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" … Sept. 30, 1940 …
"Following some investigation in connection with the so-called curly walnut varieties, we have been advised by government authorities that these trees do not form, or grow into, a curly walnut tree at any time during the growing stage.
"We took it for granted that the wood formation would be of a curly nature, and for that reason we were interested in that particular variety.
"In view of this information which we have concerning these trees, we would not be interested in growing them as we have plenty of native black walnut here…."
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This and other discouragements, from both government authorities and individuals, had about as much effect on me as King George's advice to the American people not to use tobacco; they smoked calmly on, and I continued to propagate Lamb curly black walnut trees.
I have been propagating nut trees since 1910, and have never yet known one of my propagated nut trees to fail to carry the characteristics of the parent tree, as to habits of growth, bark, bud formation, foliage, texture of wood, or quality of nuts. The Deming Purple walnut tree, when asexually propagated, reproduces the purple wood, so I reasoned the Lamb variety would reproduce figured wood. Nature seldom blunders.
+Value of Original Lamb Walnut Tree+
When I was in Grand Rapids, Michigan, a few years ago, doing some tree work for the late William J. Wallace, he took me a few miles to the location of the original Lamb tree. It was near a small river in a gravel loam soil near Ada, Kent County, Michigan.