ORIGIN OF THE SOBER PARAGON 
HEN a boy, Mr. Sober conceived the idea of improving our native chestnut 
by cultivation and artificial propagation, but this idea was not realized 
gggg until a few years ago. From a nut, supposed to have been brought to 
this country from Europe, perhaps from France or Spain. Mr. Sober first 
obtained his scions for grafting. He at once recognized the value of the nut, and 
with his characteristic energy, began experiments, from which the Sober Paragon 
resulted and is thus introduced to the public. To-day, his orchard is one of the 
most interesting places in the country, and is a financial success without precedent 
in nut and fruit culture. 
It having been so clearly demonstrated to be a distinct variety of such great 
merit, it was decided that it should bear his name. No more appropriate 
monument could possibly be erected in honor of any man than a chestnut tree, 
nor can his memory be perpetuated under more pleasant and agreeable surround¬ 
ings than to have his name linked inseparable with such an excellent and valuable 
variety. The Sober Paragon Chestnut has, therefore, been copyrighted, and all 
genuine trees will bear the seal. 
There were harvested and sold from this orchard in the Fall of 1907 over 
2,000 bushels of nuts, at prices ranging from seven to twelve dollars per bushel. 
In point of quality, the Sober Paragon Chestnut is equal to our native chest¬ 
nut, which cannot be said of the Japan and some other large nuts now on the 
market and clamoring for public favor. 
The young trees have always been scarce, as they can only be propagated by 
grafting. Consequently, they have been but little advertised, and comparatively 
few people know anything about them. Each succeeding year has confirmed our 
good opinion of the Sober Paragon Chestnut, and we offer it to the public with 
every confidence. It stands on its merits. We believe it will be a profitable thing 
to grow, as a fine chestnut will always meet with a ready sale at good prices. An 
orchard, once started, will bear the second year, and will increase in value each 
year for a century or longer. It has no “off year” and never fails to produce a 
crop. It is extremely prolific. 
VERY LARGE NUTS 
The nuts are from three to four inches in circumference, and occasionally one 
is found that will cover a silver dollar, while an average nut will cover a silver 
half dollar. Thirty-two selected nuts, when first gathered, weighed a pound, and 
forty-eight average nuts filled a quart measure. The nut is a little darker in color 
than the native chestnut, and is covered with a delicate pubescence when first 
gathered. It ripens the last week in September or the first week in October. The 
burs are large and thick, only slightly flattened, the spines being long and stiff, 
and the nuts averaging from three to five in each bur. 
Mr. Andrew Fuller says of the Sober Paragon Chestnut, in the Nut Culturist, 
1896: “Burs of immense size, often five inches and more in lateral diameter; 
distinctly flattened on the top, or cushion shape; large size, slightly depressed at 
the top, and usually broader than long; shell very dark brown, slightly ridged, 
and covered with a fine but not very conspicuous pubescence; kernel sweet, fine 
grained and of superior flavor. Tree hardy, exceedingly precocious and 
ROCHESTER, N. Y. 
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