The native nut situation might well be summed up by saying that 

 we have so many good walnuts, butternuts, hazels, pecans, hickories, 

 and hybrids of the two last named species, that we could banish all 

 foreigners and still have plenty left to supply every need. 



The crop of nuts for this season is fairly good ; some trees have 

 none, others a light crop, and some varieties are carrying a heavy load. 



Of introduced nuts some are proving to be hardy and fruitful, but 

 in my judgment they are all lacking in eating quality as compared 

 with our own native nuts, unless I should except the filbert which 

 has not yet proven that it will bear profitable crops in this climate. 



In closing I want to give just one instance of the great interest 

 that has been aroused for nut growing within this state. 



A certain little citv of less than two thousand inhabitants hap- 

 pens to own thirty acres of land that is suitable for the growth of 

 timber. The citizens propose to plant the entire tract to nut bearing 

 trees and bushes, and eventually make it a free park in which the chil- 

 dren of the village may be turned loose to gather the nuts. 



Just imagine, if you can, how the enthusiasm of the boys who may 

 be fortunate enouffh to live in that little citv. will more than bubble 

 over as the nut gathering season approaches. I hope to be able to 

 assist those people in their laudible enterprise and wish I may live to 

 see it develop into the greatest thing of its kind in the United States. 



The President: Ur. Brooks, will you kindly give the Vice- 

 President's rejjort from West Virginia, preceding your paper? 



Dr. Brooks: I have no special report to give as Vice-President 

 of the association from West Virginia. I might say, perhaps, that the 

 West Virginia station is in a land of hills and dales. Our latitude is 

 from 200 to .5.000 feet above the level of the sea, and our average ele- 

 vation is 1,500 feet. From our excellent position we can look down 

 600 feet or so upon the Ohio. Our land contains many species of 

 trees, including nut trees. Among these there is one species of 

 beech, two of hazel, two of chestnut, six of hickory, two of walnuts 

 and fifteen of oaks. Fortunately, the chestnut blight has not swept 

 the entire state. The chestnut has been in the past and is still our most 

 popular tree. There are areas where tons of chestnuts are still put 

 on the market every year. The people are still thinking more and 

 more of some plant that might take its place; they are considering the 

 , shagbark hickory and the black walnut. I predict that in the future 

 there will be more planting of hazel nuts, black walnuts and shagbark 

 hickories in this state. The prospect there is promising. 



