REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON THE NOMENCLATURE OF JUGLANS MANDSHURICA AND THE SHELLBARK HICKORIES.
The following are the questions sent by the secretary and the answers received:
As there seems to be a difference of opinion as to the identity of 'Juglans mandshurica' will you be so kind as to answer the following questions for the benefit of the Northern Nut Growers' Association at their annual meeting at Ithaca, New York, Dec. 14 and 15, 1911.
Q. 1 What type of nut do you consider the "Juglans mandshurica" to be?
J. H. Black, Hightstown, N. J.: Probably a Juglans Regia Manchuria.
T. E Steele, Palmyra, N. J.: No resemblance to Persian walnut but very similar to butternut, a little longer and thicker than butternut and of little better quality.
Luther Burbank, Santa Rosa, Cal.: Nigra, or the connecting link between butternut, eastern black walnut and a trace of Sieboldi especially in foliage.
H. E. Van Deman, Washington, D. C.: It is almost identical with J. Sieboldiana.
J. M. Thorburn & Co., 33 Barclay St., N. Y. City.: Our idea of the type is that it resembles very closely in size, form and color of the shell the English walnut or Juglans regia, though the shell is thicker and the quality of the kernel has not the pleasant flavor of the Juglans regia.
Q 2 Does it resemble the Persian walnut or the butternut?
J. S. Black: Persian.
T. E. Steele: (See Q. 1).
Luther Burbank: (Does it resemble the Persian walnut—) No. (—or the butternut?) Very much in nut but less elongated and not pointed. Very thick shell.
H. E. Van Deman: Not similar to either of them.
J. M. Thorburn & Co.: (See Q. 1).
Q. 3 Is it a nut of commercial or other value?
J. S. Black: Yes.
T. E. Steele: I hardly think it a nut of commercial value as the shell is too thick. I should not consider it much better than the butternut.
Luther Burbank: Hardly unless improved. Meat sweet like butternut. Juglans Sieboldi var. Cordiformis is the very best of this type, thin shell, very sweet meats. Both these nuts vary very widely in form.
H. E. Van Deman: Only of value as a shade tree or as a stock from which to make crosses.
J. M Thorburn and Co.: As far as we know it has no commercial value here. We sell it only for seed purposes.
Q. 4 How was it introduced into this country?
J. S. Black: By Yokohama Nursery Co. of New York City.
T. E. Steele: I do not know.
Luther Burbank: Some twenty years ago both by myself and the Arnold Herbarium of Newtown, Mass.
H. E. Van Deman: By nuts from Manchuria, I have always understood.
J. M. Thorburn & Co.: We cannot tell. We purchase direct from Japan.
Q. 5 What are the characteristics of the tree?
J. S. Black: Very similar but hardier than Persian.
T. E. Steele: Very similar in growth to that of the Japan walnut, not unlike the butternut. In fact many call them butternuts, but Mr. Van Deman was quite sure they were the Mandshurica when he picked one from the tree I have in mind.
Luther Burbank: Much like Sieboldi.
Van Deman: Very thrifty and luxuriant with large leaves and large growth. Bark light colored.
J. M. Thorburn & Co.: It is a broad-headed tree growing about 60 feet high.
Q. 6 Have you raised them yourself or can you say who has?
J. S. Black: We have raised trees but not the nuts.
T. E. Steele: I have never raised them and know of no one who has.
Luther Burbank: Young trees. My one tree is more spready than other walnuts, and so far though old does not bear.
Van Deman: No, I have not grown the trees. Think John or Wm. Parry of Parry, N. J., have them. I have J. Cordiformis.
J. M. Thorburn & Co: We have never raised them ourselves.
Q. 7 Can you send samples or say where they can be obtained?
J. S. Black: We can furnish trees. Get nuts from Yokohama Nursery Co., New York City.
T. E. Steele: I know of but one tree near here, and I am mailing you one nut that I gathered a year or two ago, too long ago to be of any value except to show the character of the nut. If I can procure another nut or two of this year's growth I will do so and mail to you.
Luther Burbank: Have no samples but enclose usual form. From half shell. (Drawings of this, of the surface character of the nut, and of "size and form of a common sieboldi.")
H. E. Van Deman: Perhaps from the Parrys.
No replies were received from R. E. Smith, of the California Agricultural Experiment Station, Whittier; from Jackson Dawson, of the Arnold Arboretum; or from the Yokohama Nursery Co., 31 Barclay St., N. Y. City.
Summary of Dr. Morris's investigations as given by him on p. 12: The nut described in the U. S. bulletin as Juglans mandshurica is the one originally described and named by Maxim more than thirty years ago and is a nut of the butternut type. A few years ago the Yokohama Nursery Co., not knowing that this name had been previously applied, gave it to a nut of the Juglans regia type which they distributed. This nut had been previously named by De Candolle, Juglans regia sinensis.
NOMENCLATURE OF THE SHELLBARK HICKORIES.
The names "shellbark," "shagbark" and "scalybark" are at present used interchangeably by authors for different species of the hickory. It is advised that the Association take an arbitrary stand on the nomenclature and state our choice of the name "shagbark" for Hicoria ovata, "shellbark" for Hicoria laciniosa and "scalybark" for Hicoria Carolinae-septentrionalis.
This should become a matter of official record and eventually clear up the confusion.
THE HICKORY BARK BORER.
In Country Life in America for October 15, 1911, there appeared an article entitled "Warning!—The Hickory Bark Borer is With Us" by Hermann W. Merkel, Forester of the New York Zoological Gardens.
The following circular was issued by E. F. Felt, New York State Entomologist, under date of Oct. 31, 1911.