THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN 
I 2 1 
Quiz Column 
Is California privet subject to attack by San Jose scale? 
Inquirer. 
ANSWER. 
The California privet has never to my knowledge been injured by 
San Jose scale, though scales sometimes may be found on it, if the 
scale is prevalent in the neighborhood. There are other varieties of 
privet, particularly Amoor River Privet, which are often destroyed 
by scale. I never saw scale on California privet in Western New 
York, but down the river and on Long Island it is sometimes but 
rarely reported. 
I have information that California Privet is also slightly affected 
in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, and sometimes further south. 
Geo. G. Atwood, Chief Horticultural Inspector. 
Albany, N. Y. 
Dear Sir: 
As a subscriber I ask the following questions and will greatly ap¬ 
preciate answers through your column 
What varieties of the species Carya alba (shellbark hickory) 
would it be best, in the present knowledge of this nut tree, to propa¬ 
gate, were one undertaking the cultivation of this tree for its fruit 
alone ? 
Are there any sections where such cultivation is now being 
made ? 
What varieties find their way into commerce from forest and 
from plantations (if any)? Is Hale’s paper shell one of these 
varieties ? What nurserymen would be likely to carry such stock ? 
Morse S. Duffield. 
217 D. F. Walker Bldg., 
Salt Lake City, Utah. 
Answer by DR. ROBERT T. MORRIS, NEW YORK CITY. 
(1) At present I cannot say what shagbarks can be propagated 
best. There are about a dozen kinds grafted, in my experimental 
orchard, including some not yet transplanted. Not one of these is 
ideal. Some have extremely thin shell, but deficient in other 
features. Some are very large,—some of high quality,—some with 
perfect cleavage, but not one that combines more than two notable 
features. I am still looking for the ideal shagbark. Some of the 
best are from trees that are shy or intermittent bearers. Perhaps 
the very best nut of all is from a tree in Maryland that bore a good 
crop in 1905, and none since. Another of the very best, fills only a 
part of the nuts, some remaining empty shells. 
(2) I do not know of any section where shagbarks have been 
cultivated, but have heard of individual trees here and there, and 
some men write that they have recently grafted shagbarks. 
(3) No varieties find their way into commerce from plantations, 
so far as I can learn. Sometimes the yearly crop from some one tree 
is engaged by a dealer, but the market lots are mixed wild nuts 
generally. 
(4) There are no nurserymen carrying important stocks of 
grafted shagbarks, to my knowledge. 
(5) Hale’s paper shell is not an ideal nut. The size is very large, 
but the shell is much thicker than that of some others. The 
quality is not of the highest, but the nuts have remarkable keeping 
quality. Cleavage of this nut is only fair. The variety so far as I 
can learn is a shy, late, and irregular cropper. By comparison with 
the thousand and one wild nuts, Hale’s is remarkable, and Mr. 
Hale is worthy of permanent fame for his efforts to get people in¬ 
terested in grafting this nut. He has kept at the subject persis¬ 
tently, and can be called the father of shagbark grafting. I have 
some young grafted trees of this variety. Thomas Meehan & 
Sons, of Germantown, Philadelphia, keep a few of them in stock. 
They require a great deal of care when transplanted, and often die 
unaccountably. 
In a few years I shall be able to report upon the behavior of a 
good number of varieties of grafted shagbarks, and presume that as 
with other kinds of trees, some will prove to be very profitable, 
while others will not. I shall try budding extensively this summer. 
Editor National Nurseryman: 
We are about to start a small nursery to grow stock for the best 
retail trade. Would you advise making a specialty of one thing, 
say roses? 
Please name the ten hardy conifers and the ten hardy shrubs 
most in demand. 
Our ground is now in sod, rather light, how shall we best treat it 
for the above mentioned stock, also flowers, vegetables, roses and 
small fruits? 
Starting with rosa rugosa seedlings in the spring how can we 
best grow them for stocks for standard roses? Will they be strong 
enough to bear next summer ? Is the manetti used for standards ? 
We have a large number of dormant hard wood rose cuttings 
stored, with the idea of starting them outdoors early in the spring. 
How shall we treat them? How about starting them in frames 
covered with protecting cloth? (Advice wanted.— -Editor). 
Please describe the methods of the French gardeners whereby 
they are able to get so many crops from the same ground in one year. 
Where can we get literature in English on the subject ? (See Florists 
Exchange for January 23, page 115, column 3. See article in this 
issue.— Editor.) 
Thanking you in adyance for any help you can give us, we re¬ 
main 
Beginner. 
Rhode Island. 
Answer by ELLWANGER AND BARRY. 
As to making roses a specialty, it depends on the climate where 
they are to be grown. If the winters are not too severe we should 
advise planting roses as a specialty in an experimental way at any 
rate. 
For ten of the hardiest conifers we would recommend the follow¬ 
ing: Norwav Spruce, Hemlock, Austrian Pine, Red Cedar, Balsam 
Fir, Col. Blue Spruce, Irish Juniper, White Pine, Am. Arbor Vitae. 
White Spruce. 
For ten of the hardiest shrubs we would recommend the follow¬ 
ing: Spirea Van Houttei, Berberis Thunbergii, Bush Honeysuckle, 
Prunus triloba, Snowball, Weigela, Hydrangea pan. grand., 
Forsythia, Lilacs, Spirea Anthony Wal^erer, Svringa. 
To grow good stock it is necessary that the ground be well culti¬ 
vated and plenty of manure used. We have not had any experience 
with growing the Rosa rugosa seedlings or manetti roses for stan¬ 
dards, nor with growing roses from hard wood cuttings. 
MATRIMONIAL. 
Congratulations are due Mr. George H. Whiting of Yankton, 
South Dakota, who has recently been united in marriage with Miss 
Eva E. Williams, of Watertown, S. Dak. Mr. Whiting is well 
known as the proprietor of the George H. Whiting nurseries. His 
catalogue is good evidence of the progressiveness of the firm which 
he represents as president. 
RAY C. SIMPSON. 
Mr. Ray C. Simpson of the Nut Nursery, Monticello, Florida 
and superintendent of the North Florida Pecan Company of the 
same place recently wedded Miss Parkill, daughter of Capt. 
Parkill of Monticello. Mr. and Mrs. Simpson are now at home to 
their friends in the town of the groom’s adoption—Monticello. 
Congratulations are warmly extended. 
National Nurseryman Publishing Co., 
Rochester, N. Y. 
Gentlemen: 
Enclosed you will find check for one dollar for which send me 
your paper one year. Have run my business long enough without 
your paper. Begin with March issue. 
The Blanton Nursery. 
