22 



that we can not capture it and handle it as we do other kinds of pollen 

 in cross-breeding work? I will say that every attempt I have made 

 has failed to obtain visible results. When dealing with filbert pollen 

 one can gather it by the spoonful, if so much is wanted, and with the * 

 aid of a tiny camel's hair brush just dose the pistillate blossoms with 

 it, but not so with walnut pollen, I having so far been unable to find a 

 time when it could be visibly captured. 



There have been two notable instances in Iowa where a person 

 picked up a walnut at random and planted it and the result was two, 

 new, worth-while varieties. The best one is the Rohwer and the other 

 the Pearl. 



^ have a plan to cross-breed the choicest varieties of our walnut 

 list, which I have already begun working upon as follows : I have se- 

 lected an isolated, thrifty, young Thomas walnut tree, which has a well 

 formed top and plenty of room for convenient work. In order to com- 

 pletely control the breeding I shall keep this young tree pruned back to 

 a convenient size and confine it in a glass cloth house during the breed- 

 ing season. I have already budded into its top the Stambaugh and 

 Rohwer and intend placing two more varieties in this tree, which I have 

 not yet selected, making five varieties including the Thomas. When this 

 top has developed to the blooming age I shall remove the staminate 

 blossoms of all the varieties except one and compel nature to do the 

 cross-breeding for me. I shall attempt to pass this around until I 

 have used each variety as a male parent for the others. I don't know, 

 but I believe the best qualities of our choicest varieties can be com- 

 bined in some such way as to create something better than we now have 

 and I will have a lot of fun watching the developments. If I am per- 

 mitted to live long enough I am going to try to work out about the same 

 plan with the shagbark hickories as with the walnut. 



Thei^'^ are now and have been for a long time in the past, far more 

 native shagb. 'irk hickory trees growing in my county in Iowa than wal- 

 nuts and from tijiis I take it that the shagbark hickory is better adapted 

 to our conditions ti'^an any nut bearing tree that grows. And I don't 

 know but I believe if \Lthe time ever comes that the meats of our choicer 

 varieties of shagbark hici^'ory are ofl^ered commercially, they will com- 

 mand a higher price than awy other nut meat that can be produced in 

 the North, or for that matter,, anywhere else. 



