The native black walnut of Oklahoma is small and of little value. Most
pecan growers have a few native black walnut trees they graft to the
improved varieties. I have Thomas, Stabler, Ohio, Mintle, Myers, and
others. Thomas has been used most extensively, but does not fill well on
upland. However, in deep sand and low bottoms it fills perfectly. It is
an alternate bearer and is subject to sunscald in our hot dry summers.
Ohio and Stabler have not proven satisfactory. Mintle is a fine nut,
splendid cracker, fills well, but is an alternate bearer. I like Myers
very much, a consistent bearer, has thinnest shell of all, vegetates
after frost in spring, has abundant foliage and twigs, holds leaves
until late autumn. Myers is my choice of all varieties at present.
However, as with pecans, what varieties to use is each grower's
individual problem. We will be looking for better varieties 50 years
from now. For five years I am offering $25 annually for the best
seedling black walnut. Write to our A & M College, Horticulture
Department, Stillwater, Oklahoma, for rules and regulations of the
contest.