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covered near it and we are nof quite sure whether to congratulate the 

 owner on his apparent start on the road to wealth or commiserate with 

 him over the probable loss of his nut orchard. An experimental or- 

 chard, where practically every fine variety is to be founds reports the 

 older plantings bearing to quite an extent, and that many cross polli- 

 nations were made this spring as the first step in making hybrids 

 between species and varieties, which work has not heretofore been 

 attempted, at least not to any extent. 



During the past year we have suffered the loss of the first ex- 

 president to pass away, the Hon. W. S. Linton of Saginaw, Michigan, 

 who was the first to gather the black walnuts from Washington's 

 home at Mount Vernon and to distribute them for planting by school 

 children. This year also marks the joassing of Mr. J. F. Jones of 

 Lancaster, Penn., universally known to have been the foremost nut 

 nurseryman in the country, and who has done more than anyone else 

 to develop nut tree propagation and nut tree growing, so that those 

 who desired to plant nut trees might be able to get them. I expect 

 that there will be at this meeting those who will bring to us much 

 more about these men than I can attempt to note in a president's 

 report. 



During the early part of the year some things became out of 

 balance, particularly finances, and this was of much concern to many 

 members. The president's office for a time was deluged with letters 

 calling attention to the fact that there were not on hand sufficient 

 funds to pay for printing the proceedings of the Easton meeting of 

 1927, and various plans were suggested for correcting this condition. 

 One suggested not printing the report and depending on the American 

 Nut Journal to print the material now going into the proceedings. 

 Considerable study was put on this and it was finally decided that 

 this was inadvisable and that the thing to do was to raise what money 

 was needed by direct appeal to those who were believed to be able 

 and willing to contribute for the purpose. This cleaned up the matter. 



The membership at the present time, as shown by the last two 

 reports, is in the neighborhood of 200, and yet the receipts from mem- 

 bership dues as noted in the same reports were $337.50 and $346.00 

 respectively, which would seem to show an active due paying member- 



