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THE REQUIREMENTS FOR AN EXPERIMENTAL NUT 

 ORCHARD, A NUT ARBORETUM, A NUT PROVING GROUND 



Willard G. Bixhy, Baldwin, N. Y . 



To those giving the above but casual attention it may be thought 

 that they are simply different names for the same thing, but such is very 

 far from being the case. The purpose behind each is to enable us to 

 grow fine nuts in quantities large enough to make nut growing become 

 the important branch of agriculture which we believe it is destined to 

 be. But after you have said that, further considerations begin to 

 show uj) the differences. We will note below briefly the important 

 points of each. 



The Ed'perimental Xiit Orchard is a collection of a relatively small 

 number of varieties of each species of nut bearing trees and shrubs that 

 have been shown to have good prospects for success when grown on a 

 commercial scale. There should preferably be several trees of each 

 variety. The principal purpose is to work out methods for getting the 

 trees to grow and bear well, and at the same time test out the values of 

 the different varieties under orchard conditions. There should be many 

 such orchards one in each section of the country. They may include 

 all species or be confined to a few or to one. The orchard of ]Mr. 

 Thomas P. Eittlepage at Bowie, Md., is a good example of such an 

 orchard of northern pecans and of Stabler black walnuts. 



A Nut Proving Ground is more inclusive and contains more varie- 

 ties, it being intended to include all varieties where the nuts borne are 

 good enough to seemingly make them worth while to grow if the trees 

 are found to be healthy, good bearers, and not subject to insect and 

 fungus troubles not readily controlled. Its function is really to ascer- 

 tain nuts of promise from which to set out experimental orchards. Mr. 

 J. F. Jones' older plantings at Lancaster, Pa., and my older plantings 

 at Baldwin, N. Y., are good examples of nut proving grounds. There 

 should be many such, one in each state, at least, and more than one in 

 large states. 



A Nut Arboretum is more inclusive still and cannot be so easily 

 defined, but with the aid of examples it is believed that the necessity 



