Attending the indoor sessions of the meeting for two days in Wooster,
visiting the Station orchards and plantings near town and contacting
personally some of the big men of the Staff together with the wives of
some, called for intensive attention on the part of everybody. It was
time exceedingly well spent and created a feeling in everybody that they
would like soon to return for another convention of the same kind. But
the good things that had been planned were not over when the delegates
left on the morning of the third day in the general direction of their
homes. No matter in what direction they went, hardly a route could be
found which did not lead near or through the home town of some nut man.
A few took opportunity to visit the planting near Wooster of the late W.
R. Fickes. A letter is before my eyes as these lines are being written
which was directed to Dr. W. C. Deming by Mr. Fickes on January 9, 1924,
in which he asked for information regarding certain kinds of nut trees
which he did not have. He mentioned having Beaver, Fairbanks, and Siers
hickory hybrids and asked about Weiker. He wanted to know about
Barcelona and White Aveline filberts. He said he had procured seven
varieties of filbert of European origin which were then being featured
by Conrad Vollertsen of Rochester, N. Y. He was concerned over the
chestnut weevil as he had about 125 trees of the Reihl varieties from
Illinois and already weevils were troublesome.
Those who had the privilege of keeping in touch with Mr. Fickes during
his later years know that he assembled together a good many varieties
of other kinds of nuts. His was an excellent collection of black walnut
varieties. Persons who knew him well still mourn his passing. He was the
type of man who made others feel better to be in his presence.
It was 24 years ago last February that the American Nut Journal, then
edited and published by R. T. Olcott of Rochester, N. Y., told of "x x
the 57-acre farm of O. F. Witte near Amherst (in northern Ohio), on
which Mr. Witte, who was then 72 years old, had been growing nuts for 52
years." The dispatch went on to say that the "x x farm was devoted
exclusively" to nut trees. What a pity such men can't live on
indefinitely! However, the spirits of Fickes and Witte live on. No one
need go far in Ohio to see the evidence.
Going east from Wooster on the morning of the third day, a group of 50
or more persons stopped first at Kidron where they were shown the nut
plantings of Mr. E. P. Gerber and his family of that small hamlet. A
half mile north of town, Mr. Gerber led the party through his largest
planting of nut trees mostly of bearing age. Of black walnuts he showed
such varieties as Deming (purple foliage, especially in early spring),
Lamb (the original tree had a figured grain), Ohio, Stabler, Ten Eyck,
and Thomas. Of pecan, there were five varieties, Busseron, Butterick,
Greenriver, Indiana and Posey. In the group of heartnuts, there were two
named varieties, Bates and Faust, and one of which Mr. Gerber appeared
not to have the name. He simply called it a "sport." There were filberts
of various kinds, Barcelona, DuChilly and Jones Hybrids, being the ones
bearing variety designations. Also there were Persian (English) walnut
trees, principally Broadview and Crath. Mr. Gerber had more Chinese
chestnut seedlings than trees of any other one kind. There was but one
butternut and that appeared to have been unnamed. Altogether 40 black
walnut trees, 20 pecan, 30 filbert, 20 Persian walnut, one butternut,
and 140 Chinese chestnut trees were seen.
Upon finishing with the first block of trees, the party was taken into
town where a large business house of Gerber and Sons was passed and a
short visit paid to a second planting in the rear of various Gerber
buildings, including the residence of Mr. Gerber. Here were some two or
three dozen fine appearing trees of various species and hybrid forms.
Lastly at Kidron, the party, was piloted a half mile west to a small
park which Mr. Gerber had developed as a public picnic ground and a
source of water for the village. It was well planted with nut trees and
it was here that the Gerber family had provided tables and various food
delicacies, including fresh milk, peaches and ice cream for everybody. A
great part of the work of preparation had been taken care of by Mrs.
Gerber and her two youngest children.
The next stop on the tour was at the Mahoning County Experiment Farm, a
half-mile south of Canfield, some 70 odd miles east and north of
Wooster. Here transportation was provided and the entire group was taken
in charge by L. Walter Sherman, Superintendent. The first impression one
gained here was that of good buildings, excellent land, able management,
and a lot of things under way. All is comparatively new. From a
mimeographed list of species, varieties, hybrids, and strains which was
prepared in June for another occasion, one gathered that there were
perhaps more seedling nut trees here than grafted kinds. Mr. Sherman has
reported fully elsewhere in these Proceedings regarding the nut work
that is under way at this Station.