in the Northern States, yet brief reference will be made to some of the
insect enemies of the pecan. There are two excellent publications on
this subject, as indicated in the list of titles above. I should urge
all interested in nut culture to obtain these papers, since some of the
insects treated are quite general feeders and may be expected to occur
on most all varieties of nuts.
The secretary also has asked that reference be made to the hickory bark
beetle. This is essentially a forest insect and has been treated by
Doctor Hopkins in Circular 144 of the Bureau of Entomology.
Attention should be called to an insect rather recently introduced into
the New England States, which will probably attack nut crops, namely,
the so-called leopard moth, already indicated in the list of titles on
nut insects. This pest will prove a difficult one to control, as it
infests the trunk and larger limbs.
The whole question of the control of nut insects is complicated by the
often enormous size of the trees, so that operations, effective in the
control of insects, say affecting the apple, are not entirely practical.
It is a point to be determined whether it will be profitable to spray
large nut trees, such as the pecan. In some instances we believe that it
will be, and the Bureau of Entomology now has in Florida one of the
large power spraying outfits, formerly in use in the gipsy moth
spraying, to determine the cost and benefits of such work.
In concluding these brief remarks I wish again to reiterate my pleasure
in having the opportunity of appearing before you, and to assure you of
the interest of the Department in the insect problems confronting nut
growers. Nut culture is bound to increase enormously and insect injuries
will probably correspondingly increase. I believe, however, that these
injuries will be found controllable, as has been determined to be true
in the case of practically all important native or introduced crops.
* * * * *
THE CHAIRMAN: We are glad that Professor Quaintance has told us about
the different bulletins. The secretary will have a list of these. I am
now going to call for Mr. Rhodes, who is an expert propagator of Persian
walnuts, and he is going to give a demonstration on methods of
propagating the walnut.
MR. RHODES: I am employed over at Arlington and I have been helping
Professor Lake in his work there at the farm. Last year about the 15th
of July we put in about seventy-five grafts using the cleft graft, and
the side graft, and at the same time we put in some chip buds. Professor
Lake has a little instrument which is known as a chip budder. We used an
ordinary bandage, such as surgeons have, which we dipped in a mixture of
about two parts wax, one part tallow and one part rosin. We put the
bandage in when the solution was at a boil--that made it sticky enough
to hold to the bud, and then we cut a hole large enough for the bud to
come out. We found budding at that season, in August, more successful
than grafting. The stocks were about two inches in diameter; we put in
grafts anywhere from two to three feet above the ground, sometimes as
many as three grafts. In a great many cases we lost all, and in some
cases we lost two. I tried also bench or root grafting, and put in about
fifty along about December, and when I took them out in the spring, the
scion had covered up nicely, but we had a very dry spell, and through
lack of attention, as much as anything else, we didn't get a graft to
pull through. I am going to try the same thing this year. Along in July
I took several cuttings and put in, and out of ten I got one to live.
One proved successful in the soft wood and this coming year I hope to
get some of the hard wood kinds to pull through.
In grafting I always try to get the cuts as smooth as possible and to
make them in one cut, because if you make a second cut you are bound to
make some unevenness in it. These cambium layers have to fit right up
flush with the edge of the bark. Then we usually wrap them in raffia. We
used also what Professor Lake called a bark graft.
We got about 10 per cent of those to live. We had better success with
the cleft graft and the side graft. In cutting the scion for this side
graft I usually cut one side a little longer than I do the other which
makes the scion lie closer to the stock. We leave the top on. You can
put several on each of those stocks.
We were pretty successful with that sort of a graft. For my own personal
use, I like this graft for walnuts, and I think we will eventually have
better success with that than with any other type.
We put the majority of the grafts in I think about the latter part of
June or July.
I have been afraid to cut the top off before the scion has started to
grow. There is too great a flow of sap for the small scion to take up
and as a consequence it drowns out the scion.
PROFESSOR SMITH: How far toward the center did you make the cut?
MR. RHODES: About two-thirds of the way through.
THE CHAIRMAN: You go past the middle?
MR. RHODES: Yes. The only thing you have to be careful of is not to cut
too far, as then there is danger of breaking off.
MR. JONES: Do you have any particular length for the cut on the scion?
MR. RHODES: No. A great deal depends on the cut you make into the stock.
I don't like to cut the scion any further up than the depth we go into
the stock wood.
MR. JONES: Any other rule?
MR. RHODES: No, it all depends on the size of the stock. If you get a
large stock you can cut it larger.
THE CHAIRMAN: We thank you for these explanations. Mr. Rush is an
experienced propagator of walnuts and pecans and I want to give him some
time to show his methods. I will ask Mr. Rush to give his demonstration.
MR. RUSH: I am very glad to show you some of my methods. The only
difference between mine and Mr. Hutt's is that he is right-handed and I
am left-handed.
The propagation of the Persian walnut may be divided into three
divisions, the preparative, the operative and the nursery, and one is as
important as the other. Good wood, good weather conditions, good
technique and after this you must nurse them.
(Mr. Rush gives demonstration of budding.)
THE CHAIRMAN: This is the method I outlined yesterday, but I think Mr.
Rush has it better in his hands than I have in my head.
MR. RUSH: It is practically the same. I have a good knife with two
parallel blades that can be taken off, and put on the grindstone, and
got as sharp as a razor. For some things I use a surgeon's knife.
THE CHAIRMAN: We have with us another very expert propagator from a
little farther south. I am going to ask Mr. Wiggins to give us the
benefit of his observations along this line.
MR. WIGGINS: I have not had experience in propagating walnuts, except in
an experimental way. I have had some experience in the propagation of
pecans. Much depends on the condition of the stocks. If they are in a
good healthy, vigorous, growing condition, you will do better.
(Gives demonstration on grafting.)
The best time in South Carolina is in August and early September. I use
but one method of budding and grafting. It is the only one I am
successful with. What you call chip budding, I call bud grafting. I get
95 per cent of chip buds to take in the spring. I get the wood when it
is dormant. I can find dormant wood even in May and June. I usually get
it earlier than this, but this year it was in May. Part of these trees
were in the shade in the orchard and I got the wood from them.
Ninety-nine out of one hundred were dormant, and about that many lived.
The wood was thoroughly dormant and plump. I cut it right out of the
orchard in May or June and got them to live. Of course if you cut scions
from the ends of branches, you haven't a chance at all.
One thing to remember in the chip graft is not to cut your chip too
thin. If you do you will lose a good many. I go right into it. If you do
it right it will hurt your finger so you can only work for two or three
hours at a time. It won't dry out so quickly if you cut it thick and
will stand a better chance to live. I try to get the scion to fit the
first time.
THE SECRETARY: What do you tie it with after you put on the waxed cloth?
MR. WIGGINS: I use a strip of common cloth out of the store. Your
fingers will be waxed enough in working so that the strip does not need
to be waxed. You tie it after wrapping it.
A MEMBER: Would you protect that with a paper bag?
MR. WIGGINS: No.
A MEMBER: Do you place it on the north or south?
MR. WIGGINS: The point that decides the exact place on the stock is the
smoothness and greenness and health of it. I pick out the cleanest and
best places. The whole top of the tree is above the graft.
A MEMBER: When do you cut off the tree?
MR. WIGGINS: According to the weather. It takes two or three or four
weeks for proper healing. I open up a few and if they are all right, I
open all of them. Just as soon as it heals, I cut the top off.
PROFESSOR SMITH: What is your ordinary practice in cutting scions?
MR. WIGGINS: Last year I was sick and got behind with my work so I cut
them each day as I needed them. I usually cut them earlier and bury them
in a shady place to keep the wood dormant. I can get 100 per cent by
chip grafting and in no other way. I don't use the cleft graft at all.
The better fit you get in this method of propagating the higher the
percentage will run. If you make a fit that is not quite a fit, you will
be astonished to lose about 95 per cent. If you are just a little more
careful, you might get 100 per cent to grow. I can tell by the way it
feels when it is right. I use a crude method but succeed with it. I do
four hundred in a half day. What is the use of going to another method
when I get good results with this?
PROFESSOR SMITH: You say a half-inch scion on a four-inch stock?
MR. WIGGINS: Yes, on a four-inch stock you get a cut an inch or one and
a half inch wide. You have a large space that is not covered at all.
PROFESSOR SMITH: They live?
MR. WIGGINS: Yes, of course.
PROFESSOR SMITH: Only touch in spots?
MR. WIGGINS: On top and bottom and on one side. I get cambium together
at top--I am careful about that--and then I get on the left side an
exact fit but not on the other sides.
THE CHAIRMAN: Have you had much experience with walnuts?
MR. WIGGINS: No. I should think the best results with walnut as well as
with pecans would be by cutting the scion wood the year before.
THE CHAIRMAN: This is certainly a very interesting discussion, but I
have another grafter here yet. A demonstration by Mr. Jones will close
this morning's session.
(Mr. Jones gave a demonstration of cleft grafting stating that he used
that method practically altogether.)
APPENDIX
REPORT OF THE SECRETARY-TREASURER
Receipts:
Dues $200.00
Gift 200.00
Sale of report 10.00
Advertisement 15.00
Miscellaneous 7.15
________
$432.15
Expenses:
Deficit $17.54
Reporting convention 47.13
Printing 355.74
Postage 66.34
Typewriting 19.14
Advertising 6.79
Expense of secretary to Albany 10.05
Expense of secretary to New York 2.75
Miscellaneous 11.72
________
$537.20
Deficit $105.05
Through the generosity of one of our members the secretary was
enabled to issue the annual report, to have other printing done,
and to represent the Association at Albany at the conference on the
hickory bark borer called by the Commissioner of Agriculture of the
State of New York.
It is not likely that this gift will be repeated and it will be a
great misfortune if the means for publishing the annual report are
not found, as well as for taking up the present deficit of over a
hundred dollars.
Of course our membership is increasing rapidly and, in the years to
come, we should have members enough to pay our annual expenses,
including the publishing of the report. The secretary would like
also to have enough to issue reprints or bulletins from time to
time.
The secretary asks for instructions in the face of this difficulty
and would suggest the appointment of a finance committee, not to
include the secretary, and to be composed of persons who will work.
There might be a similar hard-working committee on programme. The
secretary is willing to be the clearing house for the Association,
but would like to have something to clear besides the cloudy
results of his own labors.
The secretary has a list of over six hundred names of persons
interested in nut culture, which he thinks should be circularized
from time to time with reprints, or bulletins, setting forth the
importance of, and the advances in, the art of nut culture.
The secretary would be pleased if each member would send in a new
member during the year, would send an advertisement of his own, or
some other person's, business for the annual report, and would pay
his own dues promptly on the first intimation from the secretary.
Members whose dues for the year are not paid will not receive the
annual report and, after a decent interval, their names will
automatically drop from the roll of membership and not appear in
the next annual report.
Except from a financial standpoint the Association may fairly
consider that it has had a prosperous year. Our present membership
is 134, an increase of 48 over the number reported at the last
meeting. (At date of going to press the membership is 143.)
Three members have resigned and we have lost two by death, Mr.
George W. Gachwind of Brooklyn, N. Y., and Mr. W. D. Ellwanger of
Rochester, N. Y. (News came during the meeting of the death of
Henry Hales of Ridgewood, N. J., the first honorary member of the
Association. An account of Mr. Hale's work with nuts appears
elsewhere in this report.)
Thirty-one members have failed to pay their dues and have not been
sent copies of the report. The secretary asks permission to drop
the names of these members from the rolls and that a rule be
formulated to guide his action in the future.
That interest in nut growing is increasing is shown by the issuance
this year of three catalogues devoted entirely to nuts for
northern, or northern and middle, planting. One nurseryman grows
nothing else. All are members of this Association and the nuts
propagated have all been shown at our meetings.
The work of the secretary during the year, besides the preparation
and issuing of the annual report, has been given to answering a
large and increasing correspondence, by personal letters and our
various bulletins and circulars. The resolutions introduced by the
Committee on Resolutions at the last meeting, and ordered by the
Association to be printed and distributed as directed in the
resolutions, were sent out by the secretary. A number of very
complimentary letters in reply to this were received.
Arrangements and announcements were made that all members were to
receive a subscription for one year to the _American Fruit and Nut
Journal_ as a part of their membership, and that new members would
receive in addition copies of both the reports that we have issued.
This proved very attractive, but unexpected complications have
arisen that have kept the secretary busy explaining why he has been
unable to fulfil both of these promises.
At the suggestion of Professor Hutt a circular was issued to gather
information about the Persian walnut tree in the North. Replies are
still coming in and the information obtained has not yet been
collated. It shows already, however, that there is a great number
of trees in the North; that there are two large centers so far
shown, one about Rochester, N. Y., and the other in Ontario,
Canada, on the strip of land between. Lakes Erie and Ontario, known
as the Niagara Peninsula. In both localities reporters speak of
hundreds of trees. One grower near Rochester has 225 seedling trees
about 27 years old from which he is marketing nuts.
The original trees in these locations are often spoken of as grown
from seed brought from Philadelphia at the time of the Centennial
Exposition. Another center seems to be about Lancaster, Pa. There
it appears that the original trees were brought in by the Germans.
Perhaps the Philadelphia trees above referred to had the same
origin. This would be a good subject for investigation by some of
our Pennsylvania members.
There is a tree, said to bear good crops of good nuts, at
Newburyport in the extreme northeastern corner of Massachusetts.
(Specimens were shown at the meeting.)
If not already undertaken by the Government agents, I would suggest
the making of a map on which all known bearing trees of the Persian
walnut in the East should be located. If not in the Government plan
the secretary would under-take to make such a map. In any case he
is very anxious to learn as much as possible about these trees and
he urges the members to furnish him any knowledge about them that
they may have. Circulars to be filled out will be sent on
application.
A member has offered to give $25 as a prize to be offered by the
Association for the best shagbark hickory nut sent in. This offer
came too late to make suitable announcement this year, but it is
too valuable not to be accepted and encouraged, and I would suggest
that either a special committee be appointed to devise means of
offering prizes, with the above mentioned sum of $25 as a
foundation, or that the matter be referred to the committee on
promising seedlings.
THE CHAIRMAN: I think we should take some action on the secretary's
report. It is before the association. What shall we do about it?
PROFESSOR SMITH: I move that the situation of the finances be referred
to the executive committee.
A MEMBER: I second the motion.
THE CHAIRMAN: It is moved and seconded that the matter of the financial
standing of the association be placed in the hands of the executive
committee.
(Motion was carried.)
THE SECRETARY: The next is the election of the Nominating Committee.
THE CHAIRMAN: Are there any nominations for Nominating Committee?
MR. JONES: I place in nomination Professor Smith, Mr. C. A. Reed, Mr.
Rush, Mr. Ridgway and Mr. Albert Stabler.
MR. POMEROY: I second that nomination.
THE CHAIRMAN: It has been moved and seconded that these gentlemen be
appointed as a nominating committee to nominate the officers for the
ensuing year.
(The motion was carried.)
RESOLUTION ADOPTED AT THE ANNUAL MEETING OF THE ASSOCIATION NOVEMBER 18
AND 19, 1913
_Resolved_, That the Secretary of the Northern Nut Growers Association
be instructed to keep "an accredited list of northern nut nurserymen,"
such list to be made up by the Executive Committee of this Association
of such nurserymen as the Executive Committee may feel satisfied make no
misrepresentations as to whether the trees they sell are budded and
grafted varieties or as to the specific varieties which they sell, or
any other statement calculated to mislead the purchaser to his
detriment. The said Executive Committee is to have full authority to
make any necessary inquiries into the reputation or practices of any
nurseryman, and shall take steps as soon as practicable to make up such
an "accredited list," and such list shall consist not only of nurserymen
who belong to this Association, but of any nurserymen engaged in the
sale of northern nut trees. Such accredited list of nurserymen shall be
furnished anyone upon inquiry. The Executive Committee shall have full
power in making up this list of accredited nurserymen and shall add to
the list from time to time such names as in their judgment shall be
entitled to be entered on this list and shall drop from such list any
names of such persons as in their judgment at any time violate the
standard required for admission to such accredited list. Any nurseryman
whose name is to be dropped shall first be notified and permitted to
appear before the Executive Committee and be heard and shall, if he
chooses, have the right to appeal from the action of said Committee to
the Association at any annual meeting, and the majority vote of said
Association shall be binding.
PRESENT AT THE FOURTH ANNUAL MEETING OF THE NORTHERN NUT GROWERS
ASSOCIATION
AT WASHINGTON, D. C, NOVEMBER 18 AND 19, 1913
Members:
Batchelor, Leon D., Logan, Utah
Close, C. P., Washington, D. C.
Coleman, H. H., Newark, N. J.
Crockett, E. B., Lynchburg, Va.
Deming, Dr. W. C, Georgetown, Ct.
Druckemiller, W. C, Sunbury, Pa.
Fullerton, H. B., Medford, L. I.
Hume, H. H., Glen St. Mary, Fla.
Hutt, W. H., Raleigh, N. C.
Jones, J. F., Willow St., Lancaster, Pa.
Kinsell, Mrs. Ida J., Rock Mills, Pa.
Lake, E. R., Washington, D. C.
Mayo, E. S., Rochester, N. Y.
Pomeroy, A. C, Lockport, N. Y.
Prange, Mrs. N. M. G., Jacksonville, Fla.
Reed, C. A., Washington, D. C.
Ridgeway, C. S., Lumberton, N. J.
Roper, W. N., Petersburg, Va.
Rush, J. G., West Willow, Pa.
Smith, J. R., Roundhill, Va.
Stabler, Albert, Washington, D. C.
Storrs, A. P., Oswego, N. Y.
Wile, Th. E., Rochester, N. Y.
Van Deman, H. E., Washington, D. C.
Others:
Editor _Life and Health_, Washington, D. C.
McHatton, Prof., Georgia
Frost, Mr., Boston, Mass.
Stabler, Mr., Jr., Washington, D. G.
Evans, Mr.
Lee, Mr.
Collins, J. F., Washington
Wiggins, J. B., S. Carolina
Waite, M. B., Washington
Quaintance, A. L., Washington
Sober, C. K., Pennsylvania
Davis, Mr.
Rhodes, Mr., Washington, D. C.
Mittlepage, Mrs. T. P., and friends
Pomeroy, Mrs. A. C.
Reed, Mrs. C. A.
Metcalf, Dr. J. B., Washington
Roberts, Horace, Moorestown, N. J.
EXHIBITS
By George W. Endicott, Villa Ridge, Ill.
The Boone chestnut and unnamed Boone seedlings, Nos. 4, 6, 7, 8, 22 and
24. Staminate parent of Boone. Chinquapin x Boone; Boone x Rochester;
Boone x Ridgeley; Boone x McFarland. Blair, Burrill, best native, Champ
Clark, McFarland, President, Ridgeley, Reliance, Rochester, William P.
Stark.
C. K. Sober, Lewisburg, Pa.
Paragon chestnuts.
Mrs. Annie E. K. Bidwell, Rancho Chico, Chico, Cal.
American sweet chestnut, Italian chestnut, butternuts, black walnuts, I.
X. L. almonds, seedling filbert, Bidwell pecan.
D. H. Hulseman, Lakeside, Wash.
Chelan and Hulseman walnuts.
Fancher Creek Nurseries, Fresno, Cal.
Eureka, Placentia Perfection, Neff's Prolific walnuts.
A. C. Pomeroy, Lockport, N. Y.
Pomeroy walnuts.
C. S. Ridgeway, Lumberton, N. J.
Ridgeway walnut.
E. S. Mayo, Rochester, N. Y.
"Thompson-Avon" walnut. Unnamed seedling.
W. S. Devoe, San Luis Obispo, Cal.
Santa Barbara walnut.
Frank P. Andrus, Almont, Mich.
Unnamed seedling walnut. Butternut.
E. R. Lake, Washington, D. C.
Gingko nut. Pili nuts.
Arlington Farm.
Juglans sieboldiana. Juglans australis, probably from South America.
Twenty-three exhibits of almonds from different California growers.
J. G. Rush, West Willow, Pa.
Lancaster, Nebo, Hall, Rush and Kaghazi walnuts, Barcelona filberts,
Weiker and La Fevre shellbark hickories.
Prof. V. R. Gardner, Experiment Station, Corvallis, Oregon.
Eleven varieties of filberts.
W. C. Reed & Son, Vincennes, Ind.
Beard, Indiana, Kentucky, Letcher, Luce, Major, Niblack, Posey, and
Warrick pecans.
T. P. Littlepage, Boonville, Ind.
Kentucky pecans.
J. F. Jones, Lancaster, Pa.
Lancaster and Holden walnuts, Weiker shellbark and Kirtland shagbark
hickories, Barcelona filberts and photographs of the Lancaster tree.
Ninety-six exhibits of southern grown pecans by various exhibitors.
WILDER MEDAL FOR EXHIBITION OF NUTS
The American Pomological Society awarded the Northern Nut Growers
Association a bronze Wilder Medal for the exhibition of nuts at the
fourth annual meeting of the Association at Washington, D. C, November
18 and 19, 1913.
GEORGE W. ENDICOTT--THE BOONE CHESTNUT
E. A. RIEHL, ALTON, ILLINOIS
George W. Endicott was born in Belmont County, Ohio, July 25, 1837. He
joined the Forty-eighth Illinois Infantry in 1861, serving nearly three
years, when he was discharged owing to wounds received. Then he went to
farming in Wayne County. In 1867 he settled at Villa Ridge, Ill.,
devoting himself to fruit and vegetable growing, in which he was
eminently successful. Mr. Endicott was a man of strong character and a
leader in his community. Energetic and up to date in all his operations,
he procured and tested all kinds of new fruits as fast as introduced. He
died at his home November 14, 1913.