on Indiana stocks, not waxed. 11 alive in May. +Mar. 8. 33 Stuart on Indiana stocks, not waxed. 20 alive in May. + 30 Stuart on Indiana piece roots, not waxed. 15 alive in May. + ___ ___ + +Totals 108 66 + + +DECAYED SAWDUST. + +Feb. 14. 25 Mantura on Indiana stocks, not waxed. 6 alive in May. +Mar. 8. 12 Stuart on Indiana stocks, not waxed. 12 alive in May. + 23 Stuart on Indiana stocks, not waxed. 21 alive in May. + ___ ___ + +Totals 60 39 + +These figures show that 61 per cent of those in the earth bed and 65 per +cent of those in the decayed sawdust, were alive when they were taken up +early in May. Some had made a growth of from two to eight inches and +were fine little trees. Most of these transplanted grafts were set in +nursery rows and nearly all succumbed to the extreme drought of the +season. + + +CONCLUSIONS. + +The season was so extremely dry that the practice of planting root +grafts as soon as made did not prove successful. However, work done in +other years indicated that in normal seasons this may be done with +considerable success. Placing the grafts in a greenhouse either in earth +or decayed sawdust gave encouraging results, but when transplanted in +the nursery the grafts could not withstand the unusually dry and hot +weather. The black walnut proved to be the best stock for the Persian +walnut and two buds to the cion are required. Grafting wax should not be +used if the union of cion and stock is to be covered with earth; this +point was clearly proven in previous years. + + [The foregoing paper, read by title, was the subject of a verbal + report by Prof. Lake, who said further:] + +Prof. Close performed considerable work in topgrafting and budding on +three and four year old stocks. The top grafts were a failure. The buds +survived, and were in good, strong condition October fifteenth. That was +on Persian walnut and pecan, about half and half. + +Mr. Pomeroy: Did he bud on black walnut stock? + +Professor Lake: Yes. It was a little higher than a man, and had been cut +back to about three feet. The crown grafting was fairly successful, but +would have been much more successful, had they used something to cover +the grafts. + +Mr. Pomeroy: How long should the paper sack be left? + +Professor Lake: It would vary with the season and activity of the stock, +ten days to two weeks. + +President Morris: I wish you would try further experiments in rooting +scions in warm sand in the hot-house. I believe that in some stage you +can probably root those cuttings in moist sand in the hot-house, heated +beneath; and if you can do that, it is going to settle the question very +largely of hickory and walnut propagation. What do you think about that, +Professor Craig? + +Professor Craig: I am not very optimistic about the possibility of that. +I find it very, very difficult to get roots to develop from _Hicoria_. +You can get the callus almost every time, but it is very difficult to +secure the development of roots afterwards. + +President Morris: How about getting callus by three months, we will say, +in storage? + +Professor Craig: We would have the same trouble. They would develop +adventitious buds very poorly. Doctor Morris has sent us from time to +time some samples, and we have been making experiments. I have used +different methods and different propagators. We have one propagator, who +has been most successful usually in striking difficult things, and he +has absolutely failed in this one. I may say that our facilities for +propagation are not ideal at the present time, but we shall have in a +short time a good propagating house with properly regulated benches, as +to bottom heat and overhead ventilation and all that; and we shall, of +course, keep up the experiments. + +President Morris: In my experiments, I grafted hickory scions on hickory +roots, and the whole thing, root and scion, lived until the root sent +out adventitious buds, yet in that case we did not get union between the +top and the stock. How do you explain that, Professor Craig? + +Professor Craig: I don't explain it. + +President Morris: Are we likely to have success along that line by some +modification of the plan? + +Professor Craig: I couldn't say. You can keep the cuttings alive for +three or four months. + +President Morris: They were in damp rooms, exposed to light, right in +the window. + +Doctor Deming: Professor Coville has made some experiments in rooting +hickory cuttings for me. Professor Coville is the one who has made such +a success of blueberry culture. I sent him some cuttings, and he reports +as follows: + +"Two experiments were tried with the hickory cuttings received from Dr. +W. C. Deming on January 5, 1911. In one experiment some of the cuttings +were placed in a glass cutting bed in live sphagnum covered with sand, +the upper ends of the cuttings projecting from the sand. The atmosphere +above the cutting bed was kept in a state of saturation by a covering of +glass. The bed was kept shaded and was subjected to an ordinary living +room temperature varying from about 55 deg. to 70 deg., or occasionally a few +degrees higher. + +On January 11 the cambium ring at the lower end of the cuttings had +begun to callus. On February 17 the upper bud on one of the cuttings +began to push. Later some of the other cuttings began to swell +preparatory to the development of new growth. All the cuttings, however, +finally died. It appeared from their behavior that the temperatures to +which they were subjected were too high for their best development. + +In the other experiment the cuttings were placed in sand without +sphagnum in a greenhouse at a temperature ordinarily of 50 deg. to 65 deg., +rising occasionally, however, on still, sunny days to 70 deg.. After a few +weeks, these cuttings were well callused and the buds began to swell +slowly, exposing first their green bracts, and later on some of the +cuttings the green compound leaves, pushing out from among the bracts. +These cuttings also, however, finally turned black and died, but not +until after the first of April. + +The experiments showed that hickory cuttings, when taken at a suitable +time of year and exposed to conditions suited to other hard wooded +plants known to be difficult to root, retained their vitality and passed +satisfactorily through the stages preliminary to rooting. While no +actual roots were secured, the experiments suggest that the rooting of +hickory cuttings is not beyond the possibility of attainment. + +As the basis of an experiment this winter, I suggest that you select +half a dozen twigs that you are willing to sacrifice on some good +variety of hickory, and remove a ring of bark at a distance of 4 to 8 +inches from the top. The ring of bark removed should be about half an +inch in length and its upper end should come about a quarter of an inch +below a bud. At the present season the bark will not peel from the wood. +It will, therefore, be necessary to scrape it off, so as to leave +nothing but the wood on the girdled area. The bark should be cleanly cut +at each end of this area. I hope that we shall still have sufficient +warm weather to induce the formation of a callus on the cambium at the +upper end of this ring. + +Later in the winter, some time in January, you can cut off these twigs +and send them to me, packed as those were last year. The cutting is +preferably made just below the ring. I would prefer that all the wood +from the ring to the tip of the twig be of the past summer's growth. We +can try, however, twigs containing two seasons' growth, if the others +are not easily available." + +President Morris: That is a suggestion, you see, of apparent value, +because it has succeeded with blueberries,--this method of cutting off a +ring of bark before the leaves are shed, allowing a ring to callous, +then later cutting off this prepared twig and subjecting it to methods +for striking roots. It is an extremely interesting suggestion. Just as +soon as I heard of this procedure, I went out and prepared about fifty +hickory and walnut twigs myself, but that was this autumn, and I haven't +cut them yet for the experiments in rooting. Has anyone had experience +along this line? + +Mr. Collins: I saw an experiment in rooting, and I am prompted to ask if +anything has been done along this particular line. The method employed +was this. The twig was partially cut from the branch, perhaps cut +three-quarters of the way through with a slanting cut. It was then bent +a little, and a little sphagnum put in the cut, then a ball of sphagnum +was wrapped about the whole cut area, and it was tied with twine, and +that was kept wet for several months, I think, until, finally, new roots +pushed through and appeared on the outside of this ball of sphagnum. + +President Morris: I read of that. It was published in a government +report. + +Professor Collins: It was on the rubber plant. + +President Morris: I tried it at that time on the hickory. The difficulty +was in getting my men sufficiently interested to keep the sphagnum wet +all the time. It promised something. The rubber plants, perhaps, would +lend themselves more readily to such a procedure than the hickories, +because most of the rubber plants are air plants, anyway. All of the +_Ficus_ family depend so little upon the ground for their nourishment. + +Professor Collins: I have seen that worked very successfully. + +Professor Lake: You don't know how successful the callousing has been? + +President Morris: They calloused all right. + +Professor Lake: How long did it require? + +President Morris: I don't remember. It was a good while, longer than I +anticipated. I don't think there was a callus on the hickory in less +than thirty days. The butternut and black walnut hardly showed any +callus at all after keeping the sphagnum wet as long as my men would do +it. + +Professor Lake: At what time was the ringing done? + +President Morris: The leaves had fallen this year. Professor Coville +suggested that it be done before the leaves had fallen. But the hickory +will callous after the leaves have fallen. It seems to me hickories are +at work all winter long. They have a free flow of sap in January, and +any warm day in January they will be like a maple tree, almost, if they +are cut. I have grafted them at that time. + +Mr. Brown: Can anyone give me any information on grafting chestnuts? + +Mr. Rush: I have been very successful with the grafting of the chestnut. +It is just as simple as grafting other fruit, except the Persian walnut. +Tongue grafting and cleft grafting is very successful. There is no +particular secret in connection with grafting chestnuts. + +President Morris: Personally, I found it difficult for two or three +years, but now I can graft the chestnut about as readily as I can graft +the apple. There is no difference in methods. It seems to me from my +present experience that one may graft or bud chestnut by almost any of +the accepted methods pretty freely. What has been your experience, Mr. +Littlepage? + +Mr. Littlepage: I haven't been experimenting with the propagation of the +chestnut yet. I am getting ready. I have three or four thousand +seedlings, a few of which will be ready to graft next year. I have +twenty acres of the Paragon chestnuts growing. + +President Morris: In chestnut grafting, we will find that one kind does +not graft or bud readily upon another kind, perhaps. For instance, there +is some antagonism between the American sweet chestnut and Asiatic +chestnuts. There is some antagonism between Asiatic and Europeans; there +is little between Europeans and American sweet. These antagonisms are +something that one has to learn from experience at the present time, +because I doubt if we have had enough experience to know just where we +stand on this question. + +Professor Collins: Doesn't there seem to be antagonism between eastern +Asiatic other than Japanese and Japanese? + +President Morris: Yes; the Koreans of both kinds, the north Japanese of +both kinds, and the Manchurian chestnut are the five that I have +experimented with in grafting, and none of those grow so well on +American stock as they should. + +Professor Collins: I mean to say between the Korean and the Japanese. + +President Morris: There is less antagonism. You can graft the Korean +upon the Japanese and the Japanese upon the Korean very readily. They +have very much the same texture of wood, the same character of buds and +bark. + +Professor Collins: Is there any antagonism between eastern Asian and +Japanese? + +President Morris: I don't know that my experience has been extensive +enough to say. My men have put on perhaps two or three hundred grafts +back and forth between these kinds, the customary accidents have +happened, and we have about given up trying to do much grafting of +Japanese on American, but still plan to graft Japanese back and forth +upon each other, and we are now planning to graft European and American +back and forth upon each other. + +Mr. Brown: What about the position of the graft? + +President Morris: I don't know, Mr. Brown, if there is very much +difference. I haven't found very much. I have grafted all the way from +the root to the top. + +Mr. Rush: It is better on top. Sometimes the grafting has an effect upon +the stock just at the union. If it is budded low, it blights. The bark +gets loose. All those that are grafted high are doing remarkably well. + +President Morris: The next on the list is Doctor Deming's paper on "Nut +Promotions." + +Doctor Deming: I will read first a communication from Mr. Henry Hales of +Ridgewood, New Jersey. + + + + +HALES' PAPER SHELL HICKORY. + + +My shagbark (paper shell) hickory tree was on my farm when I bought it +in 1868. It had been noticed by the neighbors as bearing a fine nut and +was watched by them for the nuts, but they did not appreciate the value +of them. The late Andrew S. Fuller had not seen them, but asked me to +bring him a few. When he saw them he was surprised and at once +pronounced them the finest hickories he had ever seen, and named them +"Hales' Paper Shell." The hickory is one of the most valuable of North +American nuts. It is of a variable nature. I have over twenty old trees +on my place, and no two bear nuts of the same shape or size, and +although some neighbors planted some nuts from the old tree and produced +fruit from them they were only ordinary sized, so that it is necessary +to propagate them to retain their value. About 1880 Parsons & Son, of +Flushing, N. Y., grafted some in pots under glass, from which trees +these nuts sent are the product. The fruit is fully as fine as the +original tree. Prof. C. B. Sargent of the Arnold Arboretum has taken +great interest in the nut. I have two trees grafted on wild saplings by +Jackson Dawson near bearing size. + +Those are the only trees successfully grafted, out of thousands done in +the North outside, from which I am afraid grafting outside in the North +is a failure on hickory stocks. There may be a better chance on pecan +stock, which I have not thoroughly tested under favorable circumstances. +I have been sending northern pecan nuts and had them planted, and sent +scions for working on them in the South; had some failures from natural +causes. Simpson Bros. of Monticello, Florida, have had fair success +there. My share of two year old trees are on the way here. Of the value +of these nuts too much cannot be said. Mr. Fuller ranked them superior +to the Madeira nut. It has remarkable keeping qualities. + +It has taken from eighteen to twenty-five years for my grafted trees to +come into bearing. + +I earnestly hope that with the knowledge gained so far, the means of +propagation on a large scale will soon be discovered and successfully +carried on. What a gain it would be to the wealth of our food production +and luxury. The American hickory would then stand highest on the list of +our native nuts. + + * * * * * + +President Morris: Are there any comments upon this paper of Mr. Hales? +So much is being said about the Hales hickory, it seems to me that +possibly we ought to put on record some thoughts in the matter. Mr. +Hales is entitled to more credit than any other man for bringing forward +the development of the shagbark hickory, and his enthusiasm was based +upon this remarkable nut on his grounds. It is a very large nut, and, +like all large nuts, is much coarser in character than small nuts, and, +like all large nuts, lacks delicacy of flavor that we find in small +nuts. It is thinner shelled than most of the shagbarks that we would see +in many days spent in the woods, but when we have for comparison some +smaller nuts, we find shells very much thinner than the shell of the +Hales. The Hales, like many other large hickories, keeps much better +than the small hickories of finer texture and more delicate quality, and +it may be very good at three years of age, while some of the most +delicious of the smaller, more tender and delicate nuts are spoiling at +the end of six months. I don't know that Mr. Hales would take exception +to my way of stating this, but it seems to me that he ought to feel that +we give him all honor, that we think it a remarkable nut, that it is a +nut, because of its size and features, worthy of the enthusiasm he gave +it. There is apt to be some misunderstanding as to the exact position +this holds in relation to other shagbark hickories. + +Mr. Littlepage: What is its bearing record as to quantity? + +President Morris: The tree has been cut so much for scions that it has +never had a fair chance. It is a prolific tree. It is well worthy of +propagation. + +Mr. Littlepage: It is, perhaps,--judging from looking at it--a very fine +shagbark for commercial purposes. Isn't it true that within the next ten +years there will, in all probability, be a complete reversion in the +mind of the nut culturist as to the kind and quality of the nut he will +propagate. I will supplement that by saying that heretofore, both in the +pecan and other nut fields, the whole tendency has been toward something +big. Now, the wise fellows in the South today are beginning to get away +from that. I have made many trips down there, and I find there is a very +changing sentiment. I want to say that in my observation the future +price of the various nuts of the country is going to be determined by +the price of nut meat; that the meats are going to be put on the market, +and while there will always be plenty of nuts marketed in the shell, the +price of the nut meat will be the dominant factor. I was walking down G +Street in Washington the other day with an ex-United States Senator, and +ex-member of Congress, and an ex-Governor, and they passed a nut store, +and saw in the window some nuts, also a big box of nut meats. Everyone +went in, and all passed up the nuts and bought the nut meat. That +expresses, to my notion, the tendency that is coming; and that thing is +going, then, to determine very largely the question of quality. + +President Morris: I think we certainly are going to have a complete +change in ideas about raising nuts. We are going to raise big ones of +the kinds where everybody will buy one pound and nobody will buy two +pounds. We are going to raise nuts that will appeal to the people who +purchase things in the open market, and who never in their lives get +hold of anything that is good. We are going also to raise nuts that will +appeal to connoisseurs, and that will be bought by people who know one +work of art from another. In other words, we are going to make the +progress in nut culture that has been made in other fields of +horticulture. At the present time, if one could raise a pear as big as a +watermelon and tasting like the rind, that would be the pear that would +sell in the market. But the connoisseur buys the Seckel in place of it. +When there is a pear like the Kieffer that will fill the top of the tree +so there is no room for leaves and branches, the market men are going to +raise that pear. But when we go into the market, we go around a block to +escape the place where they sell the Kieffer pear, and we buy the +Bartlett. We have precisely the same problems in nut culture. + +Mr. Pomeroy: I have been thinking some on this line. I have spent a good +many half hours in the last four or five years with an old German in +Buffalo. He has a stand on one of the big markets. I find that he has a +whole lot to say in regard to what the people buy. He has found this +out, and he has been there a good many years. He says, "I have been +getting black walnuts from the same farmer boy for six or seven years. +They are fine; try one." He has learned something about the different +trees throughout that section, and about some nuts that are being +shipped in, and he can tell the varieties. He has customers that do come +back after the second package of nuts. He is trying to keep those +customers one year after another. He is creating the demand. When I was +a youngster, if I could have received the prices for black walnuts and +butternuts that youngsters get now, I would have thought I was a +capitalist. Butternuts are retailing at two dollars and two dollars and +a half, and black walnuts the same. + +President Morris: We have got to get away from the idea that we are +going to find the best hickory nut or the best walnut or the best nut of +any kind in the largest nut. Nature spreads out just so much material in +the way of flavor and good quality of a nut, and if it is in a large +nut, those good qualities are spread out thin; if it is in a small nut, +they are concentrated. + +Professor Lake: I wish I were as optimistic as Mr. Littlepage in this +matter. That is because he has been studying all nuts for twenty-five or +thirty years, and I have only been dabbling around in Persian walnuts +for about twenty years. I have been dabbling with apples twenty-five or +more years, and the real connoisseurs of the apple have been telling us +during that time that the Ben Davis would be wiped out inside of ten +years. I heard that twenty years ago. I believe that there are more Ben +Davis apples being consumed by the public today than any other one +apple. Notwithstanding that, every man who knows good apples goes out +and decries it. It is because that apple can be grown anywhere by +anybody at any time, and will be eaten by the people. The kind of nut +that is going to make the money the next twenty-five or thirty years is +the nut that is prolific, of fair quality, that can be grown by any man, +and that has a fairly good appearance. I believe that the process of +educating the public on the matter of quality is going to be +tremendously slow. It is not always the case, however, that the smaller +the size, the better the quality. A medium size would be better. The +Yellow Newtown is quite a large apple, and it is superior in quality to +the Winesap. + +President Morris: I was stating a general rule. + +Professor Lake: I fear we aren't going to be able to educate the people. +How many people who eat nuts know anything about their quality? Dr. +Morris has got the ideal of the best nut in walnuts, for instance, the +French Mayette. That is the connoisseur's choice. I know of many people +who will tell you very frankly they prefer the American grown +Franquette, which is much more starchy in make-up and much less nutty. + +Mr. Littlepage: I think there is a great deal in what Professor Lake +says. I am not sure he has got the cause of the facts he states. One +reason why the Ben Davis is being planted is, as he stated, that it will +grow almost anywhere; but the reason the public accept the Ben Davis is +because they can't get enough of another at a reasonable price. There +isn't any doubt that if there were plenty others at a reasonable price +the Ben Davis wouldn't be used at all. We hear so much today about this +high cost of living. Of course, there are artificial conditions that +have contributed to this to a greater or less extent; but the principal +element is that we have come up against the problem of feeding the great +American public, that has grown faster than the facilities have grown. +The time for low priced food products is gone forever. Yet there is a +good deal in this commercial phase of it. + +President Morris: The Hales hickory is going to be like the Ben Davis +apple, one of the very most popular in the market. + +Doctor Deming: I will say regarding the retail price of nuts that in New +York City shelled filberts are priced at $1.25 a pound, shelled almonds +$1.00, ordinary run of hickories and chestnuts in the shells twenty +cents, black walnuts in the shell twelve cents. + +President Morris: Hickories will give somewhat over fifty pounds to the +bushel; black walnuts about forty. If we make a rough estimate of fifty +pounds to the bushel for shagbarks, and forty for Persian walnuts, we +will probably have a good fair average. + + + + +NUT PROMOTIONS. + +BY W. C. DEMING, NEW YORK. + + +Promoters attack their quarry with a two-edged sword; one edge is what +they say, the other what they leave unsaid; and both edges are often +keen. What they say generally has a foundation of truth with a +superstructure of gilded staff. You must knock over the staff and +examine the foundations to see if they are laid up in good cement mortar +or only mud. Sometimes they are honestly laid but your true promoter can +no more help putting on his Coney Island palace of dreams than a yellow +journal reporter can help making a good story of the most everyday +assignment. I suppose he takes a professional pride in his decorations, +even when the real facts themselves are good enough. Or even, in his +enthusiasm, half believes, and fully hopes, that what he says is true. +So you never can say that because of the evident gilding there is +nothing worth while beneath. + +What the promoter does not say it is absolutely necessary for the safe +investor to find out. Deductions from experience in general, and from +knowledge of the business in particular, will help and, when these favor +further investigation, there are two essentials for a wise decision. +First, a study of the records of the promoters, and second, a personal +examination of the property. If these can be thoroughly made, and the +results are satisfactory after a suitable period of mental incubation, +if the prospects will stand the candle test for fertility, you may put +some money on the chance of a good hatch; remembering, too, that many a +good hatch afterward comes to grief with the pip. + +Some promotions are conceived in iniquity, some in drunkenness and folly +and some are abortive from incapacity. Your legitimate and well-born, +well-brought-up promotion, fathered by ability and mothered by honesty, +it is your problem to recognize, if that is what you are looking for, +and to avoid the low-born trickster or incapable. No one can tell you +how to do this any more than he can tell you an easy way to graft +hickories. + +The northern nut grower is not yet bothered with northern nut +promotions. At most he is called on to discount the statements of +sellers of trees, and that a little, not too expensive, experience will +teach him. The West is apparently too busy selling fruit and fruit lands +to lay out nuts to trap eastern nibblers. But the allurements of pecan +growing in the South are spread before us with our bread and butter and +morning coffee. The orange and pomelo properties have been banished from +the stage, or made to play second fiddle, and now we see in the +limelight the pecan plantation, with a vista of provision for old age +and insurance for our children. And there shall be no work nor care nor +trouble about it at all. Only something down and about ten dollars a +month for ninety-six months. And the intercropping is to more than pay +for that. It is indeed an enticing presentation. + +Although we have as yet no northern nut promotions we may expect the +time when the sandy barrens of the shore and the boulder pastures of the +rock ribbed hills will be cut up into five acre plots and promoted as +the natural home of the chestnut and the hickory, holding potential +fortunes for their developers. I hope it will be so for it will +postulate a foundation in fact. But the chestnut blight and the +unresponsiveness of the hickory to propagation as yet hold up these +future camp followers of the northern nut growing pioneers. So that for +the present there is only the sword of the southern pecan promoter to +parry. + +It would be a work of supererogation and effrontery for me to attempt to +treat this subject in particular since it has been so clearly and ably +done by Col. C. A. Van Duzee of St. Paul, Minn., and Viking, Fla., from +the standpoint of long experience and full knowledge. His paper should +be read by all interested persons. I am permitted to make the following +quotations from it: + +"The pecan as an orchard tree has recently been discovered and its +history has not been written. The record at present is largely based on +scattered individual trees growing under abnormal conditions which, as a +rule, are favorable.... + +"Calculations and deductions based upon these results have been made +which are fascinating, but they are utterly unreliable when applied to +orchards of other trees in different localities growing under totally +different conditions?... + +"No one knows what a pecan orchard grown under such conditions is going +to do." + +Col. Van Duzee, however, expresses firm belief in the success of pecan +growing under proper personal supervision. + +It all comes down to the question, "Can you or I hire our business done +for us, never go near it ourselves and expect others to make a success +of it for us?" + +And yet, when all is said, I confess that I have been tempted by my +faith in the present and future of pecan growing in the South. I might +have invested were it not for my firm belief that, in nut growing, the +North is but a few years behind the South, and that I wish to devote my +resources and my energies to having a hand in a development which, I +share with you the belief, is to be of inestimable benefit to the human +race. We can picture the day when our dooryards, our roadsides, our +fields and hills shall be shaded by grand nut trees, showering +sustenance and wealth on our descendants, and all people, and bearing +the names of their originators; when the housewife of the future shall +send her wireless call to the grocer for a kilo of Hales' Papershells, +the Rush, the Jones, the Pomeroy Persian walnuts, the Black Ben Deming +butternut, the Craig Corean chestnut, the Morris Hybrid hickory, the +Close black-walnut or the Littlepage pecan. + + * * * * * + +President Morris: It is a very timely paper. The number of promoters we +find in connection with any subject furnishes an index of the +fundamental value of the original proposition. The number of dishonest +people, the number of fakirs that are now promoting development schemes +in connection with the pecan indicates that down at the bottom +somewhere, there is a real gold mine. We will go on to Mr. Roper's +paper. + + + + +SOME FACTS CONCERNING PECAN TREES FOR PLANTING IN THE NORTH. + +W. N. ROPER, PETERSBURG, VA. + + +Pecan trees for successful culture in the North must be of hardy, +early-maturing varieties, budded on stocks from northern pecans and +grown in nursery under suitable climatic conditions. These are +requisites indicated by practical, experimental work and observations +extending over several years. + +The successful production of large southern pecans in far northern +climates can hardly be looked for except under the most favorable +conditions of soil, location and season. There seems no good reason for +planting southern pecans in the far North, except in an experimental +way; for there are northern varieties now being propagated that are the +equal of most of the standard southern sorts in quality and very little +below them in size. They will prove to be as large or larger in the +North than the southern varieties grown in the same locality, and much +more apt to bear regularly. + +The method used in propagating the hardy types is important. Budding and +root-grafting each has its advocates among pecan growers in the South, +and this would indicate that there is no great difference between the +trees propagated by these two methods when they are planted in that +section. But based on results with several hundred specimens, +root-grafted pecan trees are not desirable for planting in northern +climates. + +During the past six years there have been grown in nursery, in the +eastern part of Virginia, near Petersburg, about 2,000 root-grafted +trees of eight southern varieties of pecans and one Virginia variety, +including Stuart, Van Deman, Moneymaker, and Mantura. All these trees +are worthless. None of them, though they have been cared for, has ever +been considered by the grower fit to dig and transplant. Most of these +trees suffer winter injury each year, many of them being killed back to +the graft union. Those that do not die below the ground grow out the +following summer, only to be killed back again the next winter or +spring. Those damaged only a part of the way down the trunks, even when +not badly injured, do not recover promptly. Several hundred budded trees +grown during the same period in adjoining rows have been entirely free +from any winter injury. The grafts and buds were inserted on stocks from +northern and southern nuts. + +A thousand budded and root-grafted trees received from six southern +nurserymen were planted in orchards in the same locality. A very large +percentage of the root-grafted trees died; only a small percentage of +the budded trees died. Many of the root-grafted trees that survived are +making poor growth; most of the budded trees are strong and vigorous. +The only trees of the Virginia varieties ever reported winter-killed +were root-grafts. + +No root-grafts of the northern types on northern stocks have been made +in Virginia, but root-grafts of Indiana varieties on southern stocks +transplanted there winter-kill badly. Several Indiana trees root-grafted +on southern stocks and in their second year's growth in the nursery +winter-killed in Florida last season. Not a single budded Indiana tree +in Virginia suffered any winter injury whatever, although the buds were +grown on southern as well as on northern stocks. All the root-grafted +Indiana trees transplanted at Petersburg during the past two years have +died from winter injury. + +Northern types root-grafted on northern stocks not having been tested, +no definite information can be given, of course; but with all southern +varieties winter-killing in the North, when root-grafted on either +northern or southern stocks, and the Virginia variety winter-killing +when root-grafted on southern or northern stocks, and the Indiana +varieties winter-killing both in the North and in the South when +root-grafted on southern stocks, it seems reasonable to presume that the +northern varieties root-grafted on northern stocks will also +winter-kill. The stocks of the root-grafted trees are seldom injured. +They send up sprouts except in cases where the graft union is so far +beneath the surface of the soil that after the grafted part is killed +the stock is too deep to grow out. + +Not a single tree out of a total of 40,000 seedlings in Virginia grown +from northern nuts planted during a period of six years has ever been +found affected by winter injury; practically all the trees out of 50,000 +or more grown in the same locality from southern nuts, planted during +the same years had their tops affected by winter injury the first, and +most of them the second season of their growth; but no injury after the +second season has been noted. + +With the view of making southern varieties better adapted to planting in +northern area, experiments have been made in propagating them on stocks +from northern nuts. This stock has thus far proved unsatisfactory for +southern varieties either budded or root grafted. The trees from +northern nuts go dormant earlier in the fall and remain dormant later in +the spring than trees from southern nuts. Northern trees in the nursery +rows in early spring, in a perfectly dormant condition, are in striking +contrast with the southern trees and their fresh, green foliage. Though +the growing period in the North is nearly a fourth shorter for the +northern than for the southern varieties, the native trees in the North +make equal growth with the southern trees there during the same season. +Northern varieties budded on northern stocks grown at Petersburg the +past summer made nearly as much growth during one season as root-grafted +trees of the same varieties on southern stocks grown in Florida two +seasons. The trees at Petersburg were from dormant buds set the previous +fall. They were just starting into growth in May when the trees in +Florida had made a growth of six to twelve inches. + +The northern seedlings in the North make better growth in a season than +the northern seedlings in the South, as far as has been observed. When +the growing period begins in the northern climate, the native trees +respond at once to the quick growing season and outgrow the trees that +have been accustomed to a slower growing climate. When their growing +period is over, they begin promptly their preparation for the winter. +The long, slow growing climate of the South does not seem to give the +quick growing tree of the North an opportunity for its greatest growth +at the important period. There appears to be too much difference between +the growing habits of the southern and the northern pecans for either to +be suitable stock upon which to grow the other. + +Two choice trees of Moneymaker and one of Stuart, all well grown and +giving every promise of success, were selected out of a large number of +these varieties budded on northern stocks, and were transplanted in +orchard two years ago for experiment. The Moneymaker trees have made +little growth and the Stuart tree practically none. All have an +unhealthy appearance and are left standing only for further experiments. + +The section of Virginia in which these experiments have been made +affords very severe climatic tests. The temperature in winter sometimes +goes below zero, the temperature in spring is variable, changing +suddenly from warm to freezing. Pecan trees seem able to endure almost +any degree of cold when they are in a thoroughly dormant condition. The +winter-killing from which they often suffer in the South, as well as in +the North, is due to the effect of sudden freezing temperatures +following warm periods in winter or spring. + +Only well grown, vigorous pecan trees should be planted in the North. It +is a waste of time and money to plant indifferent pecan trees in any +locality, and especially in a locality where they have to contend with +severe climatic conditions. The size of the tree is less important than +its root system and vigor. The purchasers of trees grown on thin, sandy +soil, with the root systems consisting almost entirely of straight tap +roots, destitute of laterals, need not expect success. Most of these +trees will die early, and many of those that live will linger on for +several seasons without making much growth, tiring out the patience of +the planter. + +The work of transplanting should be very carefully done and the trees +given proper care and culture. + +It has been found that it costs more to grow pecan nursery trees in the +North than in the South, but it is believed that planters in the North +will find that these trees have a value which will far offset their +additional cost. + +Some of the methods of propagation and care are slightly different in +the North from those that usually obtain in the South. But it is not +practicable to go into the details connected with this work. The facts +that have been mentioned are those that are believed to be of most +importance for consideration by persons planting pecan trees in the +North. Those who have gone thus far with the work upon which the +conclusions are based are continuing as earnestly as they began. + +The outlook for the success of the pecan industry in northern territory +is exceedingly promising where hardy, early-maturing varieties are +properly grown in nursery on hardy stocks under climatic conditions that +will best fit them for the locality in which they are to be planted. + +President Morris: We can give some time to the discussion of Mr. Roper's +paper. I want to ask if some of the hardy kinds which will stand the +winters well may not carry their ripening season so late that they do +not properly mature! Isn't this a line of observation we have got to +follow out in adapting pecans to northern fields? Who has had +experience? + +Mr. Littlepage: That is a very important point, and it is one of the +things that everyone is going to discover who is engaged in northern +pecan planting on the extreme limits within the next few years. There +isn't much danger of the pecan getting frost-bitten in the spring as +some imagine, because the pecan tree seems to be a pretty good weather +prophet. They don't get ready, as a rule, till most of the danger is +past. A great majority of the Persian walnuts and pecans don't begin to +pollenate till the tenth of May, and it is very rare that a tree doesn't +ripen its nuts there. But once in a while we discover a tree that sets a +bountiful crop annually and never matures a nut, because it gets frost +bitten. It simply doesn't have the length of growing season. + +Mr. Rush: I remember a pecan tree I received, and have had growing for +the last six years in Pennsylvania. It was never affected with the cold, +and made luxurious growth. But I haven't been so fortunate as to get it +to bear, although it throws out catkins in the spring. + +President Morris: The pecan tree is known to be hardy as far north as +Boston. There are quite a good many near New York City, some of them +fine, trees, but not bearing much, and for the most part small nuts. + +Mr. Rush: Mr. Jones of Jeanerette, Louisiana, has been at my place, and +he says that the growth of the pecan is just as luxuriant there as in +Louisiana. + +President Morris: The point we want to bring out is this, and I think we +ought to emphasize it at this meeting--that pecans suitable for northern +planting must include the idea of an early ripening season, earlier than +the ripening season of southern pecans. + +Mr. Rush: Sometimes there is a provision in nature for that. The tree +will adapt itself to the climate, and give a smaller nut. + +President Morris: What has been your experience, Mr. Roper? + +Mr. Roper: We have only fruited Stuart at Petersburg. All the nuts have +been well filled, but much smaller than the Stuart farther south. + +Mr. Pomeroy: Mr. Littlepage made the remark yesterday that nature will +attend to this largely for us. He spoke of the wood beginning to ripen +the middle of August. With us in Niagara County, we expect that with all +trees the wood will begin ripening about the first of August, preparing +for the winter. Persian walnut doesn't come into blossom till about the +last of May or the first of June. + +President Morris: It is not mainly a matter of ripening wood, but of +ripening nuts, in pecan growing in the North. A good many nuts will +remain green, even though the tree will grow well; and we must have +nurserymen draw our attention to this difference, when they are sending +trees out to us for northern planting. That is a thing that may not be +determined right now, but nurserymen must be able to report upon +comparative ripening times of various kinds of pecans to be sent north. + +We will have the report of the Committee on Nominations. + +[The report was accepted and the nominees elected.] + +President Morris: We have with us Professor Herrick, who will present +his paper on the subject of the scolytus beetle. Professor Herrick has +prepared his paper at our request since we came here. + + + + +THE SCOLYTUS BEETLE. + +PROF. A. W. HERRICK, ITHACA, N. Y. + + +With a residence of a little over a decade in the South, I became more +or less intimately connected with a good many of the nut growers of the +section, especially the pecan growers. I found them there an intelligent +body of men. + +The President has asked me to talk just a little on the hickory bark +borer. While in Mississippi, I first came into contact with the hickory +bark borer by its work on the hickories on the lawn in front of my house +and on the Campus. It began killing the trees. I had ten or a dozen +trees on the lawn that were from six to eight inches through, and they +had made a fine growth but they began suddenly to die. First, I noticed +the leaves falling in the summer time, then later in the winter the +branches began to die at the top. On investigation, I found that it was +this little hickory bark borer. We carried out, as a result of that +investigation, a few experiments, and extended them over the Campus, +following the recommendations of Doctor Hopkins of the Department of +Agriculture, Washington. The results were pretty gratifying. I was able +to save those trees on the lawn, and during three or four years +succeeding the time we got these experiments into practice, no more had +died, and they had kept on making a good growth; and I believe the +ravages of the beetle had been checked. + +The little beetle belongs to a family called the _Scolytidae_--very +small beetles that burrow through the bark of trees, and between the +bark and the wood, partly in the bark and partly in the wood. These +beetles are interesting in their life history. The female bores through +the bark, and then she builds a channel partly in the wood and partly in +the bark. She goes along and digs out little niches all along, and in +each one of these, deposits a tiny white egg. That soon hatches into the +small grub, and the grub begins to burrow out to get his food, and you +will find these little burrows running out from the main burrow of the +mother beetle. When these grubs reach their growth, each one of them +comes out and bores a little shot-hole-like round hole through the bark, +so that a tree that is pestered with it will finally have the bark full +of these little round holes. You have probably seen a similar thing in +peach, plum, and cherry trees. + +The hickory bark borer is found all over the eastern United States, from +Canada to the Gulf, and as far west as Nebraska. It attacks hickory +trees and walnut trees, and as far as I can find, the authorities say +probably the pecan. I never found it on the pecan in the South. If it +does ever come to attack it in any numbers, it will be a serious pest +from the nut grower's point of view. + +In this state, it was first noticed by its work on hickory trees in the +vicinity of New York City, and it is killing a good many of them. To +show its dangerousness--on the estate of Mr. Wadsworth at Geneseo in +1900 and 1901 over an area of two hundred acres, it destroyed ninety to +ninety-five per cent of the hickories. It really becomes a most +injurious pest. These little fellows running under the bark cut off the +cambium layer and girdle it, and kill the tree as effectually as if we +were to take an axe and girdle it. A few can girdle it very quickly. + +An infested tree in the summer shows some characteristic effects. The +leaves begin to dry and wither, and finally drop. The adult beetles, +when they come out in June and July, attack the petioles, leaves, and +terminal buds for food, then go down to the larger branches and trunks, +and burrow to lay their eggs. The younger top branches begin to die. If +you look, you will very often find a little white sawdust in cracks in +the bark. That is an indication that they are present. If you take off +the bark, you will find such an appearance as I have shown you. Later, +you will find these holes all over, showing the work of the beetle. + +I will give the life history of the insect very briefly. The insects +live over the winter under the bark, as grubs, and in the spring they +change to the pupa form, and come out along in June and July. Some may +be as late as August. Those beetles go to the branches and leaves, and +soon begin laying their eggs. There is only one brood a season, in this +locality at least. In a longer season, farther south, there might be +more than one, although my experience in Mississippi was that there was +only one brood. + +A word regarding methods of control. You can readily see that there is +no way of getting at the beetle with insecticides after they have gotten +under the bark. Doctor Pelt mentions the value of spraying the trees in +summer to kill adults when they are feeding on the petioles and probably +the terminal buds and younger twigs. It is rather doubtful whether it +would pay to spray hickory trees at that time, although the expense of +spraying large trees is not so great as you might think. We have had +experiences here, because it fell to my lot to spray all the elm trees +on the Campus last year. I kept very careful account of this. We sprayed +between five and six hundred trees. About one hundred are scattered over +the hillsides west of the buildings, some a mile from the water supply. +We did the work for about eighty-eight cents apiece, each tree having a +thorough spray. The largest trees on each side of the street we gave two +sprayings for a little less than forty cents apiece. + +The real method of getting at this hickory bark borer is for everybody +to cooperate and cut those trees out, or at least the affected parts of +the tree, before the first of May. I know of no other effective method +of getting them. Cut them out and burn them. Some say, peel off the bark +and destroy that; but if you do that, you have got to cut off the +smallest branches and burn those, and I am afraid you would not get all +of the grubs. But it is better, if you can, to actually dispose of the +whole tree in some way. + +There were three trees on the lawn infested and dying. I cut those out +in February, and that evidently stopped the ravages of the beetle. That +was carried on over the whole Campus, and it must have stopped the +injuries, because during the three or four years I was there after that, +we had no dead hickories from that cause. + +That is evidently the only method of getting at them. It has been +wondered if we might not go to the Commissioner of Agriculture, and ask +him to take this matter in hand and force people to cooperate, because +it has become a rather serious problem. It is evident from a perusal of +the law that he has power to do that, and perhaps if this Nut Growers' +Association wishes to pass resolutions to bring before Commissioner +Pearson, they might induce him to take some steps to control this +hickory bark borer. + +President Morris: If we have evidence that the hickory bark borer can +destroy ninety per cent of the hickory trees on an estate so well cared +for as the Wadsworth estate, it indicates a menace to the whole hickory +forests of the North. In view of this fact, in view of the possibility +of ninety per cent of our hickory trees being destroyed by this beetle, +it seems to me that we should ask our Commissioner of Agriculture to +take charge of the matter, as he has taken charge of the chestnut bark +disease, requiring the cooperation of the people in disposing of a +question which is so vital among the economic problems of our state. Is +there any discussion on this paper? + +Doctor Deming: I would like to read an extract from a letter addressed +to me by H. W. Merkel, Forester of the Bronx Zoological Park: + +"Under Chapter 798 of the laws of the state of New York, passed on July +26th, 1911, the Commissioner of Agriculture is authorized and charged +with preventing the spread of just such pests as the Hickory bark-borer, +and if this matter be called to his attention promptly and in the right +way by such responsible and interested parties as the Northern Nut +Growers' Association, there is, undoubtedly, still time to check the +further spread of the pest. We have from now until June (the time when a +new generation of beetles will emerge) to take whatever action is +necessary, and I urge upon you to persuade the Nut Growers' Association +to take the necessary steps. I would be glad to have a conference with +you on this matter, and will be glad to help you in any way you wish." + +I would suggest the appointment of a committee to draw up a strong set +of resolutions to be sent to the Commissioner of Agriculture of the +State of New York and perhaps of other states, and to the Department of +Agriculture. (Referred to Executive Committee for report.) + +President Morris: We will have next in order the paper by Professor Lake +on the Persian walnut in California. + + + + +THE PERSIAN WALNUT IN CALIFORNIA. + +ABSTRACT OF A LECTURE BY PROFESSOR E. R. LAKE, WASHINGTON, D. C. + + +The Persian walnut industry of the United States is confined, +practically, to four counties in Southern California, Santa Barbara, +Ventura, Los Angeles and Orange. The territory covered is, in a general +way, fifty by one hundred and fifty miles in extent, though, of course, +only a very small part of this area is planted, and that really the best +land in the territory. This industry which yields practically two and +one-half millions of dollars annually to the growers is about +thirty-five years old, and at present involves the consideration of one +variety, the Santa Barbara Softshell. While it is true that there are +about seventy-five named varieties now grown in the country, the Santa +Barbara constitutes the commercial crop and will for some time to come, +though effort is being made to find a more desirable variety. + +During the past ten years a troublesome pest in the form of a fungous +disease which attacks the young twigs and young nuts has awakened an +interest in other varieties and at present much work is being done with +a view to finding one or more varieties that shall be fully resistant to +this foe. At present the University of California, which is the +directive factor in this investigation, is recommending the trial of +half a dozen of the more promising varieties or forms that have been +developed through selection, or chance, in the local orchards. As a +result of the effect of this trouble, the crop output has increased very +slightly during the past decade, though the area of planted trees has +increased very much, hence it is very apparent that some other varieties +must be found; for it has been quite conclusively proven that none of +the means so effectively used against the fungous troubles that affect +other orchard crops are of any avail in this case. When it is noted that +there has been practically no advance in the improvement of varieties +since the origin of the Franquette and Mayette about one hundred and +fifty years ago, except the accidental appearance of the Santa Barbara +which was produced presumably from a nut from Chili (!) in 1868 on the +grounds of Joseph Sexton, Goleta, California, it is evident that our +nuciculturists have been indifferent, especially as to the possibilities +of extending the area of production. + +Speaking more particularly of California walnut growing, it may be said: +The best of soils are selected for this crop; the trees are being +planted from forty to fifty feet apart; the best and most common advice +is to plant budded or grafted trees, and so far as this advice has been +followed the Placentia, an improved Santa Barbara, has been used, though +in the newer districts where efforts are being made, with apparent +success, to develop this industry, several other varieties are being +used, such as the Wiltz, Franquette, Mayette, Eureka, Chase, Prolific, +Meylan, Concord, Treyve and Parisienne. Thus far this work is +experimental, and only time will determine the success and value of it. + +The crop, as with all orchard crops on the Pacific Coast, is cultivated +intensively, clean tillage being given, followed by cover crops and in +some cases fertilizers accompanied with intercrops. + +The trees require very little pruning, and though formerly the heads +were started high, they are now formed low and the primary branches +trained to ascend obliquely, thus facilitating tillage operations, and, +in this respect, even improving upon the high head with spreading or +even drooping main branches. While the more progressive planters favor +trees one year from the bud, which have been put upon two year old +stock, some still prefer two year old tops. Stocks are preferably +California black, northern form. This is a large and vigorous tree, +while the southern form is often or perhaps better, usually, a large +shrub or small tree. + +The remarkable behavior of the Vrooman orchard at Santa Rosa, in which +there are sixty acres of grafted Franquettes, has been the chief means +of stimulating the very extensive plantings that have been made during +the past five or six years in the Pacific Northwest. This is the largest +orchard of grafted nuts of a single type variety in the United States +and is a most excellent example of what follows grafting. The nuts are +exceedingly uniform, and large size. They are marketed in the natural +color and are especially attractive, particularly when of a +reddish-golden tinge. + +The trees begin to bear at five or six years, though many instances are +recorded where two year olds have borne a few nuts. Usually only a few +pounds per year are produced prior to twelve years, after that the yield +increases rapidly until at sixteen years the trees will average +approximately fifty pounds or more per tree under favorable soil, +tillage, and climatic conditions, providing the trees are of selected +varieties of good bearing qualities. + +One tree, known as the Payne tree, top worked on to a native black, has +a record of yielding as much as seven hundred and twelve pounds in one +season, though it is not fair to use these figures in estimating the +yield per acre of seventeen trees. + +While the walnut has received little attention in the Eastern United +States, there are sufficient data at hand now to warrant the statement +that several meritorious varieties may be successfully grown in +favorable localities. These nuts, though not rated as high as the best +imported nuts or the choice California product, would successfully +compete with the foreign nuts which are now rated as replacement nuts +by the dealers in California's best grade. It is not safe to endorse +the view that any waste or abandoned land may be converted into +successful walnut orchards, though such lands may in due time produce +trees that will bear nuts. A first-class walnut orchard can only be +produced upon first-class land, deep, fertile soil, a low water table, +an open subsoil, with choice varieties, grafted upon the most suitable +stock and then given first-class tree-care. + +Professor Lake: I think a man now is making a tremendous mistake who +thinks for a moment of advising the planting of seedling walnuts. We are +bound to meet the problem of grafted fruit right away. The success in +grafting in Washington this year has been such as to make us feel +certain that we may safely advise budding yearling stocks and expecting +a return of from seventy to ninety per cent of successful sets. Stocks +giving best success in budding are California black. About two weeks +after the budding is done, the tops are cut off two inches above, and +allowed to bend over and protect the buds; and in the West, where they +have intense sunlight, they have found it necessary to cover the buds +with paper sacks. The budding which has given the largest success is +hinge budding, a kind that I haven't seen discussed generally in the +East. Instead of being a T at one end, it is a T at both ends. There is +a horizontal cut across, another below, and a split between. The buds +are taken preferably from the last year's wood. We attempt to take the +wood away from the bud, with the exception of that little spongy part +that runs up into the bud, and is the core. + +Mr. Pomeroy: You speak of the hulling. Do they have to hull the Persian +walnuts? + +Professor Lake: In many instances, especially in dry seasons, or in +those sections where water is not particularly abundant. Ordinarily, +hulling is avoided by irrigating just preceding the time of falling. +Frequently the growers of large acreages say that it is cheaper to run +them all through the huller. + +Mr. Littlepage: What would you prophesy about the average seedling +Persian walnut tree as to success and quality of nut? + +Professor Lake: I was led to think that all that was necessary to do was +to plant the walnuts, because most of our authorities of twenty years +ago said the walnut would come true to seed. I think out of several +hundred trees planted throughout the state, and many we planted +ourselves, not a seedling came true. I should think, normally, we should +be very much dissatisfied in ten years from planting seedlings. As soon +as anyone buds these with Franquette, Parisienne, Concord, Rush, +Pomeroy, and others, I am satisfied he will not want to chance it with +seedlings. + +Mr. Littlepage: This dissatisfaction that may result from setting +seedling walnuts, such as Rush, Nebo, Pomeroy, and others, would be +just as great, perhaps, as the dissatisfaction resulting in the West, +would it not? + +Professor Lake: I can't see any reason, but that if there are present +any of the native trees, they are bound to cross-fertilize. In +California we have the Royal hybrid produced at over a mile and a half +distance from any known American blacks. The Royal is a cross between +the American black and the California black. + +Mr. Littlepage: I don't suppose it would be reasonable to expect that +there is a Persian walnut in the northern or eastern United States far +enough from some native black to render it safe. + +Professor Lake: I should hardly think so. Even if it is, I question +whether a nut of real merit will come true to seed. + +President Morris: Is it true that even from single type orchards the +nuts, while coming fairly true to seed, would give trees widely +different in bearing propensities? + +Professor Lake: That is very true in this Vrooman orchard that has been +developed to the very best possible advantage. There are trees that +haven't borne a nut to make them worth while, others have been +remarkably vigorous. From these, a few people, knowing of their real +merits, are propagating select strains for their own use. They have +fifteen or sixteen years' record. I question, if you take a hundred +Franquettes from the Vrooman orchard miscellaneously, whether you would +get more than ten per cent that would be really as good as the Vrooman. + +President Morris: In California I went along the coast this summer from +Los Angeles to Oregon and Washington, and looked over orchards. I find +that in the West, as in the East, the tendency is for the Persian walnut +to store up an undue amount of starch in the kernel. It is apt also to +store up an undue proportion of tannin, and to be insipid. That means +that in this country we must develop our own type of walnut, and it is +quite the exception to find among any Persian walnuts growing on the +Atlantic Coast or the Pacific Coast or in the middle of the country +walnuts that are free from this tendency to astringency, to insipidity, +and to toughness. + +When I was on the Pacific Coast looking over specimens in one +agricultural collection, a young woman who was showing the collection +said, "And here is a lot of Franquettes, and Chabertes, and Mayettes, +and Parisiennes that we imported; and do you know, we found our walnuts +very much better than those?" I said to her, "Don't deceive yourself in +this matter. This self-deception is a mistake. The thing to do is not +to make that kind of a decision, but really to develop in our own +country walnuts just as good as those, but not like them." + +This was exemplified in a group of walnut raisers. One would say, "Here +is a fine walnut that I raised." The other would say, "Yes, that looks +pretty good, but you have got to hire a good talker to sell it." Another +would say, "Isn't this a fine thin shelled nut?" And the same thing +would be said. Now, the whole conversation of that meeting was to the +effect that "you have got to have a good talker to sell it." Those +people send their good talkers all over the country, and they do sell +the walnuts; and it is going to kill the walnut market, unless this is +stopped. Those points are ones upon which I would like to have an +expression of opinion from Mr. Lake. + +Professor Lake: I may say that the western knowledge of the walnut is +based very largely upon the character of the Santa Barbara Softshell, +and the people in the West are fully satisfied that the Pacific Coast +walnuts are the best in the world. I am thoroughly of their belief, too. +I agree thoroughly with the doctrine that we have got to improve our own +varieties, and that is being done in the best way that we know at +present,--by cross-fertilizing and growing the seedlings. A number have +been developed the past few years. It is very true that the general +public's taste, however, is not up yet to the connoisseur's in this +matter, and I am satisfied that the ordinary grade of walnut is going to +meet the public demand for a long time yet. The Santa Barbara Softshell +will sell to the American public for good profitable prices for some +time, and in the meantime, the men who are really wideawake and have a +knowledge of the situation are going to endeavor to improve the home +strains. I can't see that we can hope for very much from France, for +during the last two years the real Mayette of France has been imported, +because we have trees bearing in Santa Clara Valley a Mayette as near +like the Mayette of Europe as it is possible to make them. The French +have not been particularly anxious for us to get their best strains. + +President Morris: In this connection, let me say I have seen Mayette, +Chaberte, Parisienne,--the best European walnuts--growing in this +country, and in this country they do precisely like the best European +grapes,--that is, they give us a different product. Imported grafted +stock will take from our soil those elements which make an astringent, +tough, insipid nut. We have got to recognize it. Don't let us fail to go +on record as calling attention to that fact. That means if we import the +very best European kinds and plant these, we are going to have the same +records as with grapes. + +Professor Lake: This matter of quality is of considerable moment to the +growers out there. Last year I took occasion to write five of the +leading dealers in New York, like Parke and Tilford. They said in their +letters of reply, "We consider the quality as varying from season to +season. Some seasons we get the California product better than the +European product; other seasons it is just the other way." It leads me +to think seasonal variation has a great deal to do with the walnut, +possibly. In some cases even the large dealers are not yet agreed that +the American product is not yet good enough for the American market. + +President Morris: Shall we say that nuts for the connoisseur should not +be bleached? + +Professor Lake: Modern bleaching consists in running the nuts through a +current of salt. It is applied in such a way that it does not do any +injury whatever to the flavor or the kernel, unless possibly salting the +kernel in cracked nuts would be considered injurious. The bleaching is +beautiful. They are not over bleached. They use six pounds of salt to a +thousand gallons of water, and run a current of ninety-five volts. It is +sprayed on to the nuts as they pass through a revolving cylinder, the +spray coming on in a fine mist. As they pass over the cylinder, they are +graded and ventilated, and put into sacks. That is after they have been +dried. They are ready in about twenty-two hours to be sacked and +delivered. The old method of processing in soda and lime and sulphur +certainly did injure them. + +Mr. Pomeroy: I am just a short distance from Niagara Falls and Buffalo. +When any of you are in that section, I would like to have you come and +see my trees. There are the seven year old trees my father started, and +the orchard is of five or six acres. Some of the seedlings are in +bearing now. I have a good many black walnuts in nursery rows, and I am +going to begin grafting and budding. One thing I came for was to get +information in regard to budding and grafting. In regard to the caring +for the trees, it is a great pleasure to watch a tree grow and get it in +shape. + +Professor Craig: It seems to me that out of the very interesting +discussion we have had on this question of the Persian walnut, and out +of the discussion which has arisen from the papers of Mr. Littlepage and +others on native nuts, we have obtained some very general principles +which should be emphasized at this time. The one large principle that I +want to call attention to is the principle which says that, in order to +develop fruits--and we will include nuts in that general group--which +shall be useful to the American public, we shall have to develop them +under American soil and atmospheric conditions. In other words, the +importation _per se_ of European stock of whatever kind is altogether +likely to meet with failure. This is the history of American fruit +growing from the beginning. The very first beginning of fruit culture in +this country was the importation of European fruits, and these +uniformly failed. Success came when American colonists began to grow +American seedlings. The fact that these have prevailed is shown by the +percentage of American fruits the large orchardist produces at the +present time. Today nearly ninety-nine per cent of our apples are of +American origin. The condition of today means success; the condition of +a hundred years ago meant failure. + +In this Persian walnut business, I think success is going to come to us +through such work as Mr. Pomeroy and other interested amateurs are doing +throughout the country, in selecting a good type of seedling here and +there and growing seedlings from it. This homely old method of producing +new types through seedling selection is, I think, going to do a great +deal to ameliorate conditions the country over. I simply wanted to +impress that idea, that if we nut growers are going to do something to +help the nut interests of the country, we can do it by planting nuts and +selecting nuts from the best types, again taking the best nuts from the +best types and planting them; thus by keeping on selecting, we shall win +success in the future. + + + + +IS THERE A FUTURE FOR _JUGLANS REGIA_ AND _HICORIA PECAN_ IN NEW YORK +AND NEW ENGLAND? + +JOHN CRAIG, ITHACA, N. Y. + +[Read by title.] + + +It is common knowledge that there have been frequent instances of the +successful fruitage of Persian walnuts throughout the entire Northeast. +The evidence is forthcoming in attractive samples of nuts. Specimens +have been received during the past two years from New England, +Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and the lake region of New York, as well as +the Hudson River section. So far as I am aware, however, _Hicoria pecan_ +has not fruited to any extent further north and east than southern +Indiana. + +Is it not remarkable that so little effort has been made to extend the +natural range of this superb native nut northward? + +The fruiting habits of _Juglans regia_ may be regarded as fickle, +depending in some cases upon pollination, in others upon climatic +conditions at the blooming time. One of its defects is its decided +proterandrous habit, which seriously affects pollination and fruit +setting. In general, the Persian walnut is capable of cultivation in all +safe peach growing sections. Yet in the Gulf States the complaint is +made that it is too readily susceptible to stimulating influences of +warm weather in the spring. Again, the roots in that section are +affected by fungi and insects. Notwithstanding these charges, there +should be a future in the North, as well as in the South, for this fine +nut. It is hardly to be expected that success is to be attained in all +sections of the country by using exclusively the material, by this I +mean the strains and races, we have at the present time. For instance, +in the South the root trouble is peculiar to that section, and it is +probable that the root difficulties spoken of may be overcome by using +native stocks in grafting and budding. The blooming habits, however, can +only be modified by the relatively slow process of breeding. + +In the North, nature has already provided us with foundation material +for the improvement of _Juglans regia_. We have many promising varieties +that have appeared more or less fortuitously here and there over the +country. It is conceded that all of these do not possess the full range +of desirable qualities, but they are sufficiently attractive certainly +to challenge the best efforts of the plant breeder. We are encouraged +too by such experiences as has come to us in the crossing of regia with +allied species. A number of crosses of _regia_ and _nigra_ are recorded +from the Pacific Coast. Burbank, Payne, and others have made notable +progress in this line. It is a question, however, whether this line +offers as certain reward as breeding in narrower lines, using the best +individuals of _Juglans regia_ which have come to us more or less by +chance. The latter appears to me as the best field to operate. + +Among the requirements in the Northeast, it may be said that we need +hardiness of tree, coupled with a determinate habit of blooming, more +than any other characteristics. Of course it goes without saying that we +need thin shells, well filled with palatable meat. The work of Messrs. +Pomeroy of Lockport, N. Y., J. G. Rush of West Willow, Pa., and other +individuals in the Northeast is worthy of all encouragement. Wherever +Persian walnuts are producing good nuts here in the Northeast, the best +specimens of the best individual trees should be planted in the strong +hope of improving the strain. There should be a first rate promise of +success in this field, for many of our walnuts are fruiting as +individual trees, standing alone and isolated, and therefore, are +probably self-fertilized, a circumstance which may assist in shortening +the process of improvement by breeding. + +_Hicoria Pecan._ This is undoubtedly the best of all the native nuts, +and the most worth while improving. The great popularity which this form +of hickory enjoys in the South is undoubtedly due in considerable +measure to the fact that it is adapted to a considerable range of +territory. This adaptation is the natural acquirement of many years' +evolution. + +At this time of the year, one sees in fruiterers' shops in New York and +other cities appetizing looking baskets, containing cracked shagbarks +and pecans. These nuts are enjoying a large share of popularity at the +hands of the consumers. As these two forms are exhibited together, the +observer may note the essential good qualities of each, and he may make +a mental picture of the possibilities of a union which would eliminate +the undesirable features and combine the desirable. The lack of +hardiness of the pecan would be strengthened by the hardy northern form, +while the breeder would aim to retain the excellent flavors of each, the +good qualities of meat, but enclosed by a covering of paper shell +texture. We want the hardiness and adaptability of the shellbark, +combined with the thin shell, the excellent cracking qualities, and the +pleasant flavors of the pecan. Here is a truly attractive field. The +fact that returns may be rather slow in maturing should not deter the +plant breeder, for sometimes prizes come quickly. Of course the field is +one which appeals more strongly to the institution of indefinite life +tenure than to the individual whose years of activity are relatively +brief. + +What nature has done in the way of extending the range of the pecan +northward has been clearly set forth in the excellent paper presented by +Mr. Littlepage. This indigenous movement from the natural zone of the +pecan towards the North and East has undoubtedly been infinitely slow. +The important fact has been established, however, that not only has +nature extended the natural range in the directions indicated, but Mr. +Littlepage has shown that here and there a variety of exceptional merit +has appeared, fortuitously and without assistance or guidance from man. +These superior varieties are being placed under observation by +interested nut enthusiasts like Messrs. Littlepage, Niblack, and McCoy, +and others, who are not only studying the nut in its native haunts, but +are experimenting with methods of propagation so that we may confidently +look forward to a stable supply of these natural selections in the years +near at hand. + +Here, then, we have the material for founding new races of northern nuts +by combining them with our best hardy hickories. Who will gainsay the +prophecy that not far distant is the day when we may expect new hybrid +strains of great economical importance arising from the union of our +northern hickories with the most northerly forms of the pecan? Shall we +designate these hybrids as "shellcans," "shagcans," or "hickcans," after +the nomenclatural methods of present day plant breeders? The splendid +work of our President in the interbreeding of northern types of nuts +gives us strong hope to expect results of this nature. + +In the matter of propagation we have learned certain essential +fundamentals. First and most important is the firmly established fact +that southern, pecan stocks are unsafe and generally unreliable in the +region of the northern hickory. We must grow our own stocks from +northern nuts. We must propagate by using home grown material +exclusively, and as to methods of propagation, it is probable that we +can follow in general the practice of the southern nurseryman, but +unquestionably modifications in procedure will arise out of the sum of +our experience which will tend each year to bring a larger measure of +success. + +This Association will perform an invaluable service in collecting these +various experiences, winnowing the sound from the unsound, and +disseminating safe deductions and reliable principles to the rapidly +increasing band of nut culturists throughout the region of its +activities. Our second session has been an unqualified success. May this +meeting be surpassed in respect to enthusiasm manifested, experience and +knowledge disseminated, by each of the annual conferences to be held in +the years to come. + +President Morris: Discussion as to the next place of meeting is in +order. + +Mr. Rush: I would certainly be very glad to entertain the Northern Nut +Growers' Association at Lancaster City, Pennsylvania, and will assure +you in advance that I will give you the best hospitality that the +country can afford. We have now associated with the walnut interests in +Lancaster County Mr. Jones of Jeanerette, Louisiana, who has been +through that section and is pleased with the work that is being done +there. I think it may be policy for the Association to meet there. We +can have our night session, and be absent several hours in the morning +and look over some of the work. Mr. Jones contemplates topgrafting +hickory trees at his new home, and we can have the opportunity of seeing +with what success he meets. + +The Association voted to accept Mr. Rush's invitation. + +President Morris: We will hear the report of the Committee on +Resolutions. + + + + +RESOLUTIONS PASSED BY THE NORTHERN NUT GROWERS ASSOCIATION, + +December 15, 1911. + +(Read by Reed.) + + +Be It Resolved: + +That the Northern Nut Growers' Association assembled does hereby express +its sincere thanks to the President and Faculty of Cornell University +for placing at its disposal the facilities for holding its convention at +this time. + +That special thanks be extended to Dean L. H. Bailey of the College of +Agriculture for the invitation to meet at this place and to Prof. John +Craig for his many courtesies shown the Association and its individual +members. + +That we hereby express our thanks to President Morris and Secretary +Deming for their labor and untiring efforts to bring about a successful +meeting. + +That we also tender our thanks to President Morris for the liberal +premiums offered for nut exhibits and to the many who have responded. +That special attention be called to "The Morris Collection of the Edible +Nuts of the World," maintained at this place by Dr. Robt. T. Morris, +President of this Association. This collection is of the greatest +possible educational value to those interested in the study of nuts and +nut products. + +That, in view of the distribution and rapid spread of the disease known +as "Chestnut Blight," especially among the American species, we express +our hearty approval of the efforts being made by the federal government, +the several state departments and especially the action of the +Pennsylvania State Legislature in appropriating the sum of $275,000.00 +to aid in studying and combatting this dread disease, and + +That we urge the importance of continued efforts along these lines and +similar action in all other states in which the chestnut species is of +commercial importance, either for timber or nut purposes. + +That the Secretary be instructed to send a copy of these resolutions to +Hon. James Wilson, Secretary of Agriculture, at Washington, D. C, and to +Commissioner of Agriculture or Director of Experiment Stations of such +states as within which, according to his judgment, the chestnut species +may be of sufficient importance to justify such action. + + C. A. REED, + T. P. LITTLEPAGE, + GEO. C. SCHEMPP, JR., + + _Committee_. + +(Read by Littlepage.) + +That we thank Messrs. Collins, Reed, and Lake of the U. S. Department of +Agriculture for attendance at this meeting and for their valuable +information and assistance, and furthermore that we respect-fully invite +them to attend the next annual meeting, and in the meantime lend the +Executive Committee their assistance in making plans for next season's +work and in carrying out the purposes of our organization. + + T. P. LITTLEPAGE, + GEO. C. SCHEMPP, JR. + +The Association voted to adopt these resolutions. President Morris: We +will adjourn, and the Committee on Competition will meet this afternoon +for examination of specimens and decisions in regard to the respective +values of the different specimens exhibited. + + + + +APPENDIX + +MISCELLANEOUS NOTES. + +Those in attendance at the meeting were as follows: + + +Dr. Robert T. Morris, New York City, President +Mr. T. P. Littlepage, Washington, D. C, Vice-President +Dr. W. C. Deming, Westchester, New York City, Secretary-Treasurer +Prof. John Craig, Ithaca, N. Y., Chairman of the Executive Committee +Mr. C. A. Reed of the U. S. Dept, of Agriculture, Special Agent Field + Investigations in Pomology +Mr. J. G. Rush, West Willow, Pa. +Prof. J. Franklin Collins, Forest Pathologist, U. S. Dept, of Agriculture +Prof. E. R. Lake, Assistant Pomologist, U. S Dept, of Agriculture. +Col. C. A. Van Duzee, St. Paul, Minn., and Viking, Fla. +Mrs. W. C. Deming, Redding, Conn. +Mr. W. N. Roper, Petersburg, Va, Editor American Fruit & Nut Journal +Mr. Leonard Barron, Editor Country Life in America, Garden City, L. I. +Mr. A. C. Pomeroy, Lockport, N. Y. +Professors Crosby, de Garmo, Tuck, Herrick, Drew, of the University. +Mr. J. A. Holmes, Ithaca, N. Y. +Mr. Geo. S. Tarbell, Ithaca, N. Y. +Mr. G. C. Schempp, Jr., Albany, Ga. +Mr. H. Brown and Mr. S. V. Wilcox, representing Thos. Meehan & Sons, + Germantown, Pa. +Mr. F. M. Rites, Slaterville Springs, N. Y. +Students of the University and others. + +The thanks of the association are due Professor Craig for his +contribution to the purposes of the convention of the services of his +private stenographer which made possible a complete record of all the +proceedings and discussions. The success of the meeting is largely due +to the thorough preparation made by Professor Craig. + + + + +REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON EXHIBITS. + +By Department of Horticulture, New York State College of Agriculture. + + +A collection of the walnuts of commerce, comprising 35 varieties, shown +with a specimen of each in section. + +A collection of 28 varieties of filberts. + +A collection of 35 varieties of pecans. + +The Morris collection of edible nuts of the world. This includes not +only the nuts of the North, but the fullest collection of the nuts of +the tropics that has ever been brought together. + +By J. G. Rush, West Willow, Pennsylvania. + +Two plates of black walnuts; one plate showing hybridity between Persian +walnut and butternut; one plate Paragon chestnuts; one plate especially +large American sweet chestnuts. + +By A. C. Pomeroy, Lockport, New York. + +Four plates of walnuts, showing variation of seedlings; grown on trees +varying from six to eight years old. + +By W. N. Roper, Petersburg, Virginia. + +One plate Mantura pecans. + +By T. P. Littlepage, Washington, D. C. + +An exhibit of eighteen varieties of seedling pecans, grown in the Wabash +region of Indiana and Kentucky. These seedlings represent very promising +varieties, some of them being exceedingly thin shelled, most of them +well filled and symmetrical in form. Of these, five have been named, to +wit: Greenriver, Warwick, Hodge, Hoosier, and Major. Mr. Littlepage +exhibits a plate of _Juglans regia_ and a fine sample of _Juglans +nigra_. + + + + +PRIZE NUTS. + +Announcement by the President. + + +In the interest of science and of American horticulture the Northern Nut +Growers Association is making an effort to find nut trees of various +kinds which produce superior nuts which can be used for propagation. + +Prizes for special lots of nuts are offered. + +Each lot of nuts sent for prize competition is to consist of twelve nuts +from one tree, and the location of the tree is to be well marked, so +that no mistake can be made later if cuttings are to be purchased from +the owner or finder of the tree. + +Nuts are to be sent by mail in a box or bag containing a card with the +name and address of the sender plainly written. At the same time a +letter is to be written separately, describing the tree in a general +way, and giving the name of the town in which it grows. + +Packages of nuts and descriptive letters are to be addressed to + +PROFESSOR JOHN CRAIG, +Cornell University, Ithaca, N. Y. + +and all specimens must be sent by November 15, 1911. + +In former years it has happened that several people from the same town +have sent nuts from the same tree. Under these circumstances, if the +nuts take a prize, the prize must be given according to the date of the +first specimens sent. + +In addition to the prizes given, valuable varieties receive the name of +the person sending them, and this goes on record permanently. + +The sender of these nuts will often have opportunity to sell cuttings +from the tree later at the common rate of five cents per foot. + +Prizes are offered for the following nuts: + +1st prize is to be two dollars, +2nd prize is to be one dollar, + +and the amount of postage will be returned for all lots of nuts sent +which do not receive prizes. + +SHAGBARK OR SCALY BARK HICKORY (_Hicoria Ovata_). +Class A. Large thin shelled nuts. +Class B. Very small thin shelled nuts. + +SHELLBARK HICKORY, KING NUT, BIG BUD HICKORY (_H. laciniosa_). + +Size is particularly desired with this species, but thinness of shell +counts high. + +PECAN (_H. pecan_). + +Pecans sent for competition must be native nuts from New Jersey, +Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, Kentucky, +Indiana and Ohio only, as these nuts are desired for northern +horticulture. + +OTHER HICKORIES. + +Sometimes a tree of various other kinds of hickories will produce a very +desirable nut; consequently first and second prizes are offered for any +hickory nut not belonging to the above three kinds. + +BLACK WALNUT (_Juglans nigra_). + +Thin shelled black walnuts of good quality are desired. + +BUTTERNUT, WHITE WALNUT (_Juglans cinerea_). + +Size and thinness of shell are most important. + +PERSIAN WALNUT, ENGLISH WALNUT (_Juglans regia_). + +American grown varieties the only ones receiving prizes. + +ASIATIC WALNUTS (_Juglans cordiformis_, _J. Sieboldi_, _J. Sibirica_). + +American grown varieties the only ones receiving prizes. + +BEECHNUT. + +Size stands first for prize qualifications for Beechnuts. + +AMERICAN HAZELS. + +Thinness of shell and size are most important. + +CHINQUAPIN (_Castanea pumila_). + +Size is the most important qualification for this species. + +CHESTNUTS. + +On account of the rapid spread of the chestnut blight no other kinds of +chestnut besides Chinquapins are desired at present. + +FREAK NUTS. + +Remarkable freaks of any species of edible nuts may win prizes. For +instance, a black Walnut with meat growing in only one half of each +shell. + +R. T. MORRIS, New York City, +President Northern Nut Growers Association. + + + + +PRIZES AWARDED IN THE RESULTING COMPETITION. + + +1. _Hicoria ovata_ + +Plate II, first prize: +Plate I, second prize: Exhibited by Theron E. Platt, Newtown, Conn. + +2. _Hicoria pecan_ + +Mantura, first prize: W. N. Roper, Petersburg. Va. +Major, second prize: T. P. Littlepage, Union Trust Building, + Washington, D. C. + +3. _Hicoria laciniosa_ + +First and second prizes: C. N. Stem, Sabillasville, Md. + +4. _Persian walnut_ + +Nebo, first prize: J. G. Rush, West Willow, Pa. +Holden, second prize: E. B. Holden, Hilton, N. Y. + +5. _Asiatic walnut_ + +Juglans Sieboldiana, first prize: J. G. Rush, West Willow, Pa. + +6. _Chinquapin_ + +No. 2, first prize: J. G. Rush, West Willow, Pa +No. 1, second prize: J. G. Rush, West Willow, Pa. + +7. _Freak nuts_ + +Hickory No. 4, first prize: Lillie E. Johnson, Gowanda, N. Y. + +8. _Butternuts_ + +First prize: Mrs. Albina Simonds, South Royalton, Vt. + +9. _Beechnuts_ + +First prize: Malcolm Newell, West Wardsboro, Vt. +Second prize: William Davis, Rutland, Vt. + +10. _Black walnuts_ + +First prize: J. J. Robinson, Lamont, Mich. +Second prize: Dorothy McGrew, R.F.D. 6, Box 77, Kent, O. + +The prizes awarded in this competition were contributed personally by +the President. + + + + +REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON THE NOMENCLATURE OF JUGLANS MANDSHURICA AND +THE SHELLBARK HICKORIES. + + +The following are the questions sent by the secretary and the answers +received: + +As there seems to be a difference of opinion as to the identity of +'Juglans mandshurica' will you be so kind as to answer the following +questions for the benefit of the Northern Nut Growers' Association at +their annual meeting at Ithaca, New York, Dec. 14 and 15, 1911. + + +Q. 1 What type of nut do you consider the "Juglans mandshurica" to be? + +J. H. Black, Hightstown, N. J.: Probably a Juglans Regia Manchuria. + +T. E Steele, Palmyra, N. J.: No resemblance to Persian walnut but very +similar to butternut, a little longer and thicker than butternut and of +little better quality. + +Luther Burbank, Santa Rosa, Cal.: Nigra, or the connecting link between +butternut, eastern black walnut and a trace of Sieboldi especially in +foliage. + +H. E. Van Deman, Washington, D. C.: It is almost identical with J. +Sieboldiana. + +J. M. Thorburn & Co., 33 Barclay St., N. Y. City.: Our idea of the type +is that it resembles very closely in size, form and color of the shell +the English walnut or Juglans regia, though the shell is thicker and the +quality of the kernel has not the pleasant flavor of the Juglans regia. + + +Q 2 Does it resemble the Persian walnut or the butternut? + +J. S. Black: Persian. + +T. E. Steele: (See Q. 1). + +Luther Burbank: (Does it resemble the Persian walnut--) _No._ (--or the +butternut?) Very much in nut but less elongated and not pointed. _Very_ +thick shell. + +H. E. Van Deman: Not similar to either of them. + +J. M. Thorburn & Co.: (See Q. 1). + + +Q. 3 Is it a nut of commercial or other value? + +J. S. Black: Yes. + +T. E. Steele: I hardly think it a nut of commercial value as the shell +is too thick. I should not consider it much better than the butternut. + +Luther Burbank: Hardly unless improved. Meat sweet like butternut. +Juglans Sieboldi var. Cordiformis is the very best of this type, thin +shell, _very_ sweet meats. Both these nuts vary _very_ widely in form. + +H. E. Van Deman: Only of value as a shade tree or as a stock from which +to make crosses. + +J. M Thorburn and Co.: As far as we know it has no commercial value +here. We sell it only for seed purposes. + + +Q. 4 How was it introduced into this country? + +J. S. Black: By Yokohama Nursery Co. of New York City. + +T. E. Steele: I do not know. + +Luther Burbank: Some twenty years ago both by myself and the Arnold +Herbarium of Newtown, Mass. + +H. E. Van Deman: By nuts from Manchuria, I have always understood. + +J. M. Thorburn & Co.: We cannot tell. We purchase direct from Japan. + + +Q. 5 What are the characteristics of the tree? + +J. S. Black: Very similar but hardier than Persian. + +T. E. Steele: Very similar in growth to that of the Japan walnut, not +unlike the butternut. In fact many call them butternuts, but Mr. Van +Deman was quite sure they were the Mandshurica when he picked one from +the tree I have in mind. + +Luther Burbank: Much like Sieboldi. + +Van Deman: Very thrifty and luxuriant with large leaves and large +growth. Bark light colored. + +J. M. Thorburn & Co.: It is a broad-headed tree growing about 60 feet +high. + + +Q. 6 Have you raised them yourself or can you say who has? + +J. S. Black: We have raised trees but not the nuts. + +T. E. Steele: I have never raised them and know of no one who has. + +Luther Burbank: Young trees. My one tree is more spready than other +walnuts, and so far though old does not bear. + +Van Deman: No, I have not grown the trees. Think John or Wm. Parry of +Parry, N. J., have them. I have J. Cordiformis. + +J. M. Thorburn & Co: We have never raised them ourselves. + + +Q. 7 Can you send samples or say where they can be obtained? + +J. S. Black: We can furnish trees. Get nuts from Yokohama Nursery Co., +New York City. + +T. E. Steele: I know of but one tree near here, and I am mailing you one +nut that I gathered a year or two ago, too long ago to be of any value +except to show the character of the nut. If I can procure another nut or +two of this year's growth I will do so and mail to you. + +Luther Burbank: Have no samples but enclose usual form. From half shell. +(Drawings of this, of the surface character of the nut, and of "size and +form of a common sieboldi.") + +H. E. Van Deman: Perhaps from the Parrys. + +No replies were received from R. E. Smith, of the California +Agricultural Experiment Station, Whittier; from Jackson Dawson, of the +Arnold Arboretum; or from the Yokohama Nursery Co., 31 Barclay St., N. +Y. City. + +Summary of Dr. Morris's investigations as given by him on p. 12: The nut +described in the U. S. bulletin as _Juglans mandshurica_ is the one +originally described and named by Maxim more than thirty years ago and +is a nut of the butternut type. A few years ago the Yokohama Nursery +Co., not knowing that this name had been previously applied, gave it to +a nut of the _Juglans regia_ type which they distributed. This nut had +been previously named by De Candolle, _Juglans regia sinensis_. + + + + +NOMENCLATURE OF THE SHELLBARK HICKORIES. + +The names "shellbark," "shagbark" and "scalybark" are at present used +interchangeably by authors for different species of the hickory. It is +advised that the Association take an arbitrary stand on the nomenclature +and state our choice of the name "shagbark" for _Hicoria ovata_, +"shellbark" for _Hicoria laciniosa_ and "scalybark" for _Hicoria +Carolinae-septentrionalis_. + +This should become a matter of official record and eventually clear up +the confusion. + + + + +THE HICKORY BARK BORER. + + +In Country Life in America for October 15, 1911, there appeared an +article entitled "Warning!--The Hickory Bark Borer is With Us" by +Hermann W. Merkel, Forester of the New York Zoological Gardens. + +The following circular was issued by E. F. Felt, New York State +Entomologist, under date of Oct. 31, 1911. + + +DYING HICKORY TREES. + + Numerous magnificent hickories have been killed by the pernicious + hickory bark borer in the vicinity of New York city. It has + destroyed thousands of trees in the central part of the State, + while recent investigations show that it is at work in the Hudson + valley near Tivoli and probably is injurious in numerous other + places. The severe droughts of the last two or three years have + undoubtedly been favorable to the development of this pest, since + the vitality of many trees has been lowered and they have thus been + rendered more susceptible to attack by insect enemies. + + The preliminary signs of injury, such as wilting leaves and dead + twigs in mid-summer are exceedingly important because they indicate + serious trouble before it has passed the remedial stage. + Examination of injured trees at the present time may show particles + of brown or white sawdust in the crevices of the bark, and in the + case of some a few to many circular holes appearing as though they + had been made by number 8 buckshot. This external evidence should + be supplemented by cutting down to the sapwood. The exposure there + of the longitudinal galleries 1 to 1-1/2 inches long, about 1/8 of + an inch in diameter and with numerous fine, transverse galleries + arising therefrom and gradually spreading out somewhat fan-shaped, + is conclusive evidence as to the identity of this pest. Only a + little experience is necessary before one can recognize the work of + this borer. + + The insect passes the winter in oval cells as stout, whitish, + brown-headed grubs about 1/4 of an inch long, the beetles appearing + from the last of June to the last of July. Badly injured trees are + beyond hope and should be cut some time during the winter and the + bark burned before the beetles can emerge; otherwise many will + mature and attack other trees next spring. It is particularly + important to locate the trees which have died wholly or in part the + past summer, because they contain grubs likely to mature and then + be the source of trouble another year. General cooperation in the + cutting out of infested trees and burning of the bark as indicated + above will do much to check this enemy of our hickories. + + E. P. PELT. + State Entomologist. + +The following "Press Notice" was issued by the U. S. Department of +Agriculture under date of Nov. 15, 1911:-- + + +THE DYING HICKORY TREES,--CAUSE AND REMEDY. + + Within the past ten years a large percentage of the hickory trees + have died in various sections throughout the northern tier of + States from Wisconsin to Vermont and southward through the Atlantic + States to central Georgia and to a greater or less extent within + the entire range of natural growth of the various species. + + + CAUSE. + + While there are several and sometimes complicated causes of the + death of the trees, investigations by experts of the Bureau of + Entomology, U. S. Department of Agriculture, have revealed the fact + that the hickory barkbeetle is by far the most destructive insect + enemy and is therefore, in the majority of cases, the primary cause + of the dying of the trees. + + + HOW TO RECOGNIZE THE WORK OF THE BEETLE. + + The first evidence of the presence and work of the beetle is the + premature dying or falling of a few of the leaves in July and + August caused by the adult or parent beetles feeding on the bark at + the base of the leaf stem, but this work alone does not kill the + trees. + + The next evidence of its destructive work is the dying of part of a + tree or all of one or more trees. If the trees are dying from the + attack of the beetle, an examination of the inner bark and surface + of the wood on the main trunks will reveal curious centipede-like + burrows in the bark and grooved on the surface of the wood. These + are galleries and burrows of the parent beetles and of their broods + of young grubs or larvae. The girdling effect of these galleries is + the real cause of the death of the trees. + + + HABITS OF THE BEETLES. + + The broods of the beetle pass the winter in the bark of the trees + that die during the preceding summer and fall. During the warm days + of March and April these overwintered broods complete their + development to the adult winged form, which during May and June + emerge through small round holes in the bark and fly to the living + trees. They then attack the twigs to feed on the base of the leaves + and tender bark and concentrate in the bark of the trunks and large + branches of some of the living healthy trees and bore through the + bark to excavate their short vertical egg galleries. The eggs are + deposited along the sides of these galleries and the larvae + hatching from them excavate the radiating food burrows which serve + to girdle the tree or branch. + + The following recommendations for the successful control of this + beetle are based on investigations, experiments and demonstrations + conducted by the experts on forest insects of the Bureau of + Entomology during the past 10 years. + + + RECOMMENDATIONS. + + 1. The best time to conduct the control work is between October 1st + and May 1st, but must be completed before the 1st to middle of May + in order to destroy the broods of the beetle before they begin to + emerge. + + 2. The hickory trees within an area of several square miles that + died during the summer and fall and those of which part or all of + the tops or large branches died should be located and marked with + white paint or otherwise. + + 3. Fell the marked dead trees and cut out all dead branches or the + tops of the remaining marked trees which still have sufficient life + to make a new growth of branches. + + 4. Dispose of all infested trunks and branches in such a manner as + to kill the overwintering broods of the beetles in the bark; (a) by + utilizing the wood for commercial products and burning the refuse; + or (b) utilizing the wood of the trunks and branches for fuel; or + (c) by placing the logs in water and burning the branches and tops; + or (d) by removing the infected bark from the trunks or logs and + burning it with the branches or as fuel. + + 5. So far as combating the beetle is concerned it is unnecessary + and a waste of time to dispose of trees or branches which have been + dead 12 months or more, because the broods of the destructive + beetle are not to be found in such trees. + + 6. Spraying the tops or branches or the application of any + substance as a preventive is not to be recommended. Nothing will + save a tree after the main trunk is attacked by large numbers of + this beetle or after the bark and foliage begin to die. + + 7. The injuries to the twigs by this beetle do not require + treatment. + + 8. The bark and wood of dying and dead trees are almost invariably + infested with many kinds of bark and wood-boring insects which can + do no harm to living trees. Therefore all efforts should be + concentrated on the disposal of the broods of the hickory + barkbeetle, according to the above recommendations. + + In order to insure the protection of the remaining living trees it + is very important that at least a large majority of the dead + infested and partially dead infested trees found within an entire + community of several square miles be disposed of within a single + season to kill the broods of this beetle. Therefore there should be + concerted action by all owners of hickory trees. + + On account of the value of the hickory for shade and nuts and for + many commercial wood products it is important that the people of a + community, county or state who are in any manner interested in the + protection of this class of trees, should give encouragement and + support to any concerted or cooperative effort on the part of the + owners towards the proper control of the hickory bark beetle. + +The following is an extract from a letter from Dr. Felt to Mr. Merkel: + +"Replying to yours of the 11th inst. I would state that Chapter 798 of +the Laws of 1911, a copy of which is enclosed herewith, is, in my +estimation, sufficiently comprehensive to include such an insect as the +hickory bark borer." + +"It is certainly extremely unfortunate that trees past hope and infested +by thousands of insects liable to destroy those in the vicinity, should +be left standing through the winter and the pests allowed to mature and +continue their nefarious work, especially as they could be checked at a +comparatively slight expense and by the adoption of measures which +ultimately must be carried out unless the trees are allowed to decay in +the field. I am much interested in the matter." + +The following are extracts from a letter from Dr. Felt to the Secretary, +under date of Nov. 21, 1911: + +"Your of the 19th is at hand and it gives me pleasure to enclose +herewith a copy of a circular summarizing the hickory bark beetle +situation in this State and suggesting the prompt adoption of remedial +measures. This pest, as you are doubtless aware, is very injurious and +has been responsible for the destruction of thousands of hickories, not +only in the Hudson valley but also during recent years in the central +part of the State. Only a few weeks ago we found a rather bad +infestation in the vicinity of Tivoli. You are doubtless familiar with +my article on this pest, published in Insects Affecting Park and +Woodland Trees, N. Y. State Museum Memoir 8, Volume I, pages 275-79." + +At the annual meeting of the Northern Nut Growers' Association, held +December 14th and 15th, 1911, at the New York State College of +Agriculture, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, the following +resolutions were adopted: + +"Be it resolved that, in view of the distribution and rapid spread of +the disease known as the "Chestnut Blight," especially among the +American species, we express our hearty approval of the efforts being +made by the federal government, the several state departments, and +especially the action of the Pennsylvania state legislature in +appropriating the sum of $275,000 to aid in studying and combating this +dread disease; and + +That we urge the importance of continued efforts along these lines, and +similar action in all other states in which the chestnut species is of +commercial importance, either for timber or nut purposes. + +That the secretary be instructed to send a copy of these resolutions to +the Hon. James Wilson, Secretary of Agriculture, at Washington, D. C. +and to the Commissioner of Agriculture or the Director of Experiment +Stations of the states within which, according to his judgment, the +chestnut species may be of sufficient importance to justify such action. + +Attention is called especially to Farmers' Bulletin No. 467, "The +Control of the Chestnut Bark Disease," Issued Oct. 25th, 1911, by the U. +S. Dept, of Agriculture. + +And be it further resolved that, in view of the depredations in various +parts of the country by the "Hickory Bark Beetle," to which attention +has been called by a press notice of the U. S. Department of +Agriculture, by a circular issued by Dr. E. P Pelt, Entomologist of the +State of New York, by an article entitled "Warning;--The Hickory Bark +Borer is with Us," by Herman W. Merkel, Forester of the New York +Zoological Park, published in Country Life in America, Oct. 15th, 1911, +and by an address before the annual meeting of this association by Prof. +Herrick of the New York State College of Agriculture; and + +In view of the presence of this destructive insect throughout the +eastern states, and as far south and west as Mississippi and Nebraska; +and + +In view of the presumption that its introduction into the pecan area of +the United States would be a calamity; and + +In view further of the fact that it has been demonstrated that prompt +action in the destruction of infested trees will prevent further spread +of this pest, and that it is of the utmost importance that such action +should be taken before the emergence of a new brood of this beetle in +the spring of the year; + +The Secretary be instructed to present these resolutions to the Hon. +James Wilson, Secretary of Agriculture, Washington, D. C, and to the +Commissioners of Agriculture of New York and other states where the +hickory bark beetle is a menace, urging immediate and energetic measures +against the spread of this dangerous pest which in many localities +threatens the hickory tree with serious destruction." + + Jan. 31, 1912. + + +LETTER FROM THE SECRETARY TO HON. CALVIN J. HUSON. + +The Honorable Calvin J. Huson, +Commissioner of Agriculture, +Albany, New York. + +Sir:-- + +I have the honor to transmit herewith the resolutions passed by the +Northern Nut Growers' Association at its annual meeting held at the New +York State College of Agriculture, Ithaca, New York, Dec. 14th and 15th, +1911. + +In connection with these resolutions I wish to recall to your attention +the fact that by the Laws of New York, Chap 798, entitled "AN ACT to +amend the agricultural law, in relation to fungous growths and +infectious and contagious diseases affecting trees," which became a law +July 26th, 1911, the Commissioner of Agriculture is given full power to +deal summarily with these and other pests. + +The testimony of all those fully acquainted with the facts concerning +the "chestnut bark disease," and the "hickory bark borer" is +unanimously to the effect that they have done such an amount of damage, +and threaten such continued destruction, as to demand that every effort +be made to check their ravages, and that even large expense will be +inconsiderable in comparison with the enormous loss that will be +inflicted if these most destructive pests are not checked. + +Attention has been called in the resolutions to the action of the state +of Pennsylvania in appropriating the sum of $275,000 for taking action +in the case of the chestnut bark disease. Since the passage of these +resolutions it is reported that the Governor of the state of +Pennsylvania has called a conference to be held at Harrisburg, February +21st and 22nd, for the purpose of considering further action to be taken +in the case of this disease. It might be well that your office should be +represented at this conference in order that the united action of the +states may be brought about and that our state may not continue to lag +behind in a matter so seriously affecting so many of its inhabitants. + +Detailed information concerning both these diseases is contained in the +literature to which reference is made in the resolutions. + +May I ask if you will kindly inform me what action, if any, has been +taken by the Commissioner of Agriculture, or other department of the +state government, for the study or the control of either of the diseases +referred to. + + +REPLY FROM THE COMMISSIONER OF AGRICULTURE. + + Feb. 7, 1912. + +I have your communication of the 1st inst., duly received and containing +the resolutions passed by the Northern Nut Growers Association at its +meeting in Ithaca on the 14th and 15th of December last. + +Chapter 798 of the Laws of 1911 constitute Sections 304 and 305 of the +Agricultural Law, under which this Department has been working for +several years for the control of such insects as are distributable by +nursery stock, and for the preventing of the establishment in the state +of dangerously injurious insect pests and fungous diseases. If the +Department were to attempt to control the hickory bark borer, it would +require a character of work quite different from anything that we have +undertaken for the reason that this insect would not likely be +distributed in nursery stock. It is an insect that is not only a native +of the country but is quite widely distributed over the state and is one +that is given to irregular periodic outbreaks. Of late its depredations +have shown seriously in the vicinity of New York along the Hudson Valley +and at numerous places in the state. The pest is not amenable to such +treatment as can be used against many other deleterious insects. I am +informed that the only way now known to control the insect is to first +locate it and then destroy all trees or parts of trees in which the +grubs are found before the middle of June. It appears to me that to +attempt the suppression of the hickory bark borer, it would require a +very large force of men and, of course, considerable money. + +Relative to the chestnut bark disease, we had a conference at this +office in the month of October last and the question was discussed by +botanists and foresters from adjoining states and the whole matter was +thoroughly thrashed out by those who were present, including +representatives of the United States Department of Agriculture, +Washington. Invitations have been received from the Governor of +Pennsylvania to a conference to be held at Harrisburg on February 20th +and 21st and I have directed a representative of this Department to be +present. + +Mr. C. H. Pettis, Superintendent of Forests of the State Conservation +Commission, joined in our conference here and I learn that someone will +be sent from that Commission to Harrisburg. + +We have in the hickory bark borer and the chestnut bark disease, two +very serious propositions, the importance of which I fully appreciate. +It is not clear to me what methods should or can be adopted which will +be productive of the greatest good. + +Any suggestions that your Association make will be highly appreciated. +As soon as I learn of the result of the conclusions at the Harrisburg +meeting, I shall be pleased to take the subject up again. + + Very truly yours, + CALVIN J. HUSON, + Commissioner. + + +LETTER FROM THE SECRETARY TO COMMISSIONER OF AGRICULTURE. + + March 16th, 1912. + + Hon. Calvin J. Huson, + Commissioner of Agriculture, + Albany, New York. + +Dear Sir:-- + +Your letter of February 7th in reply to mine of an earlier date in +relation to the hickory bark beetle has been too long unanswered owing +to a rush of professional and other work. I regret this delay as I would +like to do all that I can to expedite the work which should be done as +soon as possible to prevent further damage from this insect. + +If I am not mistaken Chapter 798 of the laws of 1911 is a new law under +which the Department has not previously worked and which states +specifically that "no person shall knowingly or willfully keep any +plants or vines affected or infected with--or other insect pest or +fungous disease dangerously injurious to or destructive of the trees, +shrubs or other plants; every such tree, shrub, plant or vine shall be a +public nuisance, etc." It also states that if the Commissioner of +Agriculture is notified of the presence of any such pests he shall take +such action as the law provides, and the law provides for the +destruction or treatment of diseased trees. + +This law appears to be not confined in its application to nursery stock, +and in this view I am supported by such men as Dr. E. P. Felt, State +Entomologist, and Forester Merkel of the New York Zoological Park. It +appears that the Commissioner of Agriculture not only has the right but +it is his duty to take action under this law when his attention is +called to a matter such as the one in question. + +The methods of procedure under this law seem to be sufficiently clear. +Wherever infected trees are known to exist the Commissioner is directed +to order the owners thereof to destroy them. Failure to obey these +orders constitutes a misdemeanor and the Commissioner may have his +orders carried out by his own agents. + +I am glad that you fully appreciate the serious nature of this pest +which threatens great destruction of one of our most valuable timber and +nut trees and I hope that no obstacle will be allowed to stand in the +way of the enforcement of the full intent of the law. + +This Association will aid such work in any way in its power. + +I would like to call to your attention a report in the Yearbook of the +U. S. Department of Agriculture for 1903, page 317, of the successful +treatment of an outbreak of this pest at Detroit, Michigan. Also to an +address to be published in the transactions of this Association, a copy +of which I will send you, by Prof. Herrick in which he recounts the +successful treatment of another outbreak. + + April 3, 1912. + + W. C. Deming, M. D., + Sec., Northern Nut Growers' Association, + Westchester, New York City. + +Dear Sir:-- + +I am in receipt of your communication of the 16th of March, and have +considered carefully the question of what can be done towards the +control of the hickory bark beetle. As this is a species which at +irregular intervals becomes abundant and capable of doing considerable +local damage, yet I am inclined to think that so far as the Department +of Agriculture can exercise any control, the hickory bark beetle should +be classed among such pests as in a way have like habits of injury, such +for instance as the apple tent caterpillar, forest tent caterpillar, +green maple worm, fruit tree bark beetle, pine bark beetle, and other +thoroughly established native and introduced species, all of which exert +injuries at irregular intervals and then disappear. The hickory bark +beetle suggests one of the problems which is difficult to handle, and it +does not seem that much can be accomplished in a practical way by +starting an agitation on the subject. The entomologist of the New York +Agricultural Experiment Station, Geneva, says that the insect is common +around Geneva, and nearly every season an occasional tree succumbs to +its work. He further says that he believes that hickory trees have some +time in the past suffered from either a severe winter or drought, and +that the shot-hole borer is attacking the weakened trees. + +Owing to wide distribution, I do not see how I can direct a campaign +against this particular insect at this time for the lack of funds. The +appropriations at my disposal under Sections 304-305 of the Agricultural +Law, are scarcely adequate for the large amount of work which has +already been started, and which, owing to its nature, must be kept up +and finished each season. + +It is my opinion that general publicity would result in accomplishing +much, if individual owners were informed how necessary it is to seek out +and destroy the dead trees before the 1st of June, in order to prevent +the insects attacking healthy trees adjoining. The habits of these +insects are thoroughly known and their life histories have been worked +out by our entomologists, and very definite information can be given for +the control of the hickory bark borer. + + Very truly yours, + CALVIN J. HUSON, + Commissioner. + + +RESOLUTIONS PASSED AT THE CONFERENCE CALLED BY THE GOVERNOR OF +PENNSYLVANIA AT HARRISBURG FEB. 20 AND 21 FOR THE CONSIDERATION OF THE +MEASURES TO BE TAKEN TO CONTROL THE CHESTNUT-TREE BARK DISEASE: + +WHEREAS this Conference recognizes the great importance of the chestnut +tree as one of our most valuable timber assets, having an estimated +value of not less than $400,000,000, and + +WHEREAS a most virulent fungous disease has made its appearance in wide +sections of the chestnut timber region, and already many millions of +dollars of damage has been sustained, and the total extinction of the +chestnut tree is threatened by the rapid spread of this disease, and + +WHEREAS we recognize the importance of prompt action. + +THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED: + +That the thanks of this Conference are tendered to Governor Tener for +calling it, and for the courtesies he has shown + +That we appreciate the interest of the President of the United States as +evidenced by his communication to Governor Tener, showing as it does, +that the head of the National Government is not unmindful of the great +danger presented by the Chestnut Blight problem. + +That the Commission appointed by the Governor of Pennsylvania be +commended for the earnestness and diligence they have shown in the +conduct of their work. + +That we urge the National Government, the States and the Dominion of +Canada to follow the example of Pennsylvania, which is analogous to that +of Massachusetts in starting the fight against the gypsey moth, and +appropriate an amount sufficient to enable their proper authorities to +cope with the disease where practicable. + +That we favor the bill now before Congress appropriating $80,000 for the +use of the U. S. Department of Agriculture in Chestnut Bark Disease +work, and urge all States to use every means possible to aid in having +this bill become a law at the earliest moment. + +That we believe trained and experienced men should be employed in field +and laboratory to study the diseases in all its phases. + +That we believe definite boundaries should be established where +advisable in each State beyond which limits an endeavor should be made +to stamp out the disease. + +That we believe an efficient and strong quarantine should be maintained +and that it should be the earnest effort of every state, the Federal +Government and the Dominion of Canada to prevent the spread of the +disease within and beyond their borders. In accord with this thought we +strongly commend the efforts being made to pass the Simmons bill now +before Congress. + +That we believe strong efforts should be made in all States to stimulate +the utilization of chestnut products, and in order to do so, we +recommend that the Interstate Commerce Commission permit railroads and +other transportation companies to name low freight rates so that +chestnut products not liable to spread the disease may be properly +distributed. + +That we recommend the National Government, each State and the Dominion +of Canada to publish practical, concise and well illustrated bulletins +for educating owners of chestnut trees. + +That we believe further meetings on the line of this Conference +advisable and we hope the Pennsylvania Commission will arrange for +similar meetings. + +That we thank the State of Pennsylvania for its intention to publish +immediately the proceedings of this Conference. + +That copies of these resolutions be forwarded to the President of the +United States, to the Governor of every State, to the Governor General +of the Dominion of Canada, and the members of the Federal and State +legislatures, with the request that they do all in their power to aid in +checking the ravages of this dread disease. + + + * * * * * + + +WHITE'S +BUDDING TOOL + +(PATENTED APRIL 1905) + + +PECANS, HICKORIES, CHESTNUTS +WALNUTS, PERSIMMONS +And all other trees + +$2.75 DELIVERED + +_A Scientific Instrument for the Propagation of the Pecan and other +Trees by the Annular, Semi-annular, Patch and Veneer Methods._ + +FOR SALE BY +HERBERT C. 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Varieties of Pecans +introduced by us won all the premiums offered on Pecans in the Morris +Competition, at the December convention of Northern Nut Growers, Cornell +University, 1911. We are the pioneers in the growing of hardy pecan +trees. You get the benefit of our wide experience extending over several +years when you plant "Arrowfield" trees. + +Our Persian (English) Walnut trees are of hardy northern types, budded +on black walnut stocks. + +We shall have some unusually fine specimens for next season Let us book +your order, select some fine trees for you and bring them to prime +condition for delivery at such date as you may designate. + +Write for our booklet "Nut Trees". 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JONES +The Nut Tree Specialist Willow Street, Pa. + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Northern Nut Growers Association +Report of the Proceedings at the Second Annual Meeting, by Northern Nut Growers Association + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 2ND ANNUAL MEETING *** + +***** This file should be named 22312.txt or 22312.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/2/2/3/1/22312/ + +Produced by Marilynda Fraser-Cunliffe, Janet Blenkinship +and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at +https://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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