116 



There are two distinct types of black walnut, as regards quality of 

 kernel, just as there are for the Persian walnut, as shown by Howard 

 Spence of England. These two types merge into one another. At one 

 extreme is the rich, oily, tender kernel, at the other the dry, tough, 

 sweet kernel. The sweet type appears to be much more common in 

 nuts grown in northern regions, to be due to deficiency of oil, probably 

 due to lack of heat or shortness of growing season, perhaps varj^ng 

 from year to year. Some of the sweet nuts are fairly good and, I 

 think, always lack the strong black walnut flavor. 



Nuts a year old, or older, generally have a slightly rancid or a 

 soapy taste. There is probably a difference in different nuts in re- 

 gard to keeping quality, perhaps depending partly on the curing. 



As said before I hope that members and others will express their 

 opinions as to the relative importance of the various factors that I 

 have mentioned, and any others, in the preliminary, and in the final, 

 judging of black walnuts. 



The very important factors of productiveness, vigor of tree, cli- 

 matic and soil adaptation and self fertility or self sterility, we can tell 

 very little about until time has given us opportunity for observation 

 and testing. 



Dr. Morris will be glad to learn that one boy wrote that he was 

 a Scout and one girl that she was a Camp Fire Girl. Unfortunately 

 neither of them took a prize. Apparently very few boys or girls 

 were contestants, only 1 1 boys and two girls who gave their ages. Per- 

 haps some of the others were in the same class but did not sny so. 



The smallest nut, not much larger than a good sized filbert, came 

 from Winnebago, Minnesota. I think it was this one that I judged 

 to be small enough, thin-shelled enough, and good enough, to crack at 

 table with a small cracker. The largest nut came from Charlotte, N. C. 

 One from Texas and another from Arkansas had the thickest shells 

 and the thinnest shelled nut came from Ohio and won a prize. The 

 largest, thin-shelled nut came from Springfield, Illinois, and the nut 

 with the largest kernel came from Goodlettsville, Tennessee. The 

 worst nut came from Deport, Texas 



Five or more sent three cornered, three lobed nuts, some saying that 



