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.