No. 7. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 539 



shake a well-filled Persian of its nuts, and how they rattle through 

 the limbs and leaves, roll and tumble over the green sod in merry 

 laughter, waiting to be gathered by the husbandman for future use. 



The tree is proof against many ailments, such as borers, yellows, 

 blight, caterpillars and San Jos^ Scale. The nut is also proof 

 against the pernicious Chestnut Weevil, and can be used in various 

 ways in the household for daily food or luxury. It can be kept for 

 two years without any injury to its good qualities with proper care 

 and attention in storage. 



The pleasure I have derived from this experimental work I feel 

 myself compensated with the close communion I had with Nature's 

 handiwork, and feel inclined to continue in its further researches to 

 greater developments. I also keep in connection an exhibition on 

 back porch, a table well-filled with all kinds of native nuts and how 

 they grow, for the benefit of school children, friends and neighbors, 

 and above all, myself. 



In the last fiscal year, Grenoble shipped to this county |450,320 

 worth of walnuts. This should not be the case. We should raise 

 our own walnuts, both for the goodness of the fruit and the value 

 of the wood. Practically, the land over, the wild walnut tree has 

 disappeared, and yet, with the demonstrated profit there is in the 

 tree, people cannot be induced to plant it. It may be that it is a 

 slow grower, but every generation should think of its successors and 

 plant for them. 



MR. STOUT. — Some twenty years ago I planted some English 

 Walnuts, and they have frozen back every winter. They are only 

 8 or 10 feet high at this time and have never borne any nuts, 



MR. CHASE. — In Burlington County, N. J., they are able to grow 

 them. Some varieties are more hardy and prolific than others, 



MR. RAKESTRAW,— I think the hardiness of the English Wal- 

 nut depends largely upon elevation. On low lands they are liable 

 to injury, and on elevated lands they are seldom injured at all. 



MR. RUSH. — This may be owing more to variety than locality. 



The following paper was read: 



THE CONSERVATION OF MOISTURE IN THE ORCHARD. 



By Mr. Wm. F. McSparran, Furniss, Pa. 



The best method of conserving soil moisture must remain largely 

 theoretical for there are so many circumstances of soil and other 

 conditions that no rule may be laid down as the best for all to fol- 

 low. 



The orchardist as well as the general farmer, if he stops to think 

 about the matter, must realize the prime importance of soil mois- 

 ture in the growth of any of our farm crops. But it is no uncom- 

 mon observation of the student of agricultural economy that in a 

 great many very important things the common run of farmers do 

 not stop to think at all. This remark of course does not apply 

 with any particular force to such pastmasters of soil tillage as I 



