Almonds 



The almond, which is closely related to the peach, has only similar winter 

 hardiness to that rather tender fruit. The Hann variety, a hard-shell almond, 

 bears at Durham. New Hampshire, whenever there is a season favorable 

 for a peach crop. This has stimulated further variety testing of any ahnonds 

 reputed to be above average in hardiness. Similar to the peaches, if the 

 almond fruit buds survive the winter, there is seldom a crop lost due to 

 spring frosts. 



The almond flowers, highly ornamental when in blossom, are insect-pol- 

 linated similar to most fruit trees. As the Hann almond trees stand in a 

 block of the hardier varieties and selections of the peach, it was decided to 

 grow some open-pollinated seedlings from the almonds, since it is known 

 that crosses with the peach are successful. Trees resulting from this venture 

 are extremely variable and their fruiting will be awaited with much interest. 

 A small tree having ornamental value in leaf and when in flower, and that 

 would produce a usable nut. would be welcomed by home owners. 



In 1942, Amygdalus nana, Siberian almond, a 3-foot bush, was crossed 

 with almond using pollen mailed from California. A considerable number 

 of seedlings resulted, but all but one proved to be weak and perished within 

 two years. One has survived and is now 6 feet high. It is more hardy in bud 

 than peach, but has never produced fruit because the pistils are abortive. 

 It does, however, produce pollen. Eventually this approach may make possible 

 the introduction of greater hardiness into almonds. 



Chestnuts from Korea 



Ever since the destruction of the American chestnut, Castanea dentata, 

 by chestnut blight in the early years of this century, there has been an in- 

 terest in chestnuts to replace the native species. The Chinese chestnut, C. 

 mollissima, which has been introduced to this country from the Orient, has 

 been rather highly resistant to disease. When tried in New Hampshire, most 

 of the Chinese chestnuts, both seedlings and named varieties such as Nan- 

 king, Abundance, Zimmerman, and others, have not been well adapted, 

 though they have suffered little from the chestnut blight. Although the trees 

 survive winter temperatures of — 20° F., there is sufficient heat only in an 

 unusually warm summer with a longer than average frost-free period to 

 enable the nuts to fill properly and mature before an injurious freeze occurs 

 in the fall. Such results may be related in part to the fact that the original 

 collection of nuts in China was made in the southern and milder part of 

 that country. 



In 1947, E. M. Meader, at that time Horticulturist for the United States 

 Army Military Government in Karea, collected chestnuts from the city 

 markets in Seoul, Korea, and forwarded the nuts to the Horticultural De- 

 partment, Durham, New Hampshire. From these nuts, trees were grown 

 that produced their first crop when four years old. The seedlings, with one 

 or two exceptions, seemed botanically to be Castanea crenata, commonly 

 called Japanese chestnut. One or two of the trees somewhat resembled the 

 Chinese chestnut, though the probability of their being of hybrid origin 



20 



