Northern Nut Growers Association Thirty-Fourth Annual Report | Page 9

work of others. When we think of the painstaking care of the honest
nurseryman, of his days of drudgery, of the thousands of failed
experimental trees and plants that he destroys, of the service he renders
his fellows, we know that we should make slow progress without his
help.
The conscientious worker in the experiment stations is in the same
category. He does his best work largely for love of it.
In addition to many letters and other valuable sources of information

this survey covers reports from more than 150 planters of named
varieties of nut trees. Many are also planters of seedlings from selected
and named varieties with which they are experimenting and from which
they are making selections for future tests. Some are experimenting
with cross pollination. As one example of careful work, we have now
on file blue prints from the New Jersey Department of Conservation
and Development, from Gerald A. Miller, of Trenton, showing exact
locations by name and number of one of the largest variety collections
of hybrid walnut trees in the world. From the Brooklyn Botanic
Gardens, Arthur H. Graves, Curator, we have valuable records of the
breeding of chestnut trees, with selections made primarily for tree
growth and timber production. There is also hope for some good nuts
from the trees. The timber, in money value, is of course more important
than the nuts. If successful, we shall again have both.
It is difficult to interest "hurry-up" Americans in planting trees for
future generations. They want results now. But the sooner we develop
reliable and adaptable fruiting trees for general planting, the sooner will
thousands of people begin to plant trees. The late rapid growth of
membership in this Association shows an awakened interest that could
be swollen into a mighty flood of tree planters if good trees were
available. If there were more agencies like the Tennessee Valley
Authority, more trees of the better sort would be developed. Its tree
crop activities have now been transferred to a "Forest Resources
Division" under the supervision of Mr. W. H. Cummings, and its
testing and selection work is going ahead steadily. Thomas G. Zarger,
Jr., Botanist, is handling the black walnut work in connection with
other investigations of "Minor Forest Products." The headquarters is at
Norris, Tennessee. Charles V. Kline, now Assistant Chief of the
Watershed Protection Division, still keeps his old interest in the black
walnut and tree crop program. Definite and important results are bound
to follow from so sustained and well organized a project. Most state
agencies complain of lack of appropriations and help. The real trouble
lies in lack of vision and knowledge upon the part of legislators. The
President has proposed an immense program of communications and
highway development as a post-war project. We suggest that fruitful
land is still more important, and that highways through desert countries

are almost unknown except as means for getting from one fruitful land
to another. Perhaps this Association could do more than it has done
toward spreading the gospel among legislatures.
The largest source of contribution to the survey is, of course, from the
Northern United States. For purposes of tabulation, we have included
everything north of Central Tennessee in this class. Nearly one hundred
planters of nut trees contribute their experiences in this section. Of the
lot, only fourteen of them plant trees for sale as nurserymen. Today we
could keep more of them with stocks sold out. Seventy-six are
interested in planting primarily for the production of nuts; fifty-seven,
in grafting and budding trees from named varieties; forty-five in
planting seed from the better varieties, either for production of stocks
upon which to graft or, in large quantities, for observation and selection.
As many as twenty-six are doing important work in hybridizing.
Fifty-one are top-working young trees to better varieties. Only
twenty-one count upon the growth of timber for a part of their profit.
But certainly the growth of timber, especially black walnut, is not an
item to be left out of consideration. Much, here, depends upon the
manner of planting, whether in orchard or forest formation. However,
even in orchard plantings, the stumps alone are valuable for beautifully
patterned veneers.
Fifty-seven correspondents tell us that they are testing standard
varieties, while forty-two are interested in discovering and developing
new varieties, certainly an index to the pioneering and creative urge
which dominates many of our members. As is to be expected, most of
our newer members are thus far feeling their way by growing a few of
the better varieties for home use. Only nine of the whole number say
that they are working with nut trees at an experiment station.
As to the species of trees being planted, black walnut heads the list with
eighty-nine planters. Persian walnuts are next with