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THE PRESIDENT: Dr. Taylor, we thank you for the good advice and suggestions offered in your paper. I believe some attempt has been made to study the almond here in this vicinity. I know of one instance down in Forest Lawn by Mr. Baker. I believe that some years ago Mr. Wile attempted to do something in a commercial way with the almond, but I have since learned it proved a failure.
As Mrs. Ellwanger was very gracious in giving up her place I am going to call upon her now to read her paper.
OPPORTUNITIES FOR A WOMAN IN NUT CULTURE
MRS. W. D. ELLWANGER, Rochester
When at Mr. McGlennon's request I agreed to give some of my experiences in nut growing at this meeting I had no idea such a large and comprehensive title was to be given to my brief remarks.
Are not such opportunities wide and open to all? Women are now taking up so many branches of agriculture, gardening, farming, landscaping, that specializing in nuts is but one more. A real love for growing things, perseverance in face of many discouragements, and incidentally a place to grow the trees, are all that is necessary. I hope before long there will be classes in nut culture in the women's horticultural schools.
What is more delightful than to plant a tree? Planting flowers is a pleasure of the present but a tree is a link with the future.
My interest in growing Persian Walnuts in this region was started in 1912 by reading in a newspaper that these nuts could be grown in any climate suitable for peaches. Then I remembered that when a child I had picked walnuts from a tree on our lawn here in Rochester. Having a farm on the shore of Lake Ontario, part of which was a peach orchard, it seemed worth while to experiment with walnuts. Needless to say I am still experimenting!
The first trees planted were about one hundred Pomeroy seedlings and some fifty grafted trees, of the Rush variety. Dynamite was used at this time with such success that we have used it ever since. The seedlings are now quite large trees but not over half a dozen of them have borne any nuts. I early learned from growers in California that seedlings are a waste of time and money. I own a few acres of land in Southern California and of course have planted walnuts there. A few years ago I received word that the crop from my trees was being shipped to me. They arrived. There were six nuts. If I were a Californian I might say six bushels.