Chapter XIX: Section X: Amendments to By-Laws (12)

The final solution of the problem was determined by my observation this year of grafted hickories of several sizes and ages were Weschcke shagbark (_C. ovata_)[33] scions and other hickory scions, such as Siers, Bridgewater, Deveaux, Beaver, and Fairbanks have been grafted on the same tree to act as pollinators for the Weschcke, which is devoid of pollen.[33] This year particularly, the difference in rate of growth between two varieties grafted on the same stock was very apparent; in every case all other varieties greatly exceeded the growth of the Weschcke hickory, but in many cases, only the Weschcke hickory had any nuts growing on the graft, and if there were any nuts on another graft, there were but a few. In practically all cases, the diameters of the scions of varieties of hickory other than the Weschcke were at least twice the diameters of the Weschcke grafts, and the growth of all varieties so grafted was healthy and vigorous and thoroughly compatible with the native bitternut hickory root system.

Several years ago I had to trim some of these other varieties back in order to allow the Weschcke graft to get more growth because it was so backward in development that it looked as though it might be crowded out of existence. It never occurred to me in those years that it was the difference in rate of growth between the two varieties which was really responsible for the difference in the diameter of the scion growth, and not some accident of propagation. Now it is very apparent, from the many examples that I have about me, that the Weschcke hickory is about one-half as fast a grower as such varieties as Bridgewater, Deveaux, Laney, Siers, and many others. This, then, accounts for the heavy bearing of the Weschcke when it starts to bear on the bitternut roots, and it also explains the lack of bearing in such varieties as Beaver, Fairbanks, Laney, Siers, Pleas, Deveaux, Rockville, Green Bay, Hope pecan, Stanley shellbark, Platman, Kirtland, Glover, Barnes, and many others which are hardy and get along well with the native bitternut root system, some of them having lived more than fifteen years grafted in such combination. The Bridgewater is the only variety which bears a fair crop of nuts as compared to the prolific Weschcke, and is the pollinator for the Weschcke when used in orchard planting.

[Footnote 33: See author's added remarks following.--Ed.]

+Are Pecan Stocks Desirable for Hickory Scions?+

It would appear, therefore, that it is necessary for stocks to be at least as vigorous as the variety to which they are grafted, and to insure this it would seem to me that the northern pecan seeds, such as grow around Des Moines, Iowa, would be the proper seedling stock for almost any variety of hickory, as they outgrow bitternuts and shagbarks by quite a margin. I have only one Weschcke grafted on a pecan of this sort, and it makes much greater growth each year than does this variety grafted on the native bitternut stocks. However, it has not started to bear yet and the reason is that it is still very young, and is over-topped by plum brush and apple trees.

Since it requires about ten years here for a native bitternut to acquire the proper size of one-half inch to three-quarter inch diameter, which is about the size necessary for grafting, you have some idea of how slowly this native species grows. The forest trees, of which there seem to be thousands on my property, very seldom exceed a diameter of six inches, yet they appear to be very old trees. Occasionally we find one that reaches the diameter of a foot or more, and generally it is one that is located where it has plenty of space to grow, as in open pasture. The tree is rather easy to graft to many varieties of hickories. No doubt if it were grown in large numbers, in the proper soil, the time for producing seedling stock ready for nursery propagation could be cut down. But it appears more likely that some northern pecan seed can be found which will produce a hardy understock to furnish a seedling of sufficient vigor and size for propagating purposes in five years or less.

+Records of Bearing+

Our first successful grafting of Weschcke hickory on bitternut hickory (_Carya cordiformis_) was in 1927, but these grafts did not bear for about ten years. We know now that this was because there was a lack of pollen of the shagbark species to pollinate its blossoms. Now these trees are bearing profusely.

The second batch of grafts from the original Weschcke hickory, which grew near Fayette, Iowa, was made in 1934. One mature nut from grafts made that spring was gathered from the ground in the same year, about October 1, 1934, but it had been partly consumed by a squirrel. From that year to the present, these grafted trees produced each year and never failed to mature some edible nuts up to and including this year, when there is a very large crop (6-1/2 bushels). This, then, is the 15th consecutive crop of nuts of which I have a record. During two years we had such early fall frosts that the nuts were a little shriveled and not fully mature, but still edible. In other years there were some light crops, but there never has been a crop failure in all this time. The variation in bearing is also due in part to several late frosts which in the spring in some years killed back all the foliage and newly expanding buds. Yet new dormant buds opened, some of which had flowers, and so carried on the unbroken bearing record.

Last winter (1947-48) produced the most severe damage to exotic species of fruit and nut trees as well as ornamentals, including evergreens, ever recorded in this area; yet the grafted Weschcke hickory trees were so loaded down with nuts that I had to support the load by tying up branches to keep them off the ground. This tough winter caused almost every variety of apple tree to be barren, such as Wealthy, Northwestern Greening, Whitney Crab, Haralson and Malinda. Only two varieties, Lowland Raspberry and Hibernal, bore fair crops. Last winter killed outright (to the ground) most of my Thomas black walnuts, some of which were more than 25 years old, and damaged severely such other varieties as Ohio, Vandersloot, and Ten Eyck. The winter was responsible also for the killing of several seedling Chinese chestnuts which had survived ten years of our winters and yet others of these Chinese chestnuts are growing again from sprouts near the ground surface. The mulberries suffered greatly also, but in general the hickories of many varieties came through this winter, with very little damage, and most of them are bearing a few nuts. Even the wild hazels suffered differing amounts of damage and have only partial crops of nuts because of the effects of the winter.

In conclusion, keep in mind that these experiments and tests have been conducted in severe climatic conditions in the 45th parallel at River Falls, Wisconsin, 35 miles east of St. Paul, Minnesota, and that out of more than fifty varieties of hickories and pecans and their hybrids tested, only these two, Bridgewater and Weschcke hickory, (both thin-shelled easy-cracking varieties), have succeeded to a point which can be classed as commercial; the writer can now recommend these two varieties for propagation by nursery firms capable of undertaking the propagation of hickory nut trees, the sale of which to the public is a foregone conclusion.

_By request of the secretary, Mr. Weschcke sent the following additional information on the Weschcke hickory:_

About ten years ago I noticed that there was no pollen coming from this tree and yet from the very beginning, even when there was no other pollen available except the wild hickory pollen from the _Carya cordiformis_, the Weschcke hickory produced nuts. Thinking that it was due to parthenogenesis I bagged clusters of pistillate blossoms, and although setting nuts they all dropped off which is typical of non-pollenization. I then bagged groups of pistillate blossoms which I pollinized with different available pollens of the _Carya ovata_ and these set nuts which started to grow, upon which I removed the bags. From this experiment I found that the Bridgewater did a very good job of pollenization and it became the tree that I considered as a compatible mate. Other trees that pollinate well are Kirkland, Deveaux and Glover; Beaver is not a good pollenizer and I have not experimented with Fairbanks to know whether it is satisfactory. The catkins grow vigorously on the Weschcke up to the time that the pollen sacs seem ready to open, then the catkin drops off. No pollen has ever matured that I know of. When dried from this state, they yield no pollen.

I told Dr. J. W. McKay about this nearly seven years ago, and he asked for fresh samples of the catkins at different periods which I mailed to him in receptacles that he furnished. He wrote me a very nice treatise on this subject for inclusion in my book which I expected to be published at that time. The book was never published, however, since Orange Judd turned it down during the war for lack of paper as the excuse. I did not try any further to get it published, and since that time many new things should be added to the hazel hybrid chapter. Dr. McKay said that he is familiar with this action on the part of nut trees. I have felt that it was phenomenal since I have had no other such experience among all the nut trees with which I have experimented. However, this loss of pollen saves vitality apparently for the production of several times the pistillate bloom that I have seen on any other hickory with which I have worked and this apparently accounts for the prolificacy of the Weschcke when grafted on the native Wisconsin hickory. (Male-sterility occurs with chestnut and apple.--Ed.)

At first I considered the Weschcke somewhat of a hybrid nut; later I changed my mind about it and considered it a pure shagbark. I have reversed my opinion again and consider the possibility of its being slightly hybrid with bitternut blood. The parent tree at Fayette, Iowa stood close to big bitternuts. The shell, being the thinnest of all hickories (known to me) leads me to suspect the hybridity with the bitternut. It is quite smooth and the ridges are less prominent than in almost any other hickory except such known hybrids as the Beaver. Its shape is oval to long and it is flat so that whenever you throw a handful down to a smooth surface they all assume the same position, and because of this they would no doubt lend themselves to commercial cracking as they would feed through the mechanism of a cracking machine exactly in the same order.

I have not always had such a high opinion of this nut. Dr. Deming has letters from me which have a disparaging note, and although Dr. Deming considered it a valuable nut, he has letters from me in which I indicated that I was sorry that it was not productive and that it had such a small nut. Both these conditions changed with time and within twenty years this nut sometimes becomes one of the largest hickories of the cultivated varieties and its proficacy then probably depended on correct pollination which I was not aware of in the beginning.

I hope you will pardon me for dwelling so on this hickory, but after working with hickories for nearly thirty years it certainly seems remarkable to me that we have such a productive variety that is hardy this far north and west, that is perfectly at home on the native hickory roots, and that matures its nuts from September 15 to October 1, is self-hulling, that has escaped the attack of all sorts of weevils that infest our native nuts. (I have never found one wormy Weschcke hickory nut although sometimes you find empty nuts.) This variety also escapes the spring frosts so that there have been fourteen consecutive years of bearing without interruption. The foliage is vigorous, has no diseases so far; the young branches are sometimes cut off by oak tree pruners or girdlers. This happens to many kinds of trees, including all the oaks, butternut, black walnut, all the hickories and even the chestnuts. When you take into consideration the fact, that no other hickory has such a fine record it makes me very enthusiastic over this variety in spite of the fact that it bears my name. Were you to classify this hickory from casual observation, you would think it is a pure shagbark, and it is only the extreme thinness of shell and the outside appearance pf the nut shell which indicates some slight hybridity.

Progress with Nuts at Wolfeboro, New Hampshire

MATTHEW LAHTI

Inasmuch as I do not expect to be able to attend the thirty-ninth annual meeting, I thought I would report to you on the progress of my nut trees since my letter of a year ago.

Last winter was a severe one in Wolfeboro, New Hampshire (43 deg. 36' north latitude.) We had more than the usual amount of snow, and although the temperature did not get down much lower than 25 deg. below zero at my place, it remained cold for many days at a time without relief. This, and the fact that last fall was one of the driest seasons on record, plus the fact that this spring it rained almost continuously for more than a month, resulted in considerable damage to my nut trees.

My Broadview Persian walnut graft suffered severe damage, with branches up to two inches in diameter being killed. Whether this was from frost or lack of moisture in the fall I do not know, but two Crath Persian walnuts, one of which is situated within fifty feet of the Broadview, suffered no apparent winter injury at all. Neither Broadview nor Crath bore any nuts this year, whereas last year the Broadview produced eighteen nuts.

My Gellatly heartnut also suffered severe winter injury similar to the Broadview Persian walnut, and after it leafed out it looked as if a fire had gone through it because of the dead wood. However, it is bearing thirteen nuts this year.

Strange to say, the black walnut trees did not suffer any winter injury (the Thomas, set out in the spring of 1939, having been injured in each previous winter), except that the Tasterite is barren of nuts this year against a pretty good crop last year. However, the Thomas is bearing a fair crop, but the nuts are smaller than usual.

While my hickory trees appeared to suffer no winter injury, out of possibly two dozen that I have planted since 1939 I expect to have only three left. The number had dwindled to nine last year, and six of those I am afraid will be dead by the end of next year. These six had done well for six or seven years. The cause appears to be poor circulation through the graft union. This is unfortunate as I believe hickory trees will live and bear fruit in our climate.

I had the usual experience with filberts and hazelnuts, namely that the catkins were, for the most part, Winter killed. There, are no nuts on Rush, Barcelona, Medium Long, or Red Lambert, and the Winkler bushes [self-fertile--Ed.] which bore heavily last year (although the nuts did not fully ripen), are bearing only a few nuts this year.

Native butternut trees last year bore a heavy crop of nuts. This year, the crop is very light.

As an experiment, I planted three Chinese chestnuts this spring: Abundance, Nanking, and a "straight line" seedling. Although I haven't much hope that they will survive many winters, I thought I would try them out.

Several people have inquired about nut growing in New Hampshire, and I have sent them a resume of my experiences.

Breeding Chestnuts in the New York City Area

ALFRED SZEGO, Jackson Heights, New York City

[Part of a letter to the Secretary, October 27, 1948.]

I am one of those members who have not been able to attend annual meetings. In the two or three years that I have been a member, I have derived great enjoyment from reading the annual reports and receiving information through your news bulletin.

Therefore, when I received your improved bulletin, "The Nutshell," I felt that I and others like me should write and tell you how wonderful it is.

There is much that I just want to "get off my chest." My past criticism was that the organization was a bit lethargic. But nut trees are _slow_ in showing results, despite the nurserymen's attractive visions of quick, big harvests of nuts and even timber!!! This slow patience of the black walnut has determined the tempo of much of the membership.

+Chestnut Breeding Efforts+

My main work is to attempt to breed two types of chestnuts: (1) One that is very productive with a low head and will bear nuts like the old American chestnut. (2) Another that will make a good timber stick. It is my theory that present chestnut breeders are crossing inferior material, using any specimens that happen to be in flower at the right time as long as they represent the species to be crossed.

Suppose they intend to cross _C. crenata_ x _C. dentata_. An average Japanese chestnut is usually pollinated with flowers from a poor struggling sprout on the edge of the woods that has only one thing to recommend it. That is an early bearing characteristic which is inherent, but which, according to experiments and observations I have tediously carried out, _is not totally due to ringing by the blight_.

The experiment takes place and a few hybrid nuts are produced. They are termed (_C. crenata_ x _C. dentata_). It is expected that the characteristics of the offspring will be somewhere between those of the two parents in blight resistance and nut size and quality. But what of the grandparents, the many ancestors of the American chestnut sprout that have not even the slight resistance of the sprout? Can they not express their characteristics and hand them, down to their grandchildren? And some individuals of _C. crenata_ are not reputed to be so highly blight resistant.

Of course the scientists engaged in this work are men of the highest calibre and no doubt are aware of this, but it is extremely difficult to obtain, propagate, and care for named varieties of the finest individuals of each chestnut species.

Apple, cherry, and other fruit breeders would not dream of crossing common scrub cull fruit trees and expect any degree of success.

My first task when I began, three years ago, on my coppice growth 35 to 40 year old hardwood forest, was to clear a little land and to begin planting different world species of _Castanea_.

You would be astonished to find that it was impossible for me to obtain seed or trees, at the time, of _C. crenata_, _C. seguinii_, _C. pumila_, _C. henryi_ and _C. alnifolia_. I obtained some 24 seeds of _C. mollisima_ from Dr. A. H. Graves, for which I was grateful. At the time he didn't have a good crop, I think. Institutions and government agencies would not or did not like to release their newly developed hybrids for fear that I was a nurseryman or perhaps would sell them for "blight resistant" chestnuts, although they were not yet proven.

+Experiment at Pine Plains+

By diligent search I managed to get a few trees and hybrids of _C. crenata_ and a variety (seedling of) called "Colossal." These thrived and survived about 30 deg. below zero under deep snow at Pine Plains, New York. I also set out 2 bushes (_C. pumila_) obtained from Harlan P. Kelsey, East Boxford, Massachusetts. Dr. Graves' seed gave fair germination, and I now have seven nice young _mollisimas_ from 8" to 30" high. Of two three year old trees I obtained from a local nursery, one died (my fault) from not reducing the top, and the other died back to the ground from winterkill, but came back again as sprouts. I easily obtained seed of _C. sativa_, but the severe winter mowed the seedlings down and there are only two survivors. One is smaller this year than last but the other is about 14" high and making slow, straight growth. The _chinkapins_ are perfectly hardy and this year one of them made _3 feet of growth_.

I estimate that I have some 3,000 to 4,000 American chestnut sprouts that range anything from 1 to 18 feet in height. But more promising--I have a cluster of fine young seedlings that I have been caring for. All the woods were cleared away from them to give them plenty of light. They are watered by the old hand bucket method in dry spells. I report on them occasionally to Mr. G. F. Gravatt and Mr. Russell B. Clapper of the U.S.D.A. They are a faint ray of hope.

Four of them are about from 18 to 20 feet tall. One is about 9 feet high. One blighted and died two years ago and was removed. Another blighted at the base and I cut the canker out, but I fear it's going. One branch is dead and was removed. The others developed strong blight resistance. Small cankers formed on the lower branches but did not make headway. I cut some of these out and the trees healed nicely. As the trees become older, their resistance diminishes and the proof lies ahead. One tree that I labeled No. 1 has about two dozen, well healed _Endothia_ scars already. The trees have not bloomed for me yet but I may have some results soon. I intend to cross this clonal group with the following:

1. With _C. seguinii_ for greater blight resistance and productivity.

2. With _C. mollisima_ (var. Abundance) for blight resistance, fine nuts of medium size, and a good timber stick with good vigor.

3. With large Japanese like Austin, and their hybrids like "Colossal," for a medium size nut of fair quality and highly prolific for the general market for a cooking or roasting chestnut.

Though many people dislike the Japanese chestnuts, they are at least productive and hardy (at my place). Their chief attribute is their possibility as food for stock and wildlife. Some of the same people who dislike them (among nurserymen) recommend planting oaks which certainly do not compare with _C. crenata_. When a very "sweet" acorn is found it is proclaimed to be "as good as Japanese chestnut."

The Chinese chestnut has its faults here. It is not very thrifty in growth here and as a rule doesn't bear until late. It is not very productive and the nuts spoil easily. I have since planted much seed from the south and it often doesn't even get here in a viable condition.

+Assistance from Beltsville+

My work has lately been facilitated by Mr. Gravatt and Mr. Clapper. I visited them at Beltsville and Mr. Clapper personally toured the orchard with me at Glenn Dale, showing me the kind of helpful courtesy that one never forgets and that is a tribute to these men.

Some promising material was given to me which will greatly facilitate my work. Mr. Gravatt suggested the use of "Ammate" as an experiment to poison trees that interfere with any American chestnut growth I wish to save. The experiment is intended to eliminate the resulting sprouts that accompany girdling. Incidentally, part of the experiment is to attempt to give light and cultivation and fertilizer to 100 native chestnut sprouts in a four acre area.

I have some information on American chestnut sprouts that may be of interest to the membership. In an endeavor to locate the best American material, I have been combing the woods and thickets on Long Island, in New Jersey, Connecticut, and parts of Dutchess County, New York (the latter not extensively). Many thousands of sprouts were examined to discover the following:

_Their present status._

1. Sprouts occur almost always in woodlands.

2. They reach their greatest height and are most luxuriant at the edge of woodlands or in clearings therein.

3. They rarely exceed 15 feet in height and reach a diameter of about three inches.

4. One in many hundreds, and only where there is light in abundance, will bear flowers.

5. One in many thousands bears female or pistillate flowers which sometimes produce "blind" or empty nuts. [Unpollinated--ED.]

6. Rarely, indeed very rarely, are two flowering trees close enough to produce viable seed.

7. There are a few seedlings that are single stem upright trees (no old stump in evidence) that reach up to 20 and rarely 25 or 30 feet in height with a diameter of 6" or so.

(Mr. R. B. Clapper thinks it is probably due to the absence of an old, infected stump that this greater height is reached.)

8. Ringing by the blight does not necessarily force the flowers and nuts. The woodlands abound with chestnut sprouts in all stages of girdling without pollen or fruit.

When I have my trees in bearing, I will be glad to furnish pollen and nuts from them to anyone that pursues the important work of trying to improve what I consider the most promising nut tree we yet know.

Winter Injury to Nut Trees at Ithaca, New York, in the Fall and Winter of 1947-48

L. H. MacDANIELS and DAMON BOYNTON, Ithaca, N. Y.

The winter of 1947-48 caused more damage to nut trees at Ithaca, New York, than any since 1933-34. It was a combination of a series of early freezes followed by sub-zero temperature in mid-winter. Apparently the most injury was done by the fall freezes. These occurred on September 25, 26, and 27. On each successive night the temperature dropped lower than the preceding, and on September 27 was around 20 deg.F. There was considerable variation in temperature related to exposure, air drainage conditions, and other factors.

On West Hill in Ithaca the minimum temperature recorded on September 27 was 23 deg.F. Injury to leaves and nuts was severe. Within a few days the leaves had shrivelled and dried on the trees. It was apparent that this early freeze came before the abscission layers were formed in the leaf bases or growth matured. Ordinarily, a hard freeze late in the season will cause the trees to drop the leaves the next day. The nuts on the trees were frozen solid and mostly turned black within a few days and began to shrivel. Development was stopped, with the result that the nuts on all varieties were very poorly filled. The cavities appeared on first cracking to be full of kernel, but on drying these shrunk so that they were practically valueless. Some of the nuts were planted in a nursery row in the fall and germinated fairly early, showing viable embryos in spite of arrested development.

During the winter the temperature fell to -25 deg.F, a temperature which ordinarily would not damage black walnuts seriously. It is impossible to separate the effect of the low winter temperatures from that of the early freeze in September. In this location the net result of the early freeze and the severe winter was to kill vigorously growing grafts on the walnut trees. Also the cambium in the main crotches of a Stambaugh tree with a trunk about 14 inches in diameter was killed. This tree was destroyed in a windstorm in August, 1948, but it is not clear that the breakage was related to the winter killing in 1947-48. None of the trees now has a good crop, which may be or may not be related to the frost in the fall. It is entirely possible that failure to form blossom buds is caused either by killing of bud primordia or more likely by depletion of carbohydrate reserves due to the loss of leaves in early fall.

One seedling of Carpathian walnut was not damaged seriously except for some slight terminal twig killing. Another tree, however, had most of the smaller branches killed. Hickories and chestnuts were apparently not seriously damaged but some seedlings of the Japanese walnut were killed to the ground.

+Walnut and Hickory Plantings+

At the orchard of the Department of Pomology of Cornell University there is a large collection of walnut and hickory varieties and other nut trees. It is not known exactly what the temperatures were in this location but an exposed location half a mile distant had a minimum September temperature recorded of 24 deg.F. and minimum winter temperature of -20 deg.F. The planting in question is on two levels and on a hillside. The damage on the hillside and the upper level was relatively less than on the lowlands where apparently the air drainage was poor. Probably the temperature in the lowlands may have reached 20 deg.F. in September and -25 deg.F. in the winter. At any rate, the damage to the trees was much more severe than in the West Hill location where the temperature reached 23 deg.F. in September.

Injury to the black walnut on the higher land and on the hillside was mostly the killing back of the twigs and smaller branches. On some trees, the petioles of last year's leaves were still attached to the dead twigs late the following summer, showing that the freeze occurred before the abscission layers had formed. The dozen or more varieties of black walnut on the higher land showed little difference between them except that the Elmer Myers showed somewhat greater injury. On the low ground, many varieties including Murphy, Edmunds, Benton, Ohio, Todd, and Stambaugh were killed to the ground or back to the main branches of the trunk. Of three Thomas trees, about 20 years old, one was killed outright, one severely injured, and the other injured only in the twigs. Apparently the difference in these three trees was related to the size of the crop on the trees, although no definite data are available on this point. Walnuts showing little or no injury were: Mintle and Tasterite. Neither of these had had a crop in 1947.

Many of the varieties of hickory were injured as was the native bitternut, _Carya cordiformis_. This injury consisted mostly of the killing back of the lower limbs and twigs with some varieties being killed outright. Killing of the lower limbs as compared with the tops of the trees is probably related to lower temperatures near the ground due to temperature inversion and possibly to the fact that the lower branches were somewhat weaker in their growth. This sort of injury is common with fruit trees.

On the higher ground the Chinese chestnut trees planted some 20 years ago showed considerable injury. About 50% of them were killed and others were damaged in the lower branches. Chestnut trees in this planting had all survived the cold winter of 1933-34, with winter temperatures below -30 deg.F., so that it is probable that the early freeze of September 27 was responsible for their death.

Japanese walnut seedlings again showed great difference in hardiness, the more tender seedlings killing to the ground and others showing little damage.

Northern pecans on higher ground showed severe damage, the killing extending to the trunk and larger limbs. The variety Burlington, which is a hybrid, pecan x shagbark, showed little injury.

In a planting of several hundred seedling black walnut trees in another location the temperature on September 27 was probably around 18-20 deg.F. About 20% of the trees were killed to the ground. These trees were growing under a sod mulch, were not overly vigorous, and for the most part had not come into fruiting.

In the 1947-48 winter about half of the sweet cherries in the Pomology orchard were killed and peaches were severely injured. No injury was apparent on apple trees.

Weather conditions such as occurred in 1947-48, though unusual, are to be expected occasionally in the latitude of Ithaca, and in fact throughout the northern states. Apparently the fall freeze was widespread as it was almost impossible to obtain any black walnuts that were of any value. Some of the specimens received from other sources obviously had been frozen. The possibility of such damage might well be a deterrent on planting black walnuts in any considerable acreage as a commercial venture in the north. The experience of the past year certainly emphasizes the fact that as yet our knowledge of varieties is incomplete and also that the Northern Nut Growers Association has much work to do in either locating or developing varieties of greater hardiness or with growth characteristics which provide early maturity and thus immunity from early frost damage.

What Came Through the Hard Winter in Ontario

GEORGE HEBDEN CORSAN, Islington, Ontario

For winter killing of trees I refer you to the winter of 1947-48. I had a huge elm and a very tall white ash killed. A lot of black walnuts and heartnuts and some Persian (English) walnuts were killed back the length of last year's growth. Some Persian walnuts were killed to the ground while others were not even nipped off of a bud. Very strange to say, my best Persian walnut---whose shell is very thin, whose meats are very sweet and fat, the tree itself a fast grower, prolific and self-pollenizing--not only did not show a sign of trouble but actually had a crop of most excellent nuts. _These trees only_ will I distribute in future, as well as my two types of "Rumanian Giants." The Rumanian Giants did show a little winter killing of two or three inches of the tips and showed up poorly on the crop size.

I find that all my Russian walnuts [_J. regia_, probably "Carpathian"--Ed.] run true to seed--no bitter nuts as from north China. They evidently planted the sweet nuts only, thus eliminating the bitter types; they knew and practiced no budding or grafting in [that part of] Russia. Astounding to say, filberts came through last winter in excellent shape, but the terrible, cold, late spring, froze all male blossoms but those of the "Jones Hybrid" types, which I have from seeds I sowed. These latter yielded a good crop of nuts as did Brixnut seedlings.

Not a butternut on a tree nor a beechnut! Some black walnuts were loaded while others were quite empty.

And so I predicted--last September--a mild, open winter with some cold days. [His prediction was good for his locality.--Ed.]

My "Senator Pepper" hybrid (butternut x heartnut cross) had a crop but my "David Fairchild" had some empty and some full. My "Mitchell hybrid" had a good crop and, believe me, this nut is far away ahead of the Mitchell heartnut and up against the world for cracking out clean. It will equal an almond, and as for taste, it is so far ahead of a Brazil nut that the Brazil nut would rank D 3 beside it.

I still believe in seed planting, even for speed of eventual growth. Last October I climbed up a black walnut tree I planted in mid-World War I. From the top of it I looked away down to the tops of electric power poles!

Filberts Grow in Vermont

JOSEPH N. COLLINS, R.F.D. No. 3, Putney, Vermont

Fifteen years ago I set out a few hundred nut trees and bushes. The Chinese chestnuts are not doing very well, as they needed more attention than I could give them. Honeylocusts, in this climate, require more time. At present I can report only on seedling filberts. The seeds for these plants were collected from the four corners of the world. Some of the seedlings perished, lots of them were discarded as unworthy. At present I am setting out two acres of the ones that stood up well under the test.

The filbert (_Corylus avellana_) is a bush 15 to 20 feet tall and the bushes should be planted 20 to 25 feet apart. It doesn't mind partial shade, requires no spraying and very little pruning. Like the red raspberry, it is easily propagated by suckers. Most of my bushes started producing when they were four years old and now in their fourteenth year, drop about 15 pounds of large fine nuts each September. They stand up well under the rigorous Vermont climate, at an elevation of 1,000 feet. Knowing as much about their growing habits as I do, I believe that a steady winter with plenty of snow on the ground and a late spring that isn't fickle, is well suited for filbert growing in the Northeast. The need for wind protection and good air and water drainage cannot be over-emphasized.

There are a few reasons why I should advise against growing filberts in tree fashion--with a single trunk, as they are mostly grown on the West Coast. The catkins of the filbert develop during the summer, lie dormant through the winter, and shed their pollen very early in the spring. Should the temperature fall as low as -35 deg.F, the catkins winterkill. To overcome this shortcoming, I bend down and peg to the ground, in the late fall, a few slim shoots with dormant catkins, so that the snow, or some other mulching material supplied when there is insufficient snow, will cover and protect the catkins from winterkilling.

By the end of March, after a stretch of fair weather, two tiny red tongues appear at the tips of some of the leaf buds. These are the pollen catching parts of the pistillate flowers. If the winter was kind, the filbert bushes will be a riot of golden catkins, shedding their pollen. If the catkins remain dormant when the pistillate flowers bloom, they have been winterkilled, and the bent down reserves have to be called up. These being protected during the winter, on being bent back to their original position, will come into bloom in a few days, pollenizing the waiting pistillate flowers. Bees eagerly seek this, one of the earliest pollens. The now fertilized flowers, which always stayed inside the buds, go back to sleep for about two months; they are safe from the "North Easter," from late freezes, or from snow. When filberts are grown naturally, that is with many shoots from the ground, it is easy to harvest them by shaking the slender shoots. I hand hoed my bushes for the first three years, and gave them a permanent mulch over the whole area, adding some material each year.

I am inclined to believe that part of my success with filberts is due to mulching. In the middle of summer, I apply a 4" cover of low grade hay, and in the fall I again cover the ground with fallen leaves. Due to the ideal conditions thus created (optimum temperature and moisture) for soil bacteria and earthworms, this material is entirely digested. The mulching material almost disappears by the middle of the next summer, indicating vigorous biological activity. By this time a new layer of mulch is spread, completing the cycle. Late in the fall a load of manure is heaped in the middle of the plantation as an earthworm refuge. This heap is scattered early in the spring. Light applications of wood ashes and super-phosphate are given yearly, late in the fall.

In conclusion, I wish to state that selected varieties of filbert nuts can be grown in the Northeast. Hybrids between the American and European filbert are good growers and producers, although I find that the flavor of the nut isn't as good as that of the pure _avellana_. I would advise the planting of a dozen bushes by each of a great number of persons further to prove the possibilities of growing this specific nut in the New England area, also to promote the idea of growing both feed and food on trees and bushes.

Report of Necrology Committee

C. E. SCHUSTER

Carl E. Schuster, horticulturist with the U. S. Department of Agriculture stationed on the Oregon State College campus and generally recognized as the nation's foremost authority on filbert production, died February 6, 1948, in Corvallis as a result of a heart attack. At the time of his death, he was 58.

Associated with the Northwest's growing nut industry for more than 30 years, he was recognized for his outstanding contributions to filbert and walnut production. One of his first and most outstanding developments was related to the pollination requirements of filbert trees. After research proved the common commercial filbert variety, the Barcelona, was self-sterile, he recommended to filbert growers that they plant DuChilly, Daviana and White Aveline filbert trees with their Barcelona to insure complete pollination. Full crops resulted.

+Organized Summer Tours+

For approximately 20 years prior to 1941, he served as secretary-treasurer of the Western Nut Growers Association. In this capacity he assisted in starting the summer tours which have been carried on continuously since. He helped guide the Association through its early years to a position of importance among the commodity groups of the state. In 1941, he was forced to relinquish his office as a result of the enactment of a federal regulation. At this time, he was given an honorary life membership in the Association.

In recent years, he devoted major attention to orchard management with emphasis on fertilization and general nutrition needs of nut trees. In this work he co-operated with Dr. R. E. Stephenson at Oregon State College. Their outstanding development was in the field Of boron deficiency in walnuts.

Walnut production of many orchards, they discovered, could be increased two and three fold by the addition of borax fertilizer. The presence of "snake heads" or sprouts in summer walnut growth and "die-back" or winter kill noticeable in some walnut trees during the winter months are now generally recognized as signs of boron deficiency.

+Wrote Many Nut Articles+

Other work in walnuts proved that fertilizer applications can and do pay. Prior to this work with resulting fertilizer recommendations, many walnut growers had not made heavy enough applications on certain soil types and felt that fertilizers were not worthwhile in walnut production.

Mr. Schuster was the author of many articles pertaining to nut culture.

In the 10 years he was on the staff of the college horticulture department before entering federal service, he made an outstanding record in teaching and research. With other scientists he worked in developing a successful pollination program for cherries. This work was carried on after it was determined that the three leading cherry varieties, Royal Ann, Bing, and Lambert, were all self-sterile and intersterile.

A native of Ohio, he came to Oregon in 1912 to attend Oregon State College after having completed two years at Ohio Wesleyan. He received a B.S. degree in agriculture in 1914 and two years later, 1916, received his master's degree.

He joined the college staff three years later and remained until 1929, when he took the federal position he held until his death. He was a veteran of World War I, having served as an infantry second lieutenant. He was a member of Alpha Zeta Sigma Xi, and Gamma Sigma Delta honor societies and was a life-long member of the Evangelical church, which has since merged with the United Brethren church.

He is survived by Mrs. Schuster and four children, Charles, Robert and Margaret--all Oregon State College students, and Flora, a high school student. A brother, Dr. Earl J, Schuster, lives at Tillamook.--Reprinted from _Better Fruit_ magazine.

MRS. LAURA SELDEN ELLWANGER

Mrs. Laura Selden Ellwanger, member of one of Rochester's pioneer families, died at her home, 510 East Avenue, Rochester, New York on September 1, 1948, after a short illness.

She was the widow of William D. Ellwanger, whose father, George Ellwanger, was a co-founder of the Ellwanger & Barry Nursery Company.

Her brother, George B. Selden, was inventor of the gasoline automobile, and her father, Henry R. Selden, was a New York State Court of Appeals judge and one-time lieutenant governor of the state.

Mrs. Ellwanger was the last survivor of 12 children in the Selden family. Her maternal grandfather, Dr. Abel Baldwin, settled in Clarkson in 1811, just a year before Rochester was founded. She was born in a house on the land now occupied by the Highland Hospital. One of her sisters, Louise, was the wife of Maj. Gen. Elwell C. Otis, former governor of the Philippine Islands.

Mrs. Ellwanger spent many summers at her home, Brookwood, in Ontario, Wayne County.

She was honorary president of the Rochester Female Charitable Society, one of the city's oldest organizations, and a member of the Rochester Historical Society, The Rochester Garden Club, Genesee Valley Club, and the Rochester Rose Society.

She is survived by a daughter, Mrs. Kenneth H. Field, of Rochester; two granddaughters, Mrs. John F. Weis, Jr., of New York City, and Mrs. Edwin II, Atwood, Jr., Rochester, and four great-grandchildren.

(The above, is from a Rochester newspaper clipping.--Ed.)

M. M. KAUFMAN

(The secretary received the following letter from Mrs. M. M. Kaufman, dated March 17, 1949.)

"I regret to advise you that my husband, M. M. Kaufman (Clarion, Pennsylvania), a member of the Association for many years, died March 3, 1948.

"My husband was a strong, conservationist and always appreciated the work of the Nut Growers. In continuing his interests, I should like to join the Association, and I am enclosing my check for $8.00 to cover dues of $3.00.... and $5.00 as a contribution in my husband's name for furthering the work of the group."

NORMAN B. WARD

Norman B. Ward, a new member, with offices at 866 Hanna Bldg., Cleveland 15, Ohio, was reported deceased in September, 1948. No obituary notice has been received for him.

Attendance

R. P. Allaman, Harrisburg Pennsylvania
Mrs. R. P. Allaman, Harrisburg Pennsylvania
Stephen Bernath, Poughkeepsie, New York
Mrs. Stephen Bernath, Poughkeepsie, New York
Charles B. Berst, Erie, Pennsylvania
Frank B. Blow, Norris, Tennessee
Gertrude R. Blow, Norris, Tennessee
Mrs. L. C. Brann, Knoxville, Tennessee
John T. Bregger, Clemson, South Carolina
Carroll D. Bush, Eagle Creek, Oregon
J. Edwin Caruthers, Alpine, Tennessee
Wm. S. Clarke, Jr., Dept, of Horticulture, State College, Pennsylvania
B. C. Cobb, Norris, Tennessee
Miss Mary R. Cochran, Cincinnati, Ohio
C. E. Connally, Roanoke, Virginia
Mrs. C. E. Connally, Roanoke, Virginia
Thomas S. Cox, 103 Hotel Avenue, Knoxville. 18, Tennessee
H. L. Crane, 6822 Pineway, Hyattsville, Maryland
Frank B. Cross, Oklahoma A & M College, Stillwater, Oklahoma
Mrs. Frank B. Cross, Stillwater, Oklahoma
W. H. Cummings, Fountain City, Tennessee
Mrs. W. H. Cummings, Fountain City, Tennessee
Helen E, Davidson, 234 E. Second St., Xenia, Ohio
John Davidson, Xenia, Ohio
Margaret Davidson, Xenia, Ohio
Elora Donnelly, Hoboken, New Jersey
John H. Donnelly, Hoboken, New Jersey
Brooks D. Drain, Knoxville, Tennessee
Martin D. Ehlmann, St. Charles, Missouri
Mrs. Martin D. Ehlmann, St. Charles, Missouri
R. W. Fisher, West Plains, Missouri
A. E. France, Charleston, West Virginia
Wilbert M. Frye, Pleasant Dale, West Virginia
F. C. Galle, Dept, of Horticulture, Univ. of Tenn., Knoxville, Tennessee
H. R. Gibbs, 803 William St., Front Royal, Virginia
Mrs. Bessie J. Gibbs, 803 William St., Front Royal, Virginia
Jack Godwin, Signal Mountain, Tennessee
G. H. Gordon, Union, South Carolina
Dr. Edward A. Grad & Family, Cincinnati, Ohio
G. F. Gravatt, Plant Industry Station, Beltsville, Maryland.
Dr. Clyde Gray, Horton, Kansas
G. A. Gray, Cincinnati, Ohio
John L. Gray, Raleigh, North Carolina
Henry Gressel, Mohawk, New York
Mrs. Henry Gressel, Mohawk, New York
Earl C. Haines, Shanks, West Virginia
Max Hardy, Sr., Albany, Georgia
Mrs. Max Hardy, Sr., Albany, Georgia
Max Hardy, Jr., Albany, Georgia
Hubert Harris, Auburn, Alabama
John F. Hatmaker, Norris, Tennessee
Agnes V. Hendricks, Knoxville, Tennessee
A. G. Hirschi, 414 N. Robinson St., Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
C. F. Hostetter, Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Mrs. C. F. Hostetter, Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Bruce Howell, Sweetwater, Tennessee
C. B. Howell, Jr., Knoxville, Tennessee
Lilian Jenkins, Norris, Tennessee
Denman A. Jones, Walnut Grove Farms, Parkesburg, Pennsylvania
G. S. Jones, Rt. I, Box 140, Phenix City, Alabama
Mrs. Tinman W. Jones, Walnut Grove Farm, Parkesburg, Pa.
Raymond Kays, Oklahoma A & M College, Stillwater, Oklahoma
J. B. Kingrohm, Knoxville, Tennessee
G. J. Korn, 140 N. Rose St., Kalamazoo, Michigan
Ira M. Kyhl, Sabula, Iowa
E. W. Lemke, Detroit 14, Michigan
R. C. Lorenz, Fremont, Ohio
Mrs. R. C. Lorenz, Fremont, Ohio
W. W. Magill, Lexington, Kentucky
D. E. Manges, Norris, Tennessee
J. C. Moore, Auburn, Alabama
R. G. Moore, Dept, of Hort., V. P. I., Blacksburg, Va.
Dr. C. A. Moss, Williamsburg, Kentucky
John T, Mullins, Renfro Valley, Kentucky
H. O. Murphy, Chattanooga, Tennessee
Dr. L. H. MacDaniels, Ithaca, New York
Mrs. L. H. MacDaniels, Ithaca, New York
Frances C. MacDaniels, Ithaca, New York
F. J. McCauley, 233 West Erie St., Chicago 10, Illinois
Elizabeth L. McCollum, White Hall, Maryland
Blaine McCollum, White Hall, Maryland
J. C. McDaniel, 403 State Office Bldg., Nashville 3, Tenn.
Mrs. Herbert Negus, Mt, Rainier, Maryland
James R. Oakes, Bluffs, Illinois
Royal Oakes, Bluffs, Illinois
Mrs. Vincent L. Odum, San Diego, California
Robert E. Ogle, Tenn. Experiment Sta., Knoxville, Tennessee
F. L. O'Rourke, East Lansing, Michigan
E. L. Overholser, Dept. of Hort., V. P. I., Blacksburg, Virginia
Roger W. Pease, Morgantown, West Virginia
Gordon Porter, Windsor, Ontario, Canada
Sara M. Potts, Knoxville, Tennessee
Carl Prell, South Bend, Indiana
Edna M. Pritchett, 803 William St., Front Royal, Virginia
Ralph H. Quick, Lesage, West Virginia
G. B. Rhodes, Route 2, Covington, Tennessee
Mrs. G. B. Rhodes, Route 2, Covington, Tennessee
Ralph, Richterkessing, R. R. 1, St. Charles, Missouri
Mrs. Ralph Richterkessing, R. R. 1, St. Charles, Missouri
David Richterkessing, R. R. 1, St. Charles, Missouri
John Rick, Reading, Pennsylvania
W. Jobe Robinson, Route 7, Jackson, Tennessee
Mrs. W. Jobe Robinson, Route 7, Jackson, Tennessee
Dr. Wm. L. Rohrbacher, 811 East College St., Iowa City, Iowa
Mrs. Wm. L. Rohrbacher, 811 East College St., Iowa City, Iowa
Ralph Schreiber, Sr., 245 Cherry St., New Albany, Indiana
Ralph Schreiber, Jr., 245 Cherry St., New Albany, Indiana
T. L. Senn, Clemson, South Carolina
W. A. Shadow, Decatur, Tennessee
Maurice E. Shamer, M. D. & Son, Baltimore, Maryland
Sylvester Shessler, Genoa, Ohio
Mrs. E. D. Shipley, Knoxville, Tennessee
G. B. Shivery, Knoxville, Tennessee
Raymond E. Silvis, Massillon, Ohio
Frances Simpson, Norris, Tennessee
George L. Slate, Geneva, New York
Barbara Sly, Rockport, Indiana
Donald R. Sly, Indiana Nut Nursery, Rockport, Indiana
Louesa M. Sly, Rockport, Indiana
Raymond E. Sly, Rockport, Indiana
Sterling Smith, 630 W. South St., Vermilion, Ohio
H. F. Stoke, Roanoke, Virginia
Mrs. H. F. Stoke, Roanoke, Virginia
Bernard M. Taylor, Alpine, Tennessee
Clifford R. Von Gundy, Cincinnati, Ohio
Ford Wallick, Peru, Indiana
Arthur Weaver, 3339 South St., Toledo, Ohio
Harry R. Weber, Morgan Road, Rt. 1, Cleves, Ohio
Mrs. Martha R. Weber, Morgan Road, Rt. 1, Cleves, Ohio
J. F. Wilkinson, Indiana Nut Nursery, Rockport, Indiana
Mrs. R. Allen Williams, Chicago, Illinois
William J. Wilson, Fort Valley, Georgia
Mrs. William J. Wilson, Fort Valley, Georgia
T. G. Zarger, Norris, Tennessee
Mrs. T. G. Zarger, Norris, Tennessee
Mrs. G. A. Zimmerman, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania

Membership Listings

Miss Helen Lewis, of the secretary's office, has corrected the following alphabetical list of members by states and countries, up to May 1, 1949, and further additions up to press time will be added below "Wisconsin", if space permits. We are listing also the members' occupations, so far as they have been furnished, and ask that other members who want them listed include this information when they pay their dues for the coming year. Please check on your own listing now, and notify the secretary if any correction in the name or address (including zone number) should be made.

Northern Nut Growers Association

Membership List as of May 1, 1949

*Life Member

**Honorary Member

ALABAMA

Campbell, R. D., Route 1, Stevenson. +Farmer, mine operator.+
Dean, Charles C., Route 3, Box 220, Anniston
Orr, Lovic, Route 1, Danville. +Farmer, chestnut and peach grower,
merchant.+

ARKANSAS

Clawitter, A. T., Route 3, Box 210, Little Rock
Hale, A. C., Route 2, Box 322, Camden
Van Arsdale, D. N., Route 4, Berryville
Williams, Jerry F., Viola
Winn, J. B., West Fork

CALIFORNIA

Armstrong Nurseries, 408 N. Euclid Avenue, Ontario. +General nurserymen,
plant breeders.+
Gaston, Eugene T., Route 2, Box 771, Turlock. +Nut nurseryman,
Turlock Nursery+
Haig, Dr. Thomas R., 3344 H. Street, Sacramento. +Surgeon+
Kemple, W. H., 216 West Ralston Street, Ontario. +Nurseryman, plant,
breeder and research horticulturist.+
Nicholson, Thomas B., 1017 N. Ophir Street, Stockton
Parsons, Charles E., Felix Gillett Nursery, P. O. Box 1026, Nevada City.
+Nurseryman.+
Pozzi, P. H., 2875 South Dutton Avenue, Santa Rosa
Serr, E. F., Agri. Experiment Station, Davis. +Associate Pomologist.+
Walter, E. D., 899 Alameda, Berkeley
Welby, Harry S., 500 Buchanan Street, Taft. +Private & Corporation
Horticulture.+
Williams, Edward L., Sheepranch

CANADA