96 



MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



black walnut, another species of the same genus, we observe that it 

 has nearly twice the amount of kernel. 



A comparison of the two varieties of chestnut well illustrates the 

 influence of cultivation and selection in the improvement or amelio- 

 ration of our nut fruits. The difference makes the ratio of shell to 

 kernel 1 to 3 in one ease, and 1 to 6 in the other, or in other words, 

 the shell or waste of the Spanish chestnut has been reduced one- 

 half. It might be inferred from the comparative size of the two 

 varieties as indicated by the respective number it takes to make a 

 pound of each, that there would be a still greater difference in the 

 weights of the kernel. Inspection shows, however, that the kernel 

 of the large chestnut is not compact and solid like that of the small 

 variety. 



It should be noted that the sample of Brazil nut examined was 

 poor, a considerable proportion of the nuts being bad, which had 

 the effect of reducing the percentage of kernel. 



It was found during the course of the investigation that with the 

 most careful cracking of some of the larger nuts, there is a "milling" 

 or cracking loss of nearly two per cent of the total weight of kernels. 



Table No. 1. 



Kind of Nut 



Large Black Walnut 

 Small Black Walnut 



English Walnut 



Butternut 



Large Hickory 



Shell-hark Hickory. 

 Spanish Chestnut . . 

 American Chest nut. . 



Filbert 



Large Pecan 



Small Pecan 



Brazil Nut 



Almond 



Peanut 



Number in I Percentage of 

 one pound shell or waste 



20 



56 



54 



41 



54 



179 



37 



230 



222 



100 



216 



48 



83 



256 



82. 



79.7 



58. 



79.4 



80. 



68. 



12.5 



25. 



55. 



51. 



61.8 



62.3 

 72.5 

 26.5 



Percentage of 



kernel or 



edible part 



18. 



20.3 



42. 



20.6 



20. 



32. 



87.5 



75. 



45. 



49. 



38.2 



37.7 



•J 7.5 



73.5 



