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ties of chestnut introduced by Mr. Riehl and Mr. Endicott^ is simply 

 because they do not know about their opportunities. Here is a 

 chance for our western members and agricultural institutions to get 

 busy. 



Filbert 



The past of the filbert is like that of the Persian walnut. Ob- 

 viously, like the walnut, it is something to be desired and cultivated. 

 But it has eluded us. The reasons are the blight and lack of effective 

 pollination. We understand these difficulties now and the initiated 

 can go ahead and plant filberts with assurance of experimental suc- 

 cess and, ultimately, of commercial success. Mr. Jones' methods and 

 new varieties are probably going to help us a great deal. 



Coynmercial Planting 



My record should acquit me of the charge of pessimism. There is 

 no greater enthusiast about nut growing than I am. But in my blood 

 I feel the forces both of radicalism and of conservatism working. I 

 am not wholly the one nor the other. And I am not going to have on 

 my conscience any precipitate adVocacy of commercial nut tree plant- 

 ing that may lead others to loss. Mr. Corsan said he was patient and 

 could watch a hickory grow. I can watch nut culture grow. When 

 the boom comes I shall be delighted. I am with Mr. Bixby and Dr. 

 Zimmerman in believing that the hickory will rival the pecan. When 

 we can fetch into the grocery stores bushel basketsful of large, white 

 shagbarks, all of one variety that crack perfectly and are rich and 

 nutty in flavor, we shall command our own prices. If we haven't yet 

 got that particular nut it will be found somewhere, or it will be bred. 

 Our nut contests, that have been interrupted so long, and through 

 which we have preserved so many valuable nuts, have been resumed 

 this year under the lead of Dr. Smith and he should be enthusiastically 

 supported by the rest of us. 



Association Activities 



Our secretary's nut institutes, which he has held at some of the 

 educational centers in the West, and about which I hope he is going 

 to tell us, should have our hearty support and imitation. I wish that 

 we could have pilgrimages of teachers and students from our horticul- 



