418 MISSOURI STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



NUT BEARING TREES. 



BY J. T. LOVETT, LITTLE SILVER, N. J. 



In concluding the reading of the paper Mr. Earle said that the 

 subject was one of great importance. The nut-bearing trees were fast 

 disappearing, and this was especially true as regards the pecan, which 

 in the South was a paying investment. An interesting discussion upon 

 nut trees, followed the reading of the paper. Mr. Van Deman, of Kan- 

 sas, said that the English walnut was a failure in the West, and Mr. 

 Lindley and others testified to the profitable investments of planters 

 in the South, in his section the nut paying 300 per cent profit annually 

 upon the cost of culture and value of land taken up by the tree. Mr. 

 Albaugh said that the question of nut-growing trees was quite impor- 

 tant in Ohio, as pecan, hickory and chestnut trees flourish in this Siate. 

 "The chestnut — not the one the bell rings for — but the sweet American 

 chestnut, grows well in Miama county," said Mr. Albaugh, "and in the 

 spring the blossoms cover the foliage, but when the burr comes and 

 ripens there are no nuts to crack, the burr seems blasted, and the nut 

 is not inside. I would like to know if we can raise chestnuts in Ohio." 

 Professor Claypool thought the question an important one, but a dan- 

 gerous one as well. The Spanish chestnuts and English walnuts in 

 the experiments made did not seem able to stand the winters of the 

 North. The filbert he knew nothing of, but would like to ascertain if 

 the nut-worms would destroy the fruit. The chestnut did not freely 

 fruit except upon a sandstone or shale soil, and this he thought the 

 reason for its non-fruiting in certain parts of Ohio. Hickory nuts, he 

 thought, were the kernels for Americans to make money from, if they 

 could trim down the shell and enlarge the kernel without losing its 

 sweetness, so as to make it complete with the imported nuts of Europe. 



Mr. Williams, of Lake county, Ohio, said that he had some exper- 

 ience in nut culture, and found that the soil had much to do with the 

 growth of trees. He had trees forty years old, and did not believe 

 that butternuts would grow in northern Ohio, while walnuts would 

 flourish in this part of the State. One of his neighbors sold many 

 bushels every year, realizing good profits. Mr. HoUister lamented the 

 vandalism of nut gatherers who were in the habit of felling trees in 



