77 



popular until we get one with a shell equally tliin. At present we do 

 not have one. 



How then can we anticipate a great future industry after meting 

 out this doleful outlook? Are we going to discard everything we 

 have and start again ? By no means. The price of nuts, even of the 

 ordinary class, is sufficient even now to well repay any man for his 

 effort, if producing them on a large scale, and what must be done is 

 to encourage more people to become interested. 



If we could arrange to have nice exhibits of named varieties of nuts 

 at the various county fairs, and have someone there to explain them, a 

 good deal of interest could be created. I frequently see native nuts 

 displayed, but not named varieties. 



I shall not refer to the hazel, chestnut, pecan nor butternut, all of 

 which I believe can be developed into a more or less successful indus- 

 try but only repeat in closing that I am convinced, after pretty 

 thorough investigation, that the shagbark hickory and the black walnut 

 can be developed into an industry in the Northeast in a much shorter 

 time than it has taken to develop the pecan, to a point that will equal 

 or surpass the enviable position that nut holds today. But, and let me 

 impress this point, we must develop a few new and better nuts to do it. 

 On account of the colder climate, which goes for the developing of fine 

 flavor in all products, I do not believe the pecan will ever equal the 

 shagbark in quality. This is our great natural advantage. 



Dr. Morris: I accept all of the statements by Dr. Zimmerman 

 with one exception. The pecan is tremendously prolific and so produc- 

 tive that there are records of 30 bushels to a tree. I do not know that 

 any of the shagbarks or shellbark hybrids ever will rival that in pro- 

 duction. From the marketman's point of view production is of prime 

 importance. In this the pecan out-rivals the black walnut. 



