156 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



half larger than Paragon. Quality poor, inclined to be a little bitter. Burs large, 

 round, thin, containing from two to three nuts. 



Japan Improved. — A slow grower and usually rather unproductive, although this 

 season the variety bore nearly a full crop. The nuts are of very large size, rather light 

 color, and of good quality. The burs which are round and thin usually contain either 

 one or two nuts. Not very promising. 



Reliance. — Although set but two years, this variety bore nearly a full crop this 

 season. The tree has grown very slowly which may perhaps be attributed to its early 

 bearing tendency. The nuts are of medium size and fair quality. Requires further trial. 



FILBERTS. 



Cosford. — Received from the Division of Pomology, Washington, D. C, in 1895. A 

 hardy variety more sure to bear than Kentish Cob. The nuts are above medium in size, 

 elongated, smooth, attractive and very thin-shelled. The plants are a little less thrifty 

 in growth than Kentish Cob. 



Kentish Cob. — The bush is a very strong grower with large thick leaves. Xo fruit 

 this season, but last year the plants bore about three quarts of nuts each. The nuts 

 are very large, at least a half larger than Cosford, elongated, of good qualitv. Planted 

 in 1892. 



PECANS. 



In 1890, two pecan seedlings from Iowa were planted on the Station grounds. The 

 trees have grown thriftily and have attained a height of about twenty-five feet and are 

 from six to eight inches in diameter, they have not yet fruited, but indications point 

 to their bearing when they have attained a little greater age. Last spring one of 

 the trees blossomed "but failed to set fruit. 



ALMONDS. 



Two trees of Snelling almond, a soft-shelled variety, were planted in 1892. They 

 grew well and bore some fruit, but were killed by the hard freeze of 1899. Three years 

 ago, two trees of a hard-shelled variety were set out. They had grown very vigorously. 

 Last spring they showed a few blossoms but did not set any fruit. 



WALNUTS. 



Japan Walnut (Juglans Sieboldii). — This variety never fails to bear a full crop of 

 nuts. The tree is a rapid thrifty grower, quite attractive in appearance, hardy and 

 valuable for ornamental purposes. The nuts are a little smaller than the English 

 Walnut which they resemble in shape. The flavor somewhat resembles that of the native 

 butternut. 



English Walnuts. — English, or Persian, walnuts are a failure here. The trees grow 

 very slowly and give no indication of fruiting. One tree, eleven years old, measures 

 less than five feet in height. 



WATERMELONS. 



Last spring seeds of eighty-seven varieties of watermelons, all under numbers, were 

 received for trial from the Department of Agriculture, Washington, D. C. Quite a 

 large proportion of these new varieties came from Russia and other European countries. 

 The seed was planted May 29, in sandy loam well enriched with wood ashes and stable 

 manure. With few exceptions the seeds germinated and the plants grew thriftily. The 

 first melons ripened about the fifteenth of August. A few of the later kinds failed to 

 mature before the close of the season. Nearly all varieties bore small melons and the 

 quality in most instances was not very good. A number of kinds had light colored 

 flesh varying from creamy white to orange yellow. A few varieties proved to be winter 

 kinds. The latter were all of small size and had hard gourd-like shells. The quality 

 of most of the later ripening kinds was no doubt much impaired by cold wet weather 

 which occurred in September. 



South Haven, Mich., October 10, 1901. 



