182 
THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN 
Ifinfi. Its k(‘rii(‘ls ai'e l icli in (lualily and ol a flavor more 
])l(‘asin^ to sonu^ j)ersons tlian tliat ol any other nut. 
(a-ackin^^ tin* nativ(‘ l)ntlernul and inarketin^^ the kernels 
aflords llu' lui’al |km) 1)I(‘ in many seetions a lairly profit¬ 
able iiK'ans of (Miiployment. dni'in^ the winter months. Its 
nativ(‘ I’anp:*' ('xtends fai'tlier north than does that of 
('ilh(‘r the easl('rn l)laek walnut, or thaf of the shellhark 
hiekoiy, Iliami ovafa, and is eonsiderahly beyond that of 
the sludlhark //. larhuosa. Therefore, in view of its 
liardim'ss, and the merit of its kernels, it is well worthy 
of eonsideralion for |)lanting in the most northern parts 
of the eountry. 
\Ver(^ it not for the blight which is now making prac¬ 
tically a ch'an sw ecj) of destruction over the eastern states, 
\\ hcrevcr the native chestnuts are found, the American 
chestnut, Caslanca dentata, would certainly he entitled to 
leading consideratioji as a highway, an ornamental or a 
nut i)roducing tree. Unairected by blight or other dis- 
('ase, it is one of the largest growing and mo.st graceful 
sj)(‘ci(‘s in the eastern United States. The European 
chestnut is mairly as suscepti})le to the blight as is the 
American spc'cies. The chestnuts from eastern Asia now 
apj)ear to ])e suflicnmtly immune to offer a practical solu¬ 
tion to the situation by their introduction into this coun- 
try. However, they commonly lack the sweet flavor of 
th(^ American species and need hybridizing in order to 
improve their quality. This the Federal Department of 
Agriculture is now doing, and in due time, there may he 
something to offer in ample quantity which will make a 
satisfactory substitute for the native species. Exclusive 
of the Asiatic s[)eci(‘s which can he recommended for 
plajiting in the blight affected area, and these should he 
planted only for test purposes. 
The piiK's referred to at the outset of this article as be¬ 
ing important nut producers are all western species found 
only on the mountains and nowhere under cultivation. 
There are at least 14 American si)ecies. Uepresentatives 
are found in the Rocky Mountain states. The most im¬ 
portant sp(‘cies is Pinus edulis. It is found at altitudes 
of from 8.000 to 7,000 feet in the mountains of New 
Mexico, Arizona and Northern Mexico. In favorable 
years, the seeds are gathered in enormous (juantities un¬ 
der the name of according to the Mexicans. 
“[)inyonies.” The nuts are rich in flavor hut small and 
diflicult to ('xtract from the shells. They are not well 
known in the eastern market hut in the Soutluvest they 
fo?-m a highly im])ortant article of food for the Indians 
and Mexicans. These pines are exceedingly slow grow'^ers 
and not of graceful form. They could scarcely he con- 
sid(‘r(‘d for coiiimercial planting, except at the altitudes to 
which they are common, and then, probably, only where 
some mon; satisfactory shade trees would not succeed. 
Among all American species of trees, it is j)rohahle that 
iti a condjiiiation of beauty, longevity, strength and hardi- 
iK'ss. the American Ixoch, Faf/iis r/randifolm is unex- 
c('lled. Althougli commonly looked upon as being a 
northern spi'cie. its range ('xtends to Northern Florida 
and west lo the Trinity River in Texas. It is most fam¬ 
iliar as a chon hark('d, spreading tiee. w ith low lu'ad. and 
a height I nun 50 to 60 feet. However, its form depends 
larg('ly upon enviroimuMit. Tlu^ writer has seem it in the 
bottoms of Souihrn (leorgia, in common w ith the mag¬ 
nolia. grow ing to a height of from 75 to 100 feet and w itli 
trunks of two feet in diameter extending upward in a 
manner which, with regard to height and uniformity of 
size, compared favorably with the long-leaf Georgia i)ine. 
The nuts of the beech are rich in quality and of excellent 
flavor, hut ow ing to their small size and the great difli- 
culty attending the extraction of the kernels, they are 
not rated as being of direct importance for human food. 
Their principle use in this country is a mast crop for tur¬ 
keys and sw ine, for w hich they serve a most useful pur- 
l)ose. Crops w liicli can be used in this manner to good 
advantage, thus practically obviating the problems of har¬ 
vesting, are certainly w ell w orth thinking about in these 
days of labor scarcity. 
There are few large sections of the United States 
adapted to the growing of trees to which some nut-bear¬ 
ing species is not suited. Most species of nut trees are as 
capalfle of producing shade and ornamental effect, and 
arc as hardy and lasting as any other which, might be 
mentioned. In addition, they produce an edible product 
which is entering into the list of staple food products 
with great rapidity. The present scarcity of meats and 
the consequent high prices are compelling the substitu¬ 
tion of other products. The superiority of nuts over prac¬ 
tically all other products which are available, as substi¬ 
tutes, scarcely need argument. Already, nuts are being 
pressed into service as rapidly as production permits and 
perhaps more so than prices and comparative food values 
justify. Singularly enough, this section of the United 
States which is the oldest and most thickly populated por¬ 
tion of the country and that within which the greatest 
number of edible species of nuts are indigenous, is today 
practically without pomological varieties for planting. 
Within this area, individuals have made tests of species 
and varieties for many generations, yet little progress has 
resulted. The obvious need is for further test on a large 
scale. A better opportunity for the making of such a test 
could scarcely be imagined than that of highway plant¬ 
ing. 
Pomologists are firmly recommending the exclusive use 
of budded or grafted trees. But this advice applies only 
to orchard planting for the purpose of commercial pro¬ 
duction. Until more and better varieties are known and 
their merits established, that portion of the country lying 
north of the pecan belt and east of the Rocky Mountains 
must await the development and trial of new varieties. 
Seedlings must be planted in large numbers from which 
to select varieties. The process is too slow and the per¬ 
centage of varieties wdiich may be expected to be w^orth 
wdiile too small for it to be possible for the individual to 
make much headw^ay during an ordinary lifetime. Our 
present system of national highways by which all parts 
of the country are being connected is perfecting the op¬ 
portunity. The general planting along these great n(i- 
tional highw^ays of elm, oak, poplar, tulip, cedar, hem¬ 
lock, magnolia, pine or any other species which, unless 
cut, are capable of producing no crop other than that of 
shade, would hardly be in keeping with the present need 
for utility. It would be giving a questionable degree of 
thought to the welfare of future generations. 
To the list ot nut trees as utility trees there might he 
added the sugar maph*, and certain species of prolific- 
bearing oaks. The former could be drawn upon for the 
making of syrup and sugar, and the acorns from the lat- 
