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JOHN GALL RUSH 



Mr. Rush joined our association in 1911, during the first year of 

 its organization, and remained a member until he died, Saturday, 

 August 21st, 1926, at the age of 83 years. 



He was born July 30th, 1843, in Pequea Township, Lancaster 

 County, Pennsylvania, his father, David, being a descendant of Peter 

 Rush, who came from Switzerland, and his mother Susan, whose 

 maiden name was Gall, being of German descent. 



His people were farmers, and he himself followed in their foot- 

 steps. He became interested in growing first apples and then peaches 

 about forty years ago. 



His interest in nut growing dates from before 1890, when the 

 Paragon chestnut was first introduced, of which, and other chestnuts, 

 he had specimens at the old farm. 



About the year 1899 Mr. Rush bought two seedling English walnut 

 trees from Daniel Herr of Lancaster. One of these trees, which bore 

 a bushel of nuts at ten years old, was named by Mr. Jones the "Rusli" 

 walnut. From this tree Mr. Rush sent scions for grafting in the spring 

 of 1902, to Mr. Jones at Monticello, Florida. Mr. Rush planted the 

 trees resulting from the grafting in 1903, and this is believed to be 

 the date of the first planting of grafted eastern varieties of the Eng- 

 lish walnut. 



The next nut witli which he experimented appears to have been 

 the American chinquapin, of which he found a specimen, said to have 

 been about 35 feet high and very productive, near Colemanville. Lan- 

 caster County. He sent specimens of this nut to Mr. John R. Parry 

 of Parry, N. Y., who mentions it in his book on nut culture. 



Mr. Jones' acquaintance with Mr. Rush dates from the time when 

 he read Mr. Parry's book and wrote to Mr. Rush. His cliinquapin 

 was then propagated and sold by Mr. Jones. The eastern specimens 

 of this tree so disseminated have all perished with the bliglit, so far 

 as known, but specimens are still preserved at Mr. Riehl's place in 

 Godfrey, 111., and elsewhere in the west. 



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