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The only objection to the more general planting of these improved 

 varieties of chestnuts in Illinois is th.it they may be at some future 

 time infected with the chestnut bark disease which is fatal to the 

 trees. As far as we know, however, this disease is not present in the 

 sections just east of us and there are very wide barriers to its western 

 migration. There is no reason for importing nursery stock from the 

 East which may be already infected, since the Boone and Fuller are 

 equal to any varieties being grown outside the state. 



The Chinquapin Chestnut 



This species gTOws locally, especially in southern Illinois, under 

 similar conditions to the native sweet. Usually of shrubby bushlike 

 growth, it has some advantage over a larger tree in ease of projjagation. 

 It bears a smaller nut than the native sweet but it comes into bearing 

 very early and the nuts are of excellent quality. It makes an orna- 

 n:ental little tree and pleases the children to have one for their own. 



The Pecan Hichory 



In the minds of many people, the pecan is placed first from the 

 ))oint: of view of the quality of the nuts produced. Native to Illinois, 

 the pecan is found growing abundantly all over the state where condi- 

 tions are favorable. It is quite generally restricted to bottom lands, 

 especially over southern and southeastern Illinois, along the Kaskaskia 

 and Ohio Rivers and their tributaries. Other productive stands are 

 found along the Illinois River at least as far north as Peoria County 

 and along the ^Mississippi through Jo Daviess County. It is most 

 common on bottom land subject to overflow at the time of the spring 

 floods. This fact may partially explain the general distribution of 

 the pecan through the dispersal of the nuts by flood waters. It has 

 teen found, however, that pecans will grow well on higher land. Since 

 tlie pecan has a. long tap root, soils underlain with rock or hard pan, 

 which comes near the surface, must be avoided in planting. 



In Illinois, varieties only of northern or local origin should be con- 

 sidered for planting or top working on seedling trees. None of the 

 so-called "paper shell'' or southern pecans are sufficiently hardy to 

 recommend them. Mr. S. W. Snyder of Center Point, Iowa, a recog- 

 nized authority on the propagation and care of nuts, writes me that 

 "nature planted pecans in Iowa up to the forty-first degree of lati- 

 tude." Such varieties native to Iowa include Witte, Campliell, and 



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