Dec. 11, 1912.
So far as I can learn only two attempts have been made in this state to grow nuts. The first one consists in the setting out of about one hundred Japanese walnuts by the Antlers Orchard Co. Their place is on the western slope in the fruit district and I am informed that the first winter the tops were killed but new shoots put out from the roots and the trees did well this year.
The other attempt is one I made last spring. I set out a few pecan trees as an experiment near Colorado Springs. Six of the seven trees lived and put out some leaves but did not make much growth. If they survive the winter I purpose planting more pecans and some other nuts,—chestnuts, black walnuts and possibly Persian walnuts.
Hilton, N. Y.
Nov. 29, 1912.
Dear Sir:
In reply to your inquiry I am inclosing notes on walnut culture in this locality. This noble fruit is not generally known here. I do not know of more than twelve or fifteen bearing trees in my county. Of these all are without doubt seedlings, and are located in places where the peach will thrive. The soil in which they grow is varied: Dunkirk fine sand, Dunkirk silt loam, Ontario fine sand loam, and Ontario loam. (See soil survey of Monroe county, N. Y. U. S. Dept. Agriculture.) The altitude is comparatively low. The highest point in the county is only 682 ft. above lake Ontario, and the average elevation is not more than 300 ft. The "Holden" walnuts are growing at a still lower level. This tree, considering its surroundings and location, had a good crop this year. Standing on the lawn uncultivated and unfertilized, hemmed in on three sides by other trees, it gave us at least three bushels of fine nuts.
The wood showed no injury after last winter's intense cold. Growth started in the spring just as the apple blossoms came out. The catkins are very large, at least much larger than those on the other trees we have, and hang on longer. One of our trees loses its male blossoms before the female bloom appears, but the "Holden" is the last to lose them. About half of the clusters of fruit have two or three nuts in them. We began harvesting the nuts Sept. 15th, just four months from the blossom. The dropping continued for a month, prolonged on account of lack of frost.
Last week the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle reported the appearance of the first load of English walnuts ever brought on the local market. They were grown on fifteen year old seedlings, at East Avon, N. Y., by Adelbert Thompson. His orchard is said to contain 200 trees. It seems very probable that the next twenty-five years will see the development of Persian walnut growing, to commercial proportions, in those localities in the state where the peach will grow.
I had a little experience last spring with southern grown walnut trees. Last spring I received from Louisiana eleven trees of the "Holden" variety grafted on black walnut stocks. They were fine trees, the largest at least eight feet tall. Six of these I set out in my own orchards and gave them intensive care and cultivation, but alas, growth was weak and at last they died. If I were to deduce any conclusions it would be that there is too great a difference between Louisiana and New York conditions.