HORTICULTURE 309 



EUEOPEAN GROUP. 

 Advantages. 2. Late ripening of nuts. 



1. Great productiveress of some. 3. Shy bearing of many when young. 



2. Timber value of tree. 4. Largeness of bur, which may become 



3. Finer quality. water-soaked and break the trees. 



4. Beautiful appearance of nuts of some. 5. Great susceptibility to Leaf -Blight. 



5. Prolific bearing of a few. 6. Greater suspectibility to weevil. 



Disadvantages. 1. Do not compare with Japanese in tho 



1. Late maturity of many. commercial groves as money makers. 



It can be stated as a general principle, that the Japanese Flora 

 is better fitted to the climatic conditions of the Eastern United States 

 than the flora of Western Europe, the latter succeeding best on the 

 Pacific Coast. Hence it is thought that if the Japanese species is 

 used as a basis for further improvement, happier results will even- 

 tually follow its amelioration in the Eastern United States. The 

 Japanese or European varieties, as they exist, should be looked upon 

 only as stepping-stones to better kinds. By the continued judicious 

 selection of seedlings from varieties of the best flavor, the quality of 

 the Japanese chestnut can be greatly improved in a few generations. 

 Some of the finer quality of the chinquapin or of the native chest- 

 nut might be infused into the Japanese with happy results, and a 

 more vigorous tree would follow the incorporation of a little European 

 blood. One type should supplement the other wherever the adapt- 

 ability of both is proven. 



Estimate of Varieties. The varieties of the cultivated chestnuts 

 are not well enough established, nor have they been grown on a suf- 

 ficiently comprehensive scale to determine their horticultural value. 

 Some of the most promising kinds are confined to a few trees only. 

 It is therefore impossible to compare the various kinds justly. The 

 first list is based upon the behavior of the varieties that are growing 

 on an extensive scale, the second list includes those kinds which are 

 promising, but which have not been grown extensively. 

 Varieties Grown Extensively. 



Japanese Alpha, Reliance, Parry. First Choice. 

 European Paragon. First Choice. 



Numbo. Second Choice. 

 Varieties not in Large Blocks, but Promising. 



Japanese Kerr, Kent, Killen. First Choice. 



Biddle, Felton, Martin. Second Choice. 

 European Ridgely, Scott, Styer. First Choice. 

 Dager, Darlington. Second Choice. 



The Hale, McFarland, and Coe are spoken of highly. (Pa. 

 E. S. B. 36; Del. E. S. B. 42.) 



THE PECAN.* 



The amount of pecans annually consumed in the country has 

 been steadily increasing from year to year, and there has at the same 

 time been a steady increase in the market value of the nuts. Nuts of 

 very ordinary grade, such as are commonly used by nurserymen for 

 raising stocks for nursery work, could be bought five or six years 

 ago for half what they now sell for. There has been, as well, a cor- 

 responding increase in the value of the product marketed for cul- 



* For illustration, tee page 303. 



