at least for black walnuts and hickories. The prizes will be as follows:
first prize $10, second prize $5, third prize $3, fourth prize $2, fifth
prize $1, and honorary mention for others. Instructions will be issued
and anyone desiring to enter this contest should write the secretary for
instructions. It's understood, I might say, that the nuts will be sent
to Mr. C. A. Reed of the United States Department of Agriculture at
Washington, who has kindly consented to look after that work and report
to a contest committee which will be named later.
THE PRESIDENT:
We will now have the report of the resolutions committee.
RESOLUTION
The Northern Nut Growers Association assembled in convention at the W.
K. Kellogg Hotel, Battle Creek, Michigan, September 10 and 11, 1934,
expresses its sincere appreciation of the courteous hospitality of the
local committee on arrangements, headed by Prof. James A. Neilson. It
would mention in particular Mr. W. K. Kellogg, Dr. John Harvey Kellogg,
and the W. K. Kellogg Hotel management. It appreciates the use of the
splendid auditorium and is grateful for the attractive bouquets arranged
about the room.
The association heartily commends the nut work being done in the state
of Michigan with the aid of Mr. W. K. Kellogg and under the direction of
the Michigan Agricultural Experiment Station and actively under the lead
of Prof. Neilson. The association records its pride in the establishment
and maintenance of 115 acres of nut trees for purposes of
experimentation and variety testing. In so far as known to the
association there is no other tract of equal area in existence for this
purpose.
Be it resolved, that a copy of this resolution be spread upon the
minutes of this meeting and that the secretary be instructed to send
copies to Mr. W. K. Kellogg, Dr. John Harvey Kellogg, the Kellogg Hotel
management, Director V. R. Gardner and Prof. James A. Neilson.
The Northern Nut Growers Association records its extreme sorrow at the
death of its active and able, although but recently elected, treasurer,
Newton H. Russell of South Hadley, Massachusetts, on April 27, 1934. For
many years Mr. Russell was a very active member of the association, a
regular attendant at its conventions, and a loyal supporter of its
various activities. The genial personalities of both Mr. and Mrs.
Russell are greatly missed at this convention. Our deep sympathy is
expressed to Mrs. Russell and her children in their bereavement.
Be it resolved, that a copy of this resolution be spread upon the
minutes of this meeting, and that the secretary be instructed to send a
copy to Mrs. Newton H. Russell.
Resolutions Committee,
G. L. Slate, Chairman
C. A. Reed
A. S. Colby.
DR. DEMING:
I think that the thanks of the association are especially due to our
president, Mr. Frey, for having so successfully stepped into the breach
for the completion of the arrangements for this meeting, and for the
very excellent program which he completed. I think he should also be
thanked for the separate notices which he sent out, directing the
attention of the persons coming to and going from this meeting to the
nut orchards and other things of interest that may be seen on the way.
THE PRESIDENT:
I thank you. I might say that the suggestion for visiting interesting
trees and nut plantings came from Mr. Reed. I want to call to your
attention again that next year's meeting will be held at Rockport,
Indiana, on September 9 and 10, 1935.
The dues of this association are now only $2.00, and action taken at
this convention will result in your receiving without additional charge
the American Fruit Grower Magazine, which has been adopted as our
official journal and included with the dues. You also have the privilege
of joining the American Horticultural Society for the fee of $2 instead
of $3.00. We are affiliated with that society and they allow to their
affiliated associations the privileges of the members. Secure a
membership and get the quarterly journal for the price of $2.00. We
certainly recommend this association. We think that you get your money's
worth many times over and it does a great deal of good.
The only other item of business is a report from the nominating
committee.
DR. DEMING:
Your nominating committee reports through the chairman the nomination of
the following members as officers for the ensuing year:
President--Mr. Frank H. Frey, Chicago, Illinois.
Vice President--Dr. G. A. Zimmerman, of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.
Secretary--Mr. George L. Slate, of Geneva, New York.
Treasurer--Mr. Carl F. Walker, of Cleveland Heights, Ohio.
For Members of the Executive Committee--Mr. Frank H. Frey, Dr. G. A.
Zimmerman, Mr. George L. Slate, Mr. Carl F. Walker, Professor J. A.
Neilson and Mr. D. C. Snyder.
As Dean of the Association--Dr. Robert T. Morris, of Connecticut.
As Field Secretary--Mr. Zenas H. Ellis, of Vermont.
I move that the secretary be authorized to cast one ballot for the
election of the ticket nominated.
The motion was unanimously carried, and the officers nominated by the
committee were elected for the ensuing year.
THE PRESIDENT:
I might say that I won't, at least, have to sing a "swan song," and I'm
not going to take the time to make any speech of acceptance. I
appreciate your confidence in re-electing me and I am sure the other
officers feel the same way. We'll all do what we can for your interest
and what we are all interested in. Sometimes we may be a little slow in
getting results but with your help I think we can make progress.
The twenty-fifth annual convention of the Northern Nut Growers'
Association adjourned at 9:30 P. M. Tuesday, September 11, 1934.
Letter from J. U. Gellatly
_British Columbia_
I have just returned from a six weeks' trip to the B. C. Coast scouting
for new nut trees and selling nut tree nursery stock. The outstanding
discovery of the trip is the Rapier walnut tree. This young giant was
planted 24 years ago by Mr. Rapier on Texada Isl. I estimate this tree
to be 60 to 70 feet in height, the measured spread is 60 feet one way
and 70 at widest point, and other measurements as follows: from ground
to first limbs there is 8 feet of straight trunk with a girth of 7 feet
one inch taken one foot above ground, and at 6 feet above ground girth
is 69 inches. The tree has cropped regularly since it was about 6 years
old. The largest crop to date was produced in 1931 totaling 500 pounds.
The shape of nut is long oval, size medium. The flavor of those I
tasted of the 1933 crop certainly was the sweetest I have tasted to date
for this class of nut.
I have no definite information as to source of this tree, but judge it
to be a Franquette seedling as that was the class of trees sold by the
nursery from which the tree was purchased. I have made arrangements for
sample nuts from this year's crop and will send you some later. This
tree is well worth testing for hardiness as it is evidently
self-fertile, there being no other nut trees of the same age near by.
Another discovery of interest from the nut breeding angle is the
McDonald walnut. This is a hybrid English X. J. Sieboldiana, growing at
West Vancouver, B. C. Nut large and heavy shell, but the best kernel
cavity I have seen in any of these crosses. The tree is a nice tree and
leaves show distinct crossing. This is the first year it has borne and
it had 2 nuts. One shell I am sending you with other samples of new
nuts.
The Watt English walnut at Penticton, B. C., is proving a regular
cropper of uniform large round nuts of good flavor. This tree is a
seedling from my own nursery. I do not know from what tree it grew, but
it is worthy of testing for hardiness in districts north of present
location as there is some evidence of hardiness. I know this tree to be
a good cropper but have no definite record of any one year's crop as the
tree is located where many persons help themselves to the nuts.
The Lindy walnut from the beaches at Kelowna, B. C., continues to make
good tree growth and produce good crops of large round nuts with thin
shells and well developed kernels of good flavor. This tree is a
seedling grown from a nut brought from Kulu Hills, India, in 1912. This
tree is also worthy of trial for hardiness in districts north of present
locations. I do not know how this tree is as a self-pollenizer as there
are two other trees near by of the same stock and planting. I do know
that seedlings grown from this tree make a good growth and look alike in
the nursery row and are very uniform as to color and growth of leaf, in
striking contrast to seedlings from some other trees which vary a lot in
every feature.
In heartnuts the newest I have of outstanding promise are from my own
nursery. Two are now growing at Peachland, B. C. One, the MacKenzie, is
a vigorous, well grown tree and bears regularly heavy crops of large,
rough-shelled heartnuts that are easily cracked. The kernels are light
in color and of good flavor.
The other, the Rover heartnut, is a young tree just carrying a record
crop. Tree is in a poor location on the edge of wild timber competing
for soil space. The nut is a big step in the elimination of the central
division, so pronounced in most heartnuts. This is the outstanding
feature of this nut. Cracking and other features are still undetermined
but promising. I have a number of others that are promising. One is the
Flavo Heart, a heartnut and butternut cross. This is a seedling of
Callender heart and butternut. The outstanding features are the shape of
nut, flavor of kernel and ease of extraction. This is its first crop.
From B. D. Wallace
_Portage la Prairie, Manitoba_
I will endeavor to give you a short account of our progress in the
culture of butternuts and black walnuts.
Our success with butternuts has been due, very largely, to the method we
adopted some twenty years ago and might be summed up in the following
report. From one hundred pounds of butternut seed, which we secured in
the fall of 1914, and which we planted the same season in October, we
got in the following year a splendid stand of seedlings which gave great
promise the first summer. During the winter of 1915 a great number of
those seedlings were partially or altogether destroyed, through the
climatic conditions of the country. But quite a number of them stood up
in splendid condition. After about three years we eliminated everything
that did not stand up 100 per cent and show a splendid growth. We had in
the neighborhood of fifty trees and thus, through a survival of the
fittest, the foundation of this industry became established. We
distributed perhaps twenty or more trees to the Experimental Farm and
other places. These have all stood up, as far as I can learn, with
splendid success. This left about thirty of the original trees in our
nurseries. These thirty have never shown any sign of frost killing nor
are they in any other way affected.
Our trees commenced to bear in their sixth year, in 1920 and have
increased in size and fruiting year by year, until today they are about
thirty feet high with a spread of about thirty-six feet and are without
question the most beautiful row of trees west of the Great Lakes. We
have grown at least one hundred thousand trees from the nuts taken from
these trees, which have been distributed over a very wide territory,
reaching from the northern part of Ontario to the Rocky Mountains. Many
of our customers have now their own trees bearing. In addition to our
selling the trees, we offer to our customers one two-year-old butternut
or horse chestnut with each ten dollar order sent in. We took this
method to get our nut trees into the hands of a great number of the
people.
We have followed practically the same line with black walnuts, but with
less success than with butternuts, as a very much greater percentage of
the black walnuts went down. Notwithstanding that we have a number of
trees which have survived in splendid condition. One of these is bearing
for its second year and one other is just bearing for the first time.
However, we have a good deal of hardy wood, as our trees are growing
bushy and we intend to use the butternut seedlings for stocks on which
to graft the black walnut. By this method we will not have to wait so
long to get a good supply of trees. There is no question whatever about
the future success of the butternut, as we have this year the third
generation of them bearing, which is ample proof that they have become
entirely acclimated. The butternuts grow fully as large as in eastern
Canada, as do also the black walnuts, and as far as I can see the
quality is equal if not better.
In addition to the butternut and black walnut, we have made a complete
success of the horse chestnut. Ours were planted in 1914, and commenced
bearing about the same time as the butternut, and we have grown great
crops of nuts continually from that date to the present. We are also
trying out the heartnut, both from young trees and from seed. Out of
three different plantings that is planted the same year but in different
sections, one planting of six trees has stood up completely for the last
three years, whereas the other two freeze back a little. In addition to
these we are growing from seed the filbert, which seems to be hardy, but
is not old enough to fruit yet. However, there is no question in my mind
whatever that we shall succeed with all those different trees, following
our own method of only using wood and seed from those trees which are
proof against the most severe climatic conditions. We used this same
method thirty-five years ago in laying the foundation for fruit growing.
Out of twelve thousand of the hardiest fruit trees that we could buy
from Dakota and Minnesota, after three years we eliminated all but
fourteen trees. These were divided between standard apples, crab-apples,
plums and plum hybrids. By using northern Russia plum seed and Siberian
crab seed for roots, we have been able to lay a foundation for fruit
growing in this western country that will live long after we are
forgotten.
From Vera Nekiassena
_Turkestan_
My opinion is there are two kin species growing in Turkestan--Juglans
regia L and J fallasc Dode; the first in the Kopet-Dag, the second in
the Fansha mountains, in guissar and Darwas. The J. regia is further
cultivated in Turkestan gardens and in the Lowawschan Valley. The J.
Kamaonia Dode is occasionally to be observed likewise in gardens. I did
not chance to see it personally and am in possession of only one of its
nuts. Both species (the J. regia and the J. fallasc) produce a great
variety of nuts as to shape, thickness of shell and size of kernel. Both
these species have been united by some authors (Mr. M. Popof in Bull. of
Applied Botany of Genetics and plant breeding XXII N3 (1929), p. 294)
into one--that of J. regia but always distinguishing the Kopet-dog nuts
in the jsp. turcomanica Popof; difference between them being certainly
esctant. The number of leaflets of the J. fallasc amounts to 2-4, they
are rounder and more obtuse, the shell of the nut is thicker and also
rounder and smaller. The number of J. regia leaflets is 3-5, they are
narrower and more pointed (lance shaped), the nuts more elongated,
larger and their shell thinner.
Having been for my part mainly occupied with the geographical
distribution of nuts without regard to the variation of the fruit shape,
I would recommend you to apply for a choice of nuts to Mr. Gursey,
(Caucasus, Pjabigorsx), who is making a special study of the problem.
For cultivation in the north you will be interested in J. Manshurica
originating in the Far East and very hardy. It is cultivated and
produces fruit in Leningrad, young specimens of it were planted on the
Solovetsky Islands in the White Sea and there outlived excellently.
Concerning the list of trees appended to your letter, I can give you the
following information.
_J. Regia_ grows well in the park of Botanic Institute in Leningrad,
attaining 8-10 M.; in the southern part of Smolensk district the tree
produces fruit as far as Minsk. There is a considerable number of fruit
producing specimens in the Masir district in the north of White Russia.
_J. Sieboldiana_ freezes up in cold winters in Leningrad.
_J. cinerea_ is very hardy and effects self-polinasation in White
Russia; near Kasan there is one specimen producing about 100 fruits
yearly.
_J. rigra_ produces fruits in Koslon.
_Corylus Colurna_--a large old specimen esctant in Leningrad rather
frequently observed in many parks of European U. S. S. R.
_C. Acellana_ is widely spread in a wild state attaining Ladoga-laxe.
_C. Mascima_ frequently in the Crimea and the Caucasus.
_Castanea Sabiva_ grows in the Caucasus only, and cultivated in Urraina.
Castanea Henryii Corylus chinensis.
C. Lacquement and Cticstica I do not know in U. S. S. R.
_C. Seguinu, C. Crensta_ and _C. Mollissima, separate_ strains probably
to be had in Suchum.
From Divisional Forest Officer
_Utilization Division, Baramulla Kashmir_
There are two distinct species of of walnut growing here. One which
grows from 3,500 to 7,000 feet above sea level near about habitations
and on rich fertile soil has got good big sized nuts which are very easy
to break even with the pressure of hand, and about which you probably
seem interested. The other species grows higher in the forest up to
about 11,000 feet elevation. It has hard nuts which cannot be broken
easily and have moreover very little kernel as compared to former
species. Even the timber of both the species is distinctly different, in
as much as the former has dark gray color and the latter has reddish
gray. Regarding nomenclature the botanists differ. The former species is
named Juglans regia hin. The latter species which is wild may be called
Juglans fallax, Dode or Juglans Kamaonia, Dode, but actually it is a bit
different from either and is something midway between the two and so is
yet to be determined properly.
Corylus colurna is the only species of Corylus found here out of your
list.
B. The altitudes of walnut zone has been stated above. Corylus Colurna
also grows between 8,000 and 11,000 feet. Both the walnut species are
confined to Kashmir and Chamba states, while Corylus Colurna grows all
over the Himalayas.
C. The maximum height and girth of a tree I have felled was 100 ft. and
15 ft. respectively. This tree grew in a forest at 9,000 foot altitude
amongst firs. Trees growing outside in the fields in the open are
sometimes bigger in girth but their bole is very short and the height
also is small compared with forest grown trees. The trees growing in the
fields in the open are of soft rind species.
D. The trees growing in the fields and of soft rind species are
generally fast grown and they have about 8 to 10 rings to an inch. The
trees growing in the forest have about 16 to 20 rings to an inch.
E. The length of frost-free season depends upon the situation and
locality, generally from May to September there is no frost, the rest of
the season has frost.
F. The maximum temperature is 92 degrees, while the minimum is many
points below zero when the country is snow-bound all over. There is snow
in the forests for about six months.
G. The average annual rainfall is between 54 and 34 inches in the year,
according to the locality.
H. All the walnut trees are grown for extraction of oil from their nuts.
This oil is used for cooking purposes, in place of fats and butter. When
the tree gets old or gets diseased, it is felled and timber is used for
making furniture and carving. Kashmir walnut carving is well known.
I. Hazel trees grow wild in the forest, the hazel nuts are collected and
are eaten. Sometimes these nuts are exported to British India, where
kernels are used chiefly to adulterate almond kernels.
Corylus has not been grown here as a garden tree and so I do not know
its requirements of germination. I will however be thankful to you if
you could kindly send me a little fresh seed, C. Colema, to grow it here
in Kashmir. Some years ago I had sent for the seeds of Rhamnus Purshiana
from U. S. A. This was sown here but it did not germinate. I shall feel
obliged if you could let me know the requirements of this species, that
is, the situation, soil, et cetera, which this species demands. Rhamnus
dahuricus grows wild here as a small shrub. Do you think I can get
American species by grafting my species with Rhamnus Purshiana scions?
Communication from John W. Hershey, 1934
I called at the experimental nut planting place of the late J. W. Waite,
at Normandy, Tennessee, on June 1st and found he had been dead about
eight months. I talked with a native who told me he was one of the most
plucky men he had ever seen, having had, because of some disease, both
legs amputated, was all crippled up otherwise, and traveled in a wheel
chair. He even use to milk cows and drive around in an old buggy.
This setting at the Waite place is going to be of immense value to the
T. V. A. tree crop program. I met the daughter who knew very little
about the trees, but the first thing she mentioned was the wonderful
nuts they got off the McCalister tree.
I could identify a few of the trees but will not make much progress at
it until this fall, when the nuts are ripe. They are heavily set with
bloom now. To assist me in this work, I am wondering if the Association
has anything in its files pertaining to the varieties that he has. As
you know, one can identify a tree quicker if he knows what he is looking
for.
Letter From Mrs. E. W. Freel
_Pleasantville, Iowa, September 5, 1934_
Yesterday, when coming home, we drove around (which was not out of our
way) to see those walnut trees about which you made inquiry. The Freel
tree has been topped and it has made a wonderful growth this year and is
going to make a very pretty tree. The Marion has a few walnuts on this
year, but they are falling off due to the dry weather this year. Last
year it was loaded. The Metcalf tree has some on but, like the others,
most all of them have fallen off. It was also full last year. The
Worthington tree also had some on this year, but have all fallen off. It
also had walnuts on last year.
I have never known any of these trees to be a complete failure unless it
would be this year due to the drought which has been pretty severe with
us. We have had no garden to speak of and the crops in this section have
almost been a complete failure.
The Wheeling tree had walnuts on last year but I have been unable to get
out there this year. It is off the gravel road and it has been raining
here for the last two days.
I have not been able to get out to the hickory nut trees. They had some
nuts on last year but not very plentiful. I have noticed along the
highways, as we would be driving along, that some of the hickory nut
trees were full and others would not have any on, but do not know as yet
how the drought will affect them.
I wish we could attend the convention, but it will be impossible for us
this year.
Letter From Geo. W. Gibbens
_Godfrey, Illinois, September 6, 1934_
The Mid-West Nut Growers' Association is not functioning.
There will be a normal crop of black walnuts in this section of the
state. The hickory and pecan crop is very light. The chestnut crop will
be light. Many of our chestnut trees were killed by the drought this
summer. Some young trees on cultivated land will develop nuts, and a few
of the older trees may do so.
For many years here (E. A. Riehl Farm) we have been trying to grow the
English walnut to bearing size. This year we have a young tree that is
bearing. It is the Alpine.
I wish we could attend the convention.
Letter From Fred Kettler
_Platteville, Wisconsin_
In regard to the Kettler walnut tree here: It seems to be gradually
dying; has many dead branches, which is caused by the drought we have
had the last few years. We should get 25 to 30 inches rainfall a year
and we had only 8 or 10 last year and about that same amount this year.
The ground is wet down only about 15 inches on top. Below that it is
dry.
The old tree had quite a few nuts on this year. However, most of them
were blown off by a cyclone six weeks ago. There is about a peck of nuts
on the tree now.
All walnuts here are only half a crop on account of the June beetle and
the weather conditions, and they are quite small nuts, the weather being
so dry.
I grafted 150 of the Wisconsin No 1, or Kettler walnut. It was boiling
hot here in April and May and it again spoiled it for me. We watered
them every day and shaded them, but the heat and dry, hot dirt was too
much. All were grafted on young yearling trees close to the ground where
I covered them with dirt. Many started, but died later; anyway, I
succeeded in getting six more nice trees started (one to three feet tall
now). My tree from last year is about five feet tall and made some side
branches; so you see I am getting started. I doubt if I can get any
graft wood from the old tree next spring.