17 



THE SECRETARY'S REPORT 



The secretary takes pleasure in reporting to the members that the 

 nterest of the general public in nut bearing trees for food or shade 

 s steadily growing. 



Last year the reward offered for a better black walnut than was 

 hen known aroused great interest. As a result the correspondence of 

 he secretary and especially of the committee in charge was so great 

 is to be really burdensome. This year, while this correspondence has 

 lot been so heavy it has shown, however, that the inquiries were 

 jrompted by a real interest in nut trees rather than in a chance to 

 :arn a few dollars and some publicity through a contest. 



The secretary wishes to correct a misunderstanding as to the atti- 

 ude of one of the railways requested to give publicity to the contest 

 or better black walnuts. The secretary stated in 1927, that the 

 llinois Central railway and the Wabash railway published the par- 

 iculars of the walnut contest, but said nothing about the Chicago Rock 

 sland and Pacific railway, although that road was mentioned as one 

 /^hich had been requested to 23rint the particulars in its magazine. 



The person to wliich the request was made evidently turned over 

 he letter to some subordinate. Possibly each thought the other had 

 nswered the letter. As a consequence, the secretary never knew the 

 ate of the request until the report of the convention of 1927 was 

 ead by one of the officials of that railway. He sent a copy of the 

 lagazine published by that company to the secretary. It contained 

 11 the rules of the contest for a better black walnut, also a fine 

 ditorial comment on its importance to the general public, and es- 

 ecially to those living in the territory served by that company, in 

 lany miles of which the walnut grows vigorously. 



The secretary takes this opportunity to thank the Chicago, Rock 

 dand and Pacific railway for its cooperation last .year, and re- 

 rets that our appreciation was not expressed before. The delay is 

 le to the error in the offices of the railway company. 



During the past year a large number of persons have written for 



irticulars concerning nut culture. Many wish to know from whom 



buy trees, others what varieties to plant. Some wanted to know 



