PAPER SHELL WALNUTS 41 



The nuts of the Royal hybrid are similar to 

 those of the parents, except that they are larger 

 in size. The very thick shell is objectionable, as 

 already noted. Doubtless the shell can be made 

 thinner by selective breeding, but no compre- 

 hensive efforts in this direction have as vet been 

 carried out. The black walnut, in spite of the 

 really fine quality of its nuts, has never become 

 an important article of commerce. But there 

 are great possibilities for it if the shell could be 

 reduced to a condition comparable to that of the 

 English walnut. 



The nuts borne by the Paradox are interme- 

 diate in form and appearance between the tj^es 

 of nuts of its parents. Exteriorly they resem- 

 ble the Persian walnut, but the shell partakes of 

 the thickness and solidity of that of the black 

 walnut. In at least two instances among the 

 thousands of second-generation Paradox wal- 

 nut trees that have been grown, the trees pro- 

 duce extra large fine walnuts in abundance. 

 However, both of these are quite thick- shelled, 

 but from their second-generation hybrid, which 

 can be multiplied abundantly, good, hardy, thin- 

 shelled varieties may yet be produced. 



It is possible that further hybridizations;^ in 

 which the Royal and Paradox hybrids were 

 themselves crossed, might result in the develop- 



