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.