A TREATISE ON NUT CULTURE. 77 



weeks earlier than these, it must prove of very great value as a market sort. 

 In a letter from Mr. Burbank, he speaks of it as being of medium size, excel- 

 lent flavor, and so early that it is all gone before the American, Spanish or 

 average Japan Chestnuts ripen. It is a fine, sweet nut, and has always pro- 

 duced a full crop, which ripens all at once. 



I also send samples of the other, which is known as the eighteen-months' 

 Chestnut, having been raised from seed of a Japan nut by Mr. Burbank, and 

 come into fruiting in eighteen months after the seed was planted. It is cer- 

 tainly an early and profuse bearer, and, as you will see, a large nut of very fine 

 appearance, and of better quality than any of the Europeans, or their crosses 

 that I have found. It is a little later than the other, but still is earlier than 

 most of our native Chestnuts here, and I came away from Meriden fully satis- 

 fied that Mr. Coe, in the purchase and development of these fine nuts, and his 

 demonstration of the possibilities of utilizing our Chestnut sprout lands for 

 commercial nut-growing in this way, was not only proving a public benefactor, 

 but would also within a few years reap substantial profits from his great nut 

 orchard, which is now so well under way. 



Of one thing I am sure, that, in all this talk of commercial nut culture, 

 we shall eventually settle down to the grafting and planting of the Japans and 

 their seedlings, as they have a closer affinity for our American stocks than do 

 any of the Europeans, while the quality of the best of them is fully equal to 

 the sweetest of American nuts. 



R. N. Y. The nuts were very dry when they reached us, but the quality 

 is excellent. The Early is fully as large as Paragon, and at least its equal in 

 quality as judged by a single specimen. 



NOTES FROM AMERICAN INSTITUTE FAIR. 



NUTS, GRAPES AND VEGETABLES. 



By Rural New Yorker. 



One feature of the American Institute Fair that attracted much attention 

 was the display of nuts made by Parrys' Pomona Nurseries, Parry, N. J. It 

 comprised eighteen varieties of Chestnuts French, American Black, Persian, 

 English Madeira and Japan Walnuts ; Hickorynuts, Pecans, Filberts and But- 

 ternuts. It showed the advance that has been made in nut-growing, and the 

 interest manifested by visitors in the exhibit, showed that the public are 

 anxious to learn about the subject. The size of several of the varieties of 

 Chestnuts was a revelation to many. The quality of the nuts was left to the 

 imagination, as " hands off " was the injunction. Yet some had sadly depleted 

 the collection, the Superintendent saying that visitors' would steal them in 

 spite of everything. 



