These statements cover the situation quite correctly, as it is seen by the writer, although it might be added that beyond or west of the Ohio River, in the middle portion of the country, this species is seldom able to survive for more than one or two winters. Many trees have been planted in Michigan, but the great majority have passed out entirely even where peaches normally succeed. However, it is the experience of a few growers in Sanilac County, bordering Lake Huron, that within a half mile of the lake, there is a greater profit in Persian walnuts than in peaches. One grower at Lockport, New York, has found Persian walnuts to pay better than other orchard crops which he has raised at equal expense or upon equal areas of land. An orchard at East Avon, widely known at one time and visited by the Northern Nut Growers' Association in 1915, practically succumbed entirely after having borne but one good crop in about 35 years. Mr. F. A. Bartlett, of Stamford, Conn., who knows intimately many dozen trees of this species within a radius of 50 miles of New York City, finds that few bear significant crops except at long intervals. From Stamford, Conn., near the Atlantic Seaboard, south to Norfolk, Va., Persian walnut trees are not uncommon in door-yards. They are fairly frequent in southern Pennsylvania west over practically half the length of the State and through Maryland west to Hagerstown. There are perhaps more productive trees in Lancaster County, than in any other county in either Pennsylvania or Maryland, with the possible exception of some county of the Eastern Shore of the latter state, which section already has been referred to. In Lancaster county yields are sufficient to give considerable profit from trees not occupying expensive land.
The Japanese walnut affords a curious analogy in regard to hardiness. During normal years, it succeeds over practically the same range as that of the black walnut, yet it freezes in early fall, mild winter or late spring when conditions are adverse, even when black walnut and pecan nearby are not visibly affected. Mr. Jones finds the Lancaster heartnut, a variety originating in his county, to be subject to injury by spring freezing to such an extent that he has largely discontinued its propagation. Mr. Edwin A. Surprise, of Boston, reports that this variety grows well in summer but freezes back in winter about as much as it grows in summer. Mr. Bartlett regards it as one of the most valuable acquisitions in his nut planting at Stamford, Conn., as it is a handsome, vigorous grower, and promises to bear well. As a safer variety in the Lancaster district Mr. Jones has substituted the Faust from Bamberg, S. C., which vegetates later in spring and thus far has proved less subject to injury.
The twigs of young black walnut trees are occasionally injured by freezing in winter, but recorded instances of such damage are rare. This is a field which should be investigated, as there is evidently no data showing even the regularity with which the black walnut bears in any section, much less the extent to which fruiting is restricted by destruction of the buds or spurs as a result of severe temperatures in winter or spring. This also applies to hardiness of the butternut, the hickories and of introduced species of chestnut.
In conclusion, it is pointed out that planters should not assume that the presence of a healthy tree is proof of sufficient hardiness to warrant extensive plantings, neither should they over-look the fact that an occasional satisfactory crop may be but slim evidence of commercial possibilities. It requires years of trial before a species or variety can fully establish its hardiness. Yet, on the other hand, to wait to find a kind of nut a hundred per cent hardy under all conditions, would be not to plant at all. No varieties of any species are immune to winter injury over any great portion of the United States. The planting of nut trees in the northern part of the country is certain to go forward, but for the present, east of the Rockies, large orchards of nut trees of any species or variety must be regarded as fields promising for experimentation rather than of sound commercial investment.
A common error in the minds of the American people is the assumption that to be a success, a thing must be performed upon a large scale. To develop a nut industry, it is imagined that there must be great orchards of hundreds of acres. It is not realized that a great proportion of the walnuts, almonds, filberts, and chestnuts annually imported from Europe, are from roadside, hillside and door-yard trees which could as well have been grown in this country on what is now idle land in thickly populated agricultural districts. No one need expect to attain great wealth from the products of door-yard or waste land trees but the by-product which could readily be salvaged from nut trees, would likely be very acceptable when interest and taxes or other bills come due.
WALNUT GRAFTING INVESTIGATIONS
T. J. Talbert, Professor of Horticulture, University of Missouri, College of Agriculture
These investigations are to determine the best varieties of the improved black walnut for Missouri. Valuable information is also being procured in reference to the topworking or cleft grafting of the native seedling black walnut to the improved sorts.
Since practically every Missouri farm contains some waste land upon which the native walnut and other nut trees may be growing, it is believed that it is possible to topwork these seedling sorts to improved kinds which will not only supply a larger quantity of thinner shelled, more highly flavored nuts for home use, but a surplus for the market. There is a growing demand for the seedling black walnut.
At the present time Missouri leads all other states in the production of this nut. The results which are being obtained in this experiment are proving to be of unusual interest and profit to Missouri growers.