In this connection let us not lose sight of the fact that the number of College boys on our farms is increasing very rapidly. Not long ago I attended a Farm Bureau meeting in Washington County, Pennsylvania, at which there were twenty-five to thirty young men who had taken Agricultural courses at The Pennsylvania State College. We can readily see what an opportunity it is to teach these College boys the benefits of planting nut bearing trees on their home places.
Again, we should manage in some way or other to permeate our town and rural schools with the nut planting spirit. Thousands and thousands of shade trees are planted where nut trees would be much more desirable. Every country school ground might well serve as a demonstration center of the best nut producing trees for that community. If such a scheme were carried out intelligently, our farmsteads would soon abound with nut trees. Let us not lose sight of the value of the demonstration idea in any nut propaganda work that may be undertaken.
Extension Service
The United States has the best and most wonderful system of Agricultural Extension of any country in the world. Are we using this system to extend the planting of nut bearing trees. Do we not know of classes and varieties which may be planted under suitable conditions that will be certain to give satisfactory results? If so, why not get this information in definite form before our County Agents and Farm Bureaus and let them pass it along to the soil tillers. Perhaps the time is not far off when the Colleges might appoint Nut Extension Specialists who would work through the County Agents and public schools and handle this matter in a thorough, effective, systematic manner. Surely we have the machinery for the dissemination of whatever knowledge is available relating to the selection, planting and care of nut bearing trees.
State Departments
All of the numerous State Departments of Agriculture, Forestry, Game Conservation, etc., in this and every other state should be vitally interested in the nut proposition. Perhaps some of the officials in these State Departments don't realize the possibilities of nut planting? Is there any way of educating them? For example, our Game Commissioners are worrying over the disappearance of the chestnut as a source of food for squirrels. Do they realize that the bush chinquapin might be substituted with success, in some sections at least? And why not get game and squirrel lovers and tree planters in general to enthuse about the planting of black walnuts with a liberal sprinkling of butternuts? The result would be food for the squirrels, for the kiddies and some for the old folks, besides useful timber trees and also beautiful roadsides and farmsteads.
The Press
We ought to manage in some way to get more material relating to nuts published in country papers and magazines, especially in the farm papers. Millions of copies of the agricultural papers reach our farm homes every week. They are read largely by the boys and girls who are always very much interested in nuts.
State Laws
I do not know how much can be accomplished by passing laws that will encourage the planting of nut bearing trees, especially along the roadside. All of us will watch with much interest the Penney Law of Michigan. A very careful study should be made of this phase of the problem and then urge the passage of such laws in each state as will be most favorable to the development of the whole proposition.