MR. JONES: You can't judge a pecan by the growth of the tree. You take a pecan that makes a thick head and lots of limbs, and it is very likely to be a heavy bearer. On the other hand, a nurseryman likes a variety that makes a tree, you know.
THE PRESIDENT: On your criterion of a bunched top, which of these eight varieties we are now propagating is the most promising?
MR. JONES: The Butterick appeals to me.
THE PRESIDENT: Is the Posey in the same class?
MR. JONES: The Indiana makes a thick head.
THE PRESIDENT: Does any other do that?
MR. JONES: The Green River is inclined to on the mature block, but not the first year in the nursery.
MR. LITTLEPAGE: Mr. President, in view of the fact that this meeting is reported, and that what we say will go into the official records to be read by lots of people who can't come and examine us, it might be understood that there would be some question about the bearing of these Northern pecan trees. As a matter of fact, I am surprised that any of them bore any nuts this year when I think how hard Mr. McCoy and Mr. Reed and myself have cut them for bud-wood. As a matter of fact, our opinion is that these Northern pecan trees are all excellent bearers, as the bearing reputation goes with pecan trees. I have watched them pretty carefully, and the best evidence of what I think of them is that I am setting them in my orchard. For fear that the minutes may leave the impression with some casual reader later that these trees bear a quart, and two gallons, I just want to say that if these gentlemen put into the record the amount of nuts that they know the Green River, the Butterick, the Posey and Major have borne—for instance, six weeks ago I bought sixty pounds of Posey nuts from a certain tree. The man who counted them counted 120 pounds on the tree, and if the boys around were as active as when I was a boy, I bet he didn't get more than half of them.
THE PRESIDENT: This is the time of year when the squirrels get nuts, and
I expect they got after the trees, too.
MISS LOUISE LITTLEPAGE: Why does the rain affect the nuts, and why in that certain one month?