26 



THE SECRETARY'S REPORT 



Your secretary has had but little experience in budding trees, none 

 in grafting or propagating new varieties. 



His experience as a secretary was never greater than that which 

 falls upon the shoulders of some such officer in a local club or social 

 organization. 



The first thing done, naturally, was to issue a call for help. Letters 

 were written to each vice-president asking for a report of the situation 

 in his or her jurisdiction concerning the interest in nut growing plants, 

 as far as his observation extended. Suggestions for future action to 

 extend to the public a knowledge of the value of nut trees for food and 

 shade, and also means of bettering the nut industry were requested. 



Not many responses were made. Miss M. V. Landman of Cran- 

 bury. New Jersey, sent a very full report with many ideas of value. 



The Department of Agriculture of North Carolina stated it was 

 not interested so much in plans for producing nuts as it was in a plan 

 for selling them. 



These letters were turned over to the members of the program 

 committee for development as might seem best to them. 



Having had some 3'ears back, a little experience in newspaper 

 work, your secretary decided he could best serve this organization by 

 letting the general public know of its existence. 



The Illinois Central Railroad Co. at Decatur, Illinois, has quite 

 a park adjoining its station grounds. A suggestion was made to the 

 company that chestnut trees be planted there, both for the beauty 

 of the trees and as proof to the residents of Decatur, and to the tourist 

 passing by, that chestnuts would grow in Illinois, and also were a 

 valuable addition to the landscape. 



A most cordial response was made by Mr. L. A. Downs, President 

 of the Illinois Central System, and four trees were ordered from 

 Miss Amelia Riehl of Godfrey, Illinois. When the ground was meas- 

 ured for planting it was found there was room for five trees. Miss 



