“ The rest of the farm will be in nursery, hay and cereals. Now hold in mind these vital factors. To get rich just planting a farm of nuts or any [Pg 119] other one crop is a delusion, with the bankers eventually holding the bag, the soil and owner taking a licking. Nature is a balanced force, soil undisturbed is a delicately balanced flour barrel of never ending life. Learn of nature how to protect this soil, that shallow insulation board between man and disaster.
After feeling our way over 3 years this is what we found best in handling trees. ”

“ There is hardly any soil or climatic condition found in the world where it is not possible for at least one or more kinds of plants to be grown. This is possible because the plants that can be grown under the most adverse conditions have special structures and adaptations with regard to periods of growth and rest or dormancy. One of the most important adaptations of nearly all trees and shrubs that shed their leaves in autumn and survive freezing weather without injury for a part of the year, is that of rest. ”

“ Our success in growing anything, whether it be cotton, corn or nut trees, depends largely upon ourselves. If we mix three parts of intelligence with one part of effort, the yield will be manifold.
Much of this intelligence should be of the "green thumb" variety, a mixture of common sense and keen observation. The one using this kind of intelligence would plant black walnuts in a deep, rich, well-drained loam, because he has observed that this species grows best and yields more heavily in that type of soil. ”

“ Survival seemed better than when we placed individual nuts and "stepped them in."
The desire for bigger, better and more useful nuts led to the planting of a couple of acres to seed from various trees of known value. These will not come true of course but it is hoped that some day they may serve as material for a small nut breeding project in which an attempt will be made to combine some of the more desirable chromosomes into a single tree that retains the best of what we have in present selections, and adds a little more hardiness between growing seasons. ”

“ You may wonder if many of our nut growers know nut varieties well enough to detect any but the most obvious sports. Nut improvement through bud selection within the variety lies ahead of us.
Among fruit growers the search seems to have been for fruits of different or more pleasing color. As nut growers we are more likely to be interested in nut sports having better size, kernel, cracking qualities, etc. Trees that are able to ripen their nuts in short or cool seasons are especially desirable in some of our more northern states. ”

“ When the tree has been subjected to adequate chilling the rest period is broken and with the oncoming of warm weather growth, blossoming and fruit setting is normal.
A distinction of great importance from a physiological and a practical point of view is made between rest and dormancy in plants. This difference can be simply stated: plants, trees, or seeds that will not grow when external environmental conditions are favorable for growth are in rest, but after the rest period has been broken and they do not grow because of unfavorable conditions they are said to be dormant. ”

“ Successful farm nut growers, dotted over the region, will, therefore, increase the chance that finer strains will appear.
But whether the farm nut grove ever abets science and produces the long sought superior nut, is of little importance compared to its value to the farm. It is incumbent, therefore, upon every nut enthusiast, who has a hand in bringing to the attention of farm owners the value of nut trees, to be meticulous in giving instructions for their planting and care. ”

“ In the production of a heavy crop the amount of minerals and elaborated food materials such as proteins, carbohydrates, and fats removed from a tree is very large. If the trees do not carry a large healthy leaf area at the time of harvest or if there is a killing frost at that time, the leaves have no opportunity to elaborate more carbohydrates and other materials to replace those removed in the crop, and as a result the trees do not develop maximum hardiness. ”

“ Trees that mature the crop of fruits or nuts late in the season may be less hardy than those that mature the crop early. It seems not only that some material or materials are made in the leaves during late summer or early fall which move out of them into the wood and cause it become resistant to low temperatures, but that when a tree is maturing a crop so much of this material goes into the fruits or nuts that if the season is not a favorable one the wood may not attain its maximum hardiness. ”

“ Growing trees is a work dear to my heart for I have been interested in it since childhood. Dr. J. Russell Smith's book on "Tree Crops" is one of the best I have ever read along the lines of growing trees to produce food for man and beast as well as producing many other useful products, and much of the work of your Association seems to be along the same line. I am sure we can live easier and better on this earth when we learn to use the trees in their proper place. ”

“ Importance of Bud Selection in the Grafting of Nut Trees G. J. KORN, Kalamazoo, Michigan
For many years the fruit growers have been improving the qualities of their fruits in several ways. The early pioneers of our country selected the best fruits from seedling trees. Chance seedlings that were found in pastures, by roadsides, or possibly in some out-of-the-way place, selected because of some special quality or group of qualities, still dominate our commercial plantings of fruits and nuts. Several of the apple varieties to be found in the market today are from these chance seedlings. ”

“ I am enthusiastic about Chinese chestnuts as a nut substitute for our old native chestnuts. The Chinese are quite blight resistant. They are attacked by the blight fungus—at least most individuals suffer at some time in their lives, and yet the fungus doesn't thrive and the trees are able to overcome its attacks, in many cases forming a healing wound callus around the lesions; in others the lesion becomes simply a granular mass in which the fungus appears to be living only in the outer bark. ”

“ Many people seem to think that all you need to do when planting a tree is to stick it in the ground—just any ground. This may be true of some kinds, but is certainly not true of the chestnut. For best growth and development the chestnut requires a fairly deep, well-drained soil, rich in mineral elements and humus, with a fair degree of moisture and plenty of sunlight. Two things chestnuts will not endure are shallow soil and drought, the latter often depending on the former. ”

“ Nuts are not the only food crops growing on trees. We have read the glowing reports of sweet pods of honey locust grown on such varieties as Millwood and Calhoun, as told by John Hershey and J. Russell Smith. Our Millwoods all killed the second winter and this year we're trying Calhoun. Meanwhile, we're hunting for a hardy, northern grown sweet tree. Miss Jones asked nut growers to tell me what they had and several interesting replies and samples were received. ”

“ Crane: "Minor elements are important in plant nutrition The problem of deficiencies is going to become very important. We do not keep the livestock we did and we are not returning to the land the manure and other fertilizers that contain the elements the trees need. Nitrogen, phosphorus, and potash, also magnesium are needed. We are taking more from the soil than we are putting back."
Corsan: "In Cuba there are hundreds of sharks. These make fine manure, wonderful for nut trees." ”

“ Man often acts in a shortsighted way by depending largely on annual crops for the main source of food for himself and his animals and neglects the long lived trees which may not have to be planted but once in a lifetime and which, if given a little intelligent management, will improve instead of deplete his land and at the same time make a far more beautiful landscape.
I only have a few trees (maybe 200 or 250) in my nursery which I usually dispose of at the farm or use to set on my place. I have not attempted to grow many seedlings as I don't wish to get into this phase of work. ”

“ As may be imagined, my [Pg 115] conviction is not based upon results seen but upon the possibilities I know are inherent in nut trees.
When the first wave of publicity for soil conservation was at its zenith back in the late 30s, I listened to a talk, the substance of which was that there are no such things as submarginal land, and problem areas. There are only submarginal people and problem people. Land does not destroy itself nor is squalor self-created. Human qualities create both conditions. ”

“ On the cessation of growth in length, a terminal bud is formed and the tree begins to go into rest. This period of growth is determined by the age of the tree, the suitability of moisture and nutrient supply. Young trees grow longer during the spring and summer than do old ones. Deficiencies of soil moisture or nutrients or both cause the cessation of growth and the beginning of rest. In some trees, such as tung, cessation of growth and the initiation of rest is caused by the change from long to short day-lengths. ”

“ Some of our Persian walnut trees are growing in the partial shade of larger black walnut trees. We prefer to keep these larger trees as they may be valuable stocks to be grafted to the superior varieties that one is always hoping will appear later on. This condition gives a good opportunity to observe the effect of shade. There seems to be no doubt that even light shade is detrimental in our latitude to the Persian walnut and results not only in more spindling and unsymmetrical growth but also interferes with proper ripening of the wood making it more subject to winter injury. ”

“ The difference between rest period and dormancy is of great importance in the United States in determining the amount of cold injury that may be sustained by woody plants. Furthermore, it explains why certain plants may be successfully grown in much colder parts of the world and yet fail here. Our winter weather conditions are not uniform, in that it is quite common for us to have quite long periods of alternating warm and cold weather. ”

“ If you plant your trees on a fairly good elevation you can be assured of a good nut crop. In planting nut trees I do not know what kind of fertilizer you use, but I always use well decayed cow manure and put a little right around the root system. I never use fresh manure and never use poultry, sheep, or horse manure. They are bad for trees as they are very high in ammonia and this does damage to the trees. ”

“ Generally speaking, the greatest amount of cold injury to the buds or above-ground portions of a tree occurs on a single night. The length of the cold period is of only indirect importance as influencing the rate of temperature fall or the acquiring of cold resistance by the trees. Trees that are subjected to low temperatures over a considerable period of time are not nearly so likely to be injured as are those that are subjected to a low temperature suddenly. ”

“ Yield and size of nut while of major importance are not the only criteria for appraising the value of a nut variety. In filberts, such points as ease of husking, amount of fibre and, of course, quality must be considered. Also, as in other nuts, thickness of shell and proportions of kernel to shell are quite important. Vigour and hardiness of bush and hardiness of flower, male and female, are assumed, as without these high yields are not to be expected. ”

“ Some yardstick is needed to serve as a basis for the comparison of varieties which the members of the Association will use. Persons familiar with nut varieties are freqeuntly asked to answer questions about the best varieties to plant. Of course there is no simple answer to such a question as many factors besides the nuts themselves determine the value of a variety. The quality and value of the nuts are, however, the most important initial consideration in selecting a variety on its merit and there should be some objective test adopted to aid in evaluating nut samples. ”

“ From the Wisconsin Horticultural Society we obtained a pound of English or Persian walnuts in 1937. So far we have some 23 seedlings struggling to keep alive. They range in height from 18 inches to 7 feet and are definitely out of their range. Some years they grow 4 feet of new wood and some winters it all kills back. There seem to be differences in hardiness and—who can tell?—they might even bear a nut some day. Bark injury, which may be winter sun scald, has damaged some of the trees. One tree of the Broadview selection is alive after four years and may make a go of it. ”

“ Sap in the stock must be in a favorable condition to hope for good results.
In budding pecan it is different. Either the current or the past season's growth may be used with about equal results, though the current season's buds must be well matured. Very often in a dry season when there is evidence of sap leaving the pecan stocks earlier than usual and the current season's buds are not well matured, I use the past season's growth until the new growth is mature.
A nut tree nurseryman has experiences that are both pleasant and unpleasant in selling trees as well as producing them. ”

“ I am no doubt the worst "grafter" in the business. When I get one out of 20 sets to grow I am startled, not so much with the statistical percentages but because a small stick of wood from Kentucky can make its home on the roots of an Ohio cousin. I believe that scion storage is important and I wish to report that the method which Dr. Shelton explained in the 1945 report is very satisfactory. The next best is John Gerstenmaier's apple storage cellar, which he and I have used ever since my interest in nut bearing trees brought us together. ”

“ Practically every farmer has at least one "favorite tree" and each fall he collects nuts from that tree and stores them for cracking during the winter. In some sections of the Valley walnut cracking in the home is of considerable importance. Each year, some million and a quarter pounds of kernels are cracked out at the five modern cracking plants located in or adjacent to the Valley. Utilization of the crop is becoming more and more complete.
In early studies of native nut trees, TVA recognized the possibilities of black walnut, especially the improved varieties. ”

“ You who are interested in nut trees which thrive in the northern states, must recognize that two factors contribute to the development of superior strains. One is hybridizing and the other sport development. The former is a long term project which should have institutional backing. The opportunity for the latter, that is, chance development of a superior or unique variation, is in direct ratio to the number of nut trees growing in the area. ”

“ Hardiness in woody plants is only a relative term and is determined by the condition of the plant at the time the low temperature occurs. Woody plants are most tender when they are most actively growing and most resistant to cold injury when they are in deep or profound rest. Strong, vigorous, well-nourished trees are much more resistant to cold injury than weak, poorly-nourished trees. Hence, the successful grower makes an effort through disease and insect control and proper fertilization and cultivation to keep his trees strong. ”

“ In type and flavor of nut it resembles the European hazel quite strongly under our conditions.
So far, none of the chestnuts, including the Chinese species, have shown great enough resistance to chestnut blight to warrant their recommendation. We still hope that we may discover a good chestnut for this section. The hardy Persian or English walnuts have not been tested long enough to warrant any conclusion as to their promise for New Hampshire; one difficulty will probably lie in the fact that the nuts of some do not ripen properly under our cool, short summer conditions. ”

“ That is really why there is so much severe cold injury to woody plants in the South. In the deep South freezing weather may be uncommon but when freezes do occur usually they follow a period of comparatively warm weather and the temperature falls quickly. It is this sudden change in temperature that causes the severe injury. Two different places may have had the same mean monthly temperature yet at one place severe injury may have occurred and no injury at the other place with plants normally having equal hardiness. ”