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+————————————————————————————————————+ |DISCLAIMER | | | |The articles published in the Annual Reports of the Northern Nut Growers| |Association are the findings and thoughts solely of the authors and are | |not to be construed as an endorsement by the Northern Nut Growers | |Association, its board of directors, or its members. No endorsement is | |intended for products mentioned, nor is criticism meant for products not| |mentioned. The laws and recommendations for pesticide application may | |have changed since the articles were written. It is always the pesticide| |applicator's responsibility, by law, to read and follow all current | |label directions for the specific pesticide being used. The discussion | |of specific nut tree cultivars and of specific techniques to grow nut | |trees that might have been successful in one area and at a particular | |time is not a guarantee that similar results will occur elsewhere. | +————————————————————————————————————+
43rd Annual Report
OF THE
Northern Nut Growers Association
Incorporated
AFFILIATED WITH THE AMERICAN HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY
Annual Meeting at
ROCKPORT, INDIANA
August 25, 26 and 27, 1952
Table of Contents
Officers and Committees 1952-53 4
State and Foreign Vice Presidents 5
Constitution and By-laws 7
Call to Order, Forty-Third Annual Meeting 11
Address of Welcome—Hilbert Bennett 11
Business Session 15
Treasurer's Report—Carl Prell 18
Committee Reports 21
President's Address—L. H. MacDaniels 27
The Future of Your Nut Planting—W. F. Sonnemann 32
The Value of a Tree—Ferd Bolten 35
Methods of Getting Better Annual Crops on Black Walnut. Panel discussion led by W. W. Magill 38
The 1952 Hickory Survey—H. F. Stoke 46
A Discussion of Hickory Stocks—Gilbert L. Smith 49
Filbert Varieties. Panel discussion led by G. L. Slate 53
My Experiences with Chinese Chestnuts—W. J. Wilson 62
Persian Walnuts in the Upper South—H. F. Stoke 66
Varieties of Persian Walnuts in Eastern Iowa—Ira B. Kyhl 69
Commercial Production and Processing of Black and Persian
Walnuts—Edwin L. Lemke 71
Black Walnut Processing at Henderson, Kentucky—R. C. Mangelsdorf 73
Nut Shells: Assets or Liabilities—T. F. Clark 77
The Propagation of Hickories—Panel discussion led by
F. L. O'Rourke 81
A Promising New Pecan for the Northern Zone—J. W. McKay and
H. L. Crane 89
The Hickory in Indiana—W. B. Ward 91
The Merrick Hybrid Walnut—P. E. Machovina 93
Producing Quality Nuts and Quality Logs—L. E. Sawyer 94
Colchicine for Nut Improvement Programs—O. J. Eigsti and
R. B. Best 99
An Early Pecan and Some Other West Tennessee Nuts—Aubrey
Richards 101
Scab Disease in Eastern Kentucky on Busseron Pecan—W. D.
Armstrong 102
Further News about Oak Wilt—E. A. Curl 102
Life History and Control of the Pecan Spittle Bug—Stewart
Chandler 106
Insect Enemies of Northern Nut Trees—Howard Baker 112
Tuesday Evening Banquet Session Resolutions and Election of
Officers 118
Chestnut Breeding—Arthur H. Graves and Hans Nienstaedt 120
Effect of Vermiculite in Inducing Fibrous Roots on Tap Rooting
Tree Seedlings—Herbert C. Barrett and Toro Arisumi 131
Eastern Black Walnut Survey 1951—H. F. Stoke 133
Crath's Carpathian English Walnuts in Ontario—P. C. Crath 136
Nut Tree Plantings in Southeastern Iowa—Albert B. Ferguson 146
Rockville as a Hickory Interstock—Herman Last 147
A Fruitful Pair of Carpathian Walnut Varieties in
Michigan—Gilbert Becker 147
Suggested Blooming Data to be Recorded for Nut Tree
Varieties—J. C. McDaniel 148
Note on Chinese Chestnuts—Harwood Steiger 149
Scott Healey—An Obituary 149
A Letter from Dr. W. C. Deming 150
Sweepstakes Award in Ohio Black Walnut Contest—L. Walter
Sherman 152
Attendance Record, Rockport, Ind. 1952 156
Membership List—Northern Nut Growers Association 158
Officers for 1952-53
President Richard B. Best, Eldred, Illinois
Vice-President George Salzer, Rochester, New York
Secretary Spencer B. Chase, Norris, Tennessee
Treasurer Carl F. Prell, South Bend, Indiana
Directors Dr. L. H. MacDaniels, Ithaca, New York
Dr. William Rohrbacher, Iowa City, Iowa
EXECUTIVE APPOINTMENTS 1952-53
Program Committee:
Dr. J. W. McKay, Royal Oakes, Gordon Porter, Gilbert Becker, A. A.
Bungart, W. D. Armstrong.
Local Arrangements:
George Salzer, Victor Brook.
Place of Meeting Committee:
R. P. Allaman, Dr. Lloyd L. Dowell, Edwin W. Lemke, Alfred L. Barlow.
Publication Committee:
Professor George L. Slate, Professor Lewis E. Theiss, Dr. L. H.
MacDaniels.
Varieties and Contests Committee:
Dr. L. H. MacDaniels, J. C. McDaniel, Sylvester M. Shessler, H. F.
Stoke, Royal Oakes.
Standards and Judging Committee:
Dr. L. H. MacDaniels, Dr. H. L. Crane, Louis Gerardi, Spencer Chase,
Professor Paul E. Machovina.
Survey and Research Committee:
H. F. Stoke (With all the state and foreign vice-presidents).
Exhibits Committee:
Sylvester M. Shessler, Dr. L. H. MacDaniels, H. F. Stoke, Royal Oakes,
A. A. Bungart, J. F. Wilkinson.
Root Stocks Committee:
Professor F. L. O'Rourke, J. C. McDaniel, Albert F. Ferguson, Dr. Aubrey
Richards, Louis Gerardi, Dr. Arthur S. Colby, Max Hardy, Gilbert Smith.
Auditing Committee:
Raymond E. Silvis, Sterling A. Smith, Edward W. Pape.
Legal Advisor:
Sargent H. Wellman.
Finance Committee:
Sterling A. Smith, Ford Wallick, Edward W. Pape.
Necrology:
Mrs. Herbert Negus, Mrs. C. A. Reed, Mrs. G. A. Zimmerman.
Nominating Committee:
(Elected at Rockport, Indiana), Max Hardy, Gilbert Becker, Dr. William
Rohrbacher, Professor George L. Slate, J. Ford Wilkinson.
Membership Committee:
George Salzer (With all the state and foreign vice-presidents).
State and Foreign Vice-Presidents
Alabama Edward L. Hiles, Loxley
Alberta A. L. Young, Brooks
Arkansas W. D. Wylie, Univ. of Ark., Fayetteville
Belgium R. Vanderwaeren, Bierbeekstraat, 310, Korbeek-Lo
British Columbia, Canada J. U. Gellatly, Box 19, Westbank
California Thos. R. Haig, M.D., 3021 Highland Ave., Carlesbad
Colorado J. E. Forbes, Julesburg
Connecticut A. M. Huntington, Stanerigg Farms, Bethel
Delaware Lewis Wilkins, Route 1, Newark
Denmark Count F. M. Knuth, Knuthenborg, Bandholm
District of Columbia Ed. L. Ford, 3634 Austin St.,
S. E. Washington 20
Florida C. A. Avant, 960 N. W. 10th Ave., Miami
Georgia William J. Wilson, North Anderson Ave., Fort Valley
Hawaii John F. Cross, P. O. Box 1720, Hilo
Hong Kong P. W. Wang, 6 Des Voeux Rd., Central
Idaho Lynn Dryden, Peck
Illinois Royal Oakes, Bluffs (Scott County)
Indiana Edw. W. Pape, Rt. 2, Marion
Iowa Ira M. Kyle, Box 236, Sabula
Kansas Dr. Clyde Gray, 1045 Central Ave., Horton
Kentucky Dr. C. A. Moss, Williamsburg
Louisiana Dr. Harald E. Hammar, 608 Court House, Shreveport
Maryland Blaine McCollum, White Hall
Massachusetts S. Lathrop Davenport, 24 Creeper Hill Rd.,
North Grafton
Michigan Gilbert Becker, Climax
Minnesota R. E. Hodgeson, Southeastern Exp. Station, Waseca
Mississippi James R. Meyer, Delta Branch Exp. Station, Stoneville
Missouri Ralph Richterkessing, Route 1, Saint Charles
Montana Russel H. Ford, Dixon
Nebraska Harvey W. Hess, Box 209, Hebron
New Hampshire Matthew Lahti, Locust Lane Farm, Wolfeboro
New Jersey Mrs. Alan R. Buckwalter, Route 1, Flemington
New Mexico Rev. Titus Gehring, P. O. Box 177, Lumberton
New York Stephen Bernath, Route No. 3, Poughkeepsie
North Carolina Dr. R. T. Dunstan, Greensboro College, Greensboro
North Dakota Homer L. Bradley, Long Lake Refuge, Moffit
Ohio Christ Pataky Jr., 592 Hickory Lane, Route 4, Mansfield
Oklahoma A. G. Hirschi, 414 North Robinson, Oklahoma City
Ontario, Canada Elton E. Papple, Cainsville
Oregon Harry L. Pearcy, Route 2, Box 190, Salem
Pennsylvania R. P. Allaman, Route 86, Harrisburg
Prince Edward Is. Canada Robert Snazelle, Forest Nursery, Route 5,
Charlottetown
Rhode Island Philip Allen, 178 Dorance St., Providence
South Carolina John T. Bregger, P.O. Box 1018, Clemson
South Dakota Herman Richter, Madison
Tennessee W. Jobe Robinson, Route 7, Jackson
Texas Kaufman Florida, Box 154, Rotan
Utah Harlan D. Petterson, 2076 Jefferson Ave., Ogden
Vermont A. W. Aldrich, R. F. D. 2, Box 266, Springfield
Virginia H. R. Gibbs, Linden
Washington H. Lynn Tuttle, Clarkston
West Virginia Wilbert M. Frye, Pleasant Dale
Wisconsin C. F. Ladwig, 2221 St. Lawrence, Beloit
CONSTITUTION
of the
NORTHERN NUT GROWERS ASSOCIATION, INCORPORATED
(As adopted September 13, 1948)
NAME
ARTICLE I. This Society shall be known as the Northern Nut Growers
Association, Incorporated. It is strictly a non-profit organization.
PURPOSES
ARTICLE II. The purposes of this Association shall be to promote interest in the nut bearing plants; scientific research in their breeding and culture; standardization of varietal names; the dissemination of information concerning the above and such other purposes as may advance the culture of nut bearing plants, particularly in the North Temperate Zone.
MEMBERS
ARTICLE III. Membership in this Association shall be open to all persons interested in supporting the purposes of the Association. Classes of members are as follows: Annual members, Contributing members, Life members, Honorary members, and Perpetual members. Applications for membership in the Association shall be presented to the secretary or the treasurer in writing, accompanied by the required dues.
OFFICERS
ARTICLE IV. The elected officers of this Association shall consist of a
President, a Vice-President, a Secretary and a Treasurer or a combined
Secretary-treasurer as the Association may designate.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
ARTICLE V. The Board of Directors shall consist of six members of the Association who shall be the officers of the Association and the two preceding elected presidents. If the offices of Secretary and Treasurer are combined, the three past presidents shall serve on the Board of Directors.
There shall be a State Vice-president for each state, dependency, or country represented in the membership of the Association, who shall be appointed by the President.
AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION
ARTICLE VI. This constitution may be amended by a two-thirds vote of the members present at any annual meeting, notice of such amendment having been read at the previous annual meeting, or copy of the proposed amendments having been mailed by the Secretary, or by any member to each member thirty days before the date of the annual meeting.
BY-LAWS
(Revised and adopted at Norris, Tennessee, September 13, 1948)
SECTION I.—MEMBERSHIP
Classes of membership are defined as follows:
ARTICLE I. ANNUAL MEMBERS. Persons who are interested in the purposes of the Association who pay annual dues of Three Dollars ($3.00).
ARTICLE II. CONTRIBUTING MEMBERS. Persons who are interested in the purposes of the Association who pay annual dues of Ten Dollars ($10.00) or more.
ARTICLE III. LIFE MEMBERS. Persons who are interested in the purposes of the Association who contribute Seventy Five Dollars ($75.00) to its support and who shall, after such contribution, pay no annual dues.
ARTICLE IV. HONORARY MEMBERS. Those whom the Association has elected as honorary members in recognition of their achievements in the special fields of the Association and who shall pay no dues.
ARTICLE V. PERPETUAL MEMBERS. "Perpetual" membership is eligible to any one who leaves at least five hundred dollars to the Association and such membership on payment of said sum to the Association shall entitle the name of the deceased to be forever enrolled in the list of members as "Perpetual" with the words "In Memoriam" added thereto. Funds received therefor shall be invested by the Treasurer in interest bearing securities legal for trust funds in the District of Columbia. Only the interest shall be expended by the Association. When such funds are in the treasury the Treasurer shall be bonded. Provided: that in the event the Association becomes defunct or dissolves, then, in that event, the Treasurer shall turn over any funds held in his hands for this purpose for such uses, individuals or companies that the donor may designate at the time he makes the bequest of the donation.
SECTION II.-DUTIES OF OFFICERS
ARTICLE I. The President shall preside at all meetings of the Association and Board of Directors, and may call meetings of the Board of Directors when he believes it to be the best interests of the Association. He shall appoint the State Vice-presidents; the standing committees, except the Nominating Committee, and such special committees as the Association may authorize.
ARTICLE II. Vice-president. In the absence of the President, the
Vice-president shall perform the duties of the President.
ARTICLE III. Secretary. The Secretary shall be the active executive officer of the Association. He shall conduct the correspondence relating to the Association's interests, assist in obtaining memberships and otherwise actively forward the interests of the Association, and report to the Annual Meeting and from time to time to meetings of the Board of Directors as they may request.
ARTICLE IV. Treasurer. The Treasurer shall receive and record memberships, receive and account for all moneys of the Association and shall pay all bills approved by the President or the Secretary. He shall give such security as the Board of Directors may require or may legally be required, shall invest life memberships or other funds as the Board of Directors may direct, subject to legal restrictions and in accordance with the law, and shall submit a verified account of receipts and disbursements to the Annual meeting and such current accounts as the Board of Directors may from time to time require. Before the final business session of the Annual Meeting of the Association, the accounts of the Treasurer shall be submitted for examination to the Auditing Committee appointed by the President at the opening session of the Annual Meeting.
ARTICLE V. The Board of Directors shall manage the affairs of the association between meetings. Four members, including at least two elected officers, shall be considered a quorum.
SECTION III.—ELECTIONS
ARTICLE I. The Officers shall be elected at the Annual Meeting and hold office for one year beginning immediately following the close of the Annual Meeting.
ARTICLE II. The Nominating Committee shall present a slate of officers on the first day of the Annual Meeting and the election shall take place at the closing session. Nominations for any office may be presented from the floor at the time the slate is presented or immediately preceding the election.
ARTICLE III. For the purpose of nominating officers for the year 1949 and thereafter, a committee of five members shall be elected annually at the preceding Annual Meeting.
ARTICLE IV. A quorum at a regularly called Annual Meeting shall be fifteen (15) members and must include at least two of the elected officers.
ARTICLE V. All classes of members whose dues are paid shall be eligible to vote and hold office.
SECTION IV.—FINANCIAL MATTERS
ARTICLE I. The fiscal year of the Association shall extend from October 1st through the following September 30th. All annual memberships shall begin October 1st.
ARTICLE II. The names of all members whose dues have not been paid by
January 1st shall be dropped from the rolls of the Society. Notices of
non-payment of dues shall be mailed to delinquent members on or about
December 1st.
ARTICLE III. The Annual Report shall be sent to only those members who have paid their dues for the current year. Members whose dues have not been paid by January 1st shall be considered delinquent. They will not be entitled to receive the publication or other benefits of the Association until dues are paid.
SECTION V.—MEETINGS
ARTICLE I. The place and time of the Annual Meeting shall be selected by the membership in session or, in the event of no selection being made at this time, the Board of Directors shall choose the place and time for the holding of the annual convention. Such other meetings as may seem desirable may be called by the President and Board of Directors.
SECTION VI.—PUBLICATIONS
ARTICLE I. The Association shall publish a report each fiscal year and such other publications as may be authorized by the Association.
ARTICLE II. The publishing of the report shall be the responsibility of the Committee on Publications.
SECTION VII.—AWARDS
ARTICLE I. The Association may provide suitable awards for outstanding contributions to the cultivation of nut bearing plants and suitable recognition for meritorious exhibits as may be appropriate.
SECTION VIII.—STANDING COMMITTEES
As soon as practical after the Annual Meeting of the Association, the
President shall appoint the following standing committees:
1. Membership 2. Auditing 3. Publications 4. Survey 5. Program 6. Research 7. Exhibit 8. Varieties and Contests
SECTION IX.—REGIONAL GROUPS AND AFFILIATED SOCIETIES
ARTICLE I. The Association shall encourage the formation of regional groups of its members, who may elect their own officers and organize their own local field days and other programs. They may publish their proceedings and selected papers in the yearbooks of the parent society subject to review of the Association's Committee on Publications.
ARTICLE II. Any independent regional association of nut growers may affiliate with the Northern Nut Growers Association provided one-fourth of its members are also members of the Northern Nut Growers Association. Such affiliated societies shall pay an annual affiliation fee of $3.00 to the Northern Nut Growers Association. Papers presented at the meetings of the regional society may be published in the proceedings of the parent society subject to review of the Association's Committee on Publications.
SECTION X.—AMENDMENTS TO BY-LAWS
ARTICLE I. These by-laws may be amended at any Annual Meeting by a two-thirds vote of the members present provided such amendments shall have been submitted to the membership in writing at least thirty days prior to that meeting.
Forty-Third Annual Meeting
Northern Nut Growers Association
August 25, 26, 27, 1952
Spencer County Court House, Rockport, Ind.
The opening session of the Forty-third Annual Meeting of the Northern
Nut Growers Association convened at 9:20 o'clock, a.m., at the Spencer
County Court House, President L. H. MacDaniels presiding.
PRESIDENT MacDANIELS: The gavel with which we open this forty-third annual meeting of the Northern Nut Growers Association has some historical significance. It was made from a pecan tree which grew in the orchard of Mr. Thomas Littlepage in Maryland, near the city of Washington, and it has been the custom of the Association to open its meetings with that gavel.
The forty-third meeting of the Northern Nut Growers Association will be in order. To open the session we will have the presentation of the colors. You will all stand, please, and remain standing through the invocation. (Colors presented by Boy Scouts and the invocation given by the Reverend William Ellis of Rockport.)
PRESIDENT MacDANIELS: At this time we will call on Mr. Hilbert Bennett to bring us greetings from the people of Rockport. Mr. Bennett of Rockport.
Address of Welcome
HILBERT BENNETT, Rockport, Ind.
Some are here that were here in 1935 and 1939. I was on the Citizen's
Committee in each of those years. It was the purpose of the Citizen's
Committee to take notice of your coming and to try to make you
appreciate our interest in you and in your coming.
Why was I on that Committee in 1935?
Why was I on that Committee in 1939?
Why am I on that Committee in 1952?
I will tell you.
When I was a boy two other young men, somewhat older than I, were young men in the same township and somewhat closely located. I knew those boys and I knew them well. You came to know them and know them well. One of those boys was the late Thomas P. Littlepage, a charter member of this Association. It was my good pleasure to teach school with him. We attended College together. At college we roomed together. We attended conventions together and were close personal friends. I think I was in position to know him and know him well. The other boy was R. L. McCoy. We too, were close personal friends. We too, taught school in the same territory and contemporary with T. P. Littlepage. Prior to any organization of the N.N.G.A. I went with these two boys (men by that time) on trips of investigation and inspection of certain nut trees about which they had heard and which they wanted to examine.
If the trees examined met the proper standards, they wanted to use them in propagation. If not they would pass them up.
Another boy somewhat younger than myself and the two above mentioned boys, joined most heartily into the nut discussions and investigations and explorations of promising clues. With them he helped to run down clues when they would hear of a promising prospect. The jungles were never too dense, the distance too far, the road too muddy or rough, for those three characters to run down in those horse and buggy days, any prospect in which they were interested. This boy also became a member of your most valued organization. I have a special interest in this boy. I was, especially closely associated with him and his family. He went to school to me. My signature appears on his Common School Diploma. Their home was my home whenever I sought to make it so. I was free to come and go. I came a lot. Ford Wilkinson, the third character, and I have been close friends ever since.
Another one of your fine members became a good friend of mine. He came into our county and planted a farm to nut trees and nut production. It is now the largest nut orchard in the county. I am informed that at that time it was the largest nut farm of hardy northern varieties in the world. I got acquainted with him early and became endeared to him. It was none other than the late Harry Weber.
When it became known that you were to meet here in 1935, it was a natural sequence that Ford Wilkinson, knowing that I would gladly help in any way I could and knowing I was his genuine friend saw fit to place me on the Citizen's Committee. If he had not, I positively would have climbed aboard anyway. You couldn't have driven me out with a peeled hickory club. I was just going to be in on it whether or no.
Whether I performed well in 1935 or whether he couldn't find any one else to serve in my place, I never knew; but he again placed me on the Committee in 1939.
Now here I am in 1952 an old broken down fossil, broken in health, but not in spirit, of little consequence to anybody or anything, I am still on the Committee.
That answers the question of some of you of why that old man Bennett is always on the local committee and that you have wondered if there is no other person in this whole community that will serve but him. No, friends, we have many who would gladly serve and I doubt not that would serve much more efficiently.
I have prepared a short "skit" that I wish to present.
* * * * *
1st. Introducing Joan Flick, of Washington, D. C.
I am a pecan plucked from a small orchard planted by a retired business man. He had some surplus ground near his premises that was too rough for easy cultivation. He thought that he would plant it to pecans so that his family and his children's families would have nuts for their own use and pleasure. He took good care of the trees. He fertilized them every year and sometimes oftener. In the course of a few years he not only had more pecans than all of the families could use, but he sold hundreds of pounds of nuts from these trees. He developed a commercial orchard unconsciously.
2nd. Palma Smith of Cincinnati, Ohio.
I am the hican, I have no commercial value of consequence. I demonstrate the ability, the interest, the development and the possibilities of improvement by the determined efforts of the members of your association. Knowing your ability and determination to make improvements in nut culture, I have every feeling that in the not too distant future you will develop me into a profitable commercial product.
3rd. Sandra Wright of Rockport, Indiana.
I am the walnut, a most valuable tree for fine fruit and fine timber for many uses. I have been noted for my fine grain and my ability to take a fine polish. Our forefathers immediately found the walnut to be the choice timber out of which to build fine furniture, gun stocks, home furnishings and many other things that required high grade material. We have never lost sight of its significance.
Thin shelled nuts, easily cracked, and hulled out in halves have been developed. Walnuts will grow almost any where. Originally it was a common forest tree and would continue to be if it had the opportunity. There is little danger of the walnut becoming extinct. It is too valuable. I suggest that you plant liberally to high grade walnut trees.
4th. Jo Ann Hall of Rockport, Indiana.
I am the once popular beech under whose folds thousands of picnickers have gathered and enjoyed life's most savory and pleasant moments. I have built thousands of American homes and farm barns. I have built thousands of miles of old farm plank fences. I have built car load after car load of beautiful, useful and valuable furniture. In the early period of this country I furnished mast for thousands of swine that fed many families. I have filled many minor places of usefulness. As sad as it is to do and as much as I hate to do so, I am now bidding you a last farewell.
Self interest, the slowness of my growth and the impracticability of propagation of this once valuable tree leaves but one course, that I pass to my reward with the firm hope that the other trees now being developed, and grown will fill all of the purposes for which I have been so useful, and fill them with increased usefulness. With this sad but necessary adieu, I bid you one and all goodbye.
5th. Pattie Jones of Rockport, Ind.
I am the oak, the sturdy oak, the king of the forests. I am stout. They make beams, spars, sills, fulcrums and what not from me that require strength. I grow fairly fast. I came into usefulness as the world came into need of heavy timbers.
I am dainty and refined as well as strong. I am used in making fine flooring, fine furniture and many other useful things. Please do not discard me from production. Please do not let me pass into oblivion. I am very very valuable. I deserve to be perpetuated.
6th. Marcia Smith of Cincinnati, Ohio.
I am a pecan plucked from the tree of a man who in the early years of his married life planted pecan trees in unused spots on his farm that were unsuitable for cultivation. As the trees grew into nut bearing trees his family of children grew. In the October days, with great gaiety, glee and happiness, the children would gather the fruit of those trees. The children grew to maturity and went to the city to work; but when those October days came they returned home and with similar happiness as of their youth they gathered the nuts from those trees. With pleasure I say I am one of those trees.
7th. Jean Morris, Joyce Morris and Sandra Wright, all of Rockport, Indiana.
We are a group of clusters, the filbert, the pecan and the walnut. We came from a nut farm within the bounds of Spencer County. This farm was planted and developed by a former enthusiastic member of your wonderful organization. He spent much time and energy in behalf of your organization. He developed the largest nut orchard in the county. I refer to Harry Weber, who came from a neighboring state and endeared himself to this community by his superb manhood, his genial disposition and his intense interest in his subject matter. We commend his efforts to others.
8th. Virginia Mae Daming of Rockport, Ind. She was carrying the former Reports of the N.N.G.A.
This cluster is plucked from a "Tree" of great magnitude and
significance. Today it has its roots firmly set in Rockport, Indiana.
Its branches reach from the Atlantic to the Pacific, from Canada to
Mexico. Its influence is felt throughout the world.
Its inception was in Spencer County, Indiana, not specifically detailed, but in the main, by boys that were reared among the native nut trees of this community of which there were many. It was born in the great City of New York under the care of the late Thomas P. Littlepage, Dr. Wm. C. Deming, Dr. Robert T. Morris and Prof. John Craig. It was nurtured throughout the land of the detailed history you know much more than I.
It has had an enormous growth. It is a most meritorious organization. Language will not express the extent of its benefits to humanity and to civilization. It adds to the comfort of untold thousands of happy homes. It furnishes employment for thousands of people. It furnishes food of vital importance to many families. It is the main stay in the manufacture of all kinds and grades of furniture. It furnishes food for thought. It keeps the scientific and investigating minds busy in the constant development and improvement of its processes and benefits. Its possibilities are boundless.
That this "Tree" may continue to grow and develop in the future as it has in the past in the interest of humanity and help us to realize its importance and help us to continue its forces in accord with nature and nature's God is my earnest prayer. May God bless you one and all.
PRESIDENT MacDANIELS: Thank you very much, Mr. Bennett. You have made us feel most welcome in Rockport, as you have before on two other occasions. I don't believe that there is any other man who has welcomed this organization three times in the same locality.
We also thank you for bringing in the trees and the children to greet us on this occasion. It isn't very often that the trees themselves come into the assembly room to greet us, and we appreciate your effort in doing this for us.
We will now proceed with the business of the Association.
There appears to be no record of the members elected to serve on the nominating committee for this session. As near as we can determine this committee is as follows: Mr. Silvis, Mr. Allen, Mr. Wilkinson, Mr. McKay and Mr. Gerardi.
Is there a motion to approve these names?
The committee was approved by vote.
PRESIDENT MacDANIELS: This Committee will bring in a slate of officers of the Association for the next year at our final business session.
I will now call for the reports of standing committees. There are eight of these. The Program Committee. Royal Oakes is the chairman. The fact that we are having a meeting indicates the functioning of the Program Committee.
MR. OAKES: I believe I have nothing to report at this moment. I would like to say the other members did a good part of the committee work.
PRESIDENT MACDANIELS: We appreciate the part that all of you have played in arranging these meetings.
The Publications Committee, Editorial Section. Dr. Theiss, I believe, is not here. Dr. Theiss received the manuscripts and either had them read or read them himself.
The Printing Section of the Publications Committee, Mr. Slate.
MR. SLATE: Our proceedings are on the press and probably will be finished and in the mail this week.
PRESIDENT MacDANIELS: The Place of Meeting Committee. Mr. Allaman is the chairman. In the absence of Mr. Allaman, I present the invitation secured by Mr. Salzer, to meet in Rochester, New York in 1953. Their convention bureau offers very attractive facilities and the invitation is seconded by the Mayor, Joseph J. Naylor, the president of the Rochester Convention and Publicity Bureau, the President of the Rochester Hotel Association, the President of the Junior Chamber of Commerce of Rochester, and the Deputy Commissioner of the Rochester Parks, which just about covers the board.
It doesn't seem to me worthwhile to read all of this material. What it boils down to is that Rochester would be a very good place to meet. The Rochester parks are very interesing places to go, and as I understand it, there are facilities which would not be expensive to the Association. Is that true, Mr. Salzer?
MR. SALZER: Yes, there would be no charge for exhibit rooms if they are held in the hotel, because we are classed as a scientific organization. And we would have the facilities of the Bausch Memorial Museum. There would be facilities for showing moving pictures or slides, and for an exhibit.
PRESIDENT MacDANIELS: It would be in order at the present time to take definite action on this Rochester invitation, if you care to do so. A motion would be in order to accept.
It has been moved, seconded, and carried that we have our 1953 convention in the City of Rochester, the dates will be determined by the Board of Directors.
The general thinking of the Board of Directors is that we will go to Lancaster, Pa. again in 1954, and in 1955 come back into the Middle West. Mr. Allaman has been working on the Lancaster proposal and I think there has been some spade work done in Michigan already. Have you anything to say about that, Mr. O'Rourke?
MR. O'ROURKE: We will be very glad to have you at Michigan State College at any time. Unfortunately, however, we do not have any nut plantings there. The nut plantings are either in the eastern part of the state or the western part. It's quite a drive either way.
PRESIDENT MacDANIELS: I don't think we have to make a commitment at this time, but it is something to be brought to the attention of the Place of Meeting Committee.
I think we might have a little further explanation from Mr. Best about his bacon breakfast.
MR. BEST: We said in our membership drive that anyone who would go out and work would bring home the bacon, and we further fortified the deal that we were going to furnish the bacon here at Rockport at this session. So in the morning over at Cotton's restaurant we will have bacon, all you want to eat, and the only requirement is that you either got a member last year in the membership drive we have been working on, or that you tried to get a member. That's all that's necessary.
MR. GRAVATT: You have spoken about the meeting in 1954. As you know, I have represented this country at the International Chestnut Meeting for two years. There has been some talk about the possibility of the N. N. G. A. inviting the International Chestnut Meeting to meet in this country in 1954 or '55. At the last meeting the delegates from Japan recommended that they meet in the United States in 1954. The matter is not decided, and I think if you will put off decision about Lancaster until later, it would be a little better.
PRESIDENT MacDANIELS: The committee on Standards and Judging, Mr.
Spencer Chase.
MR. SPENCER CHASE: Mr. President, we contemplated having a report on hickory standards for this meeting, but because of circumstances beyond our control, we didn't get the project under way.
PRESIDENT MacDANIELS: I will call on our secretary at this time for the report of the meeting of the directors.
MR. McDANIEL: There were several things brought up last night at the
meeting of the Board of Directors of the Northern Nut Growers
Association. One matter was the subscription to the American Fruit
Grower magazine which we give our membership.
The American Fruit Grower had been selling subscriptions to the Association for its members at 30 cents a year. Since the first of July this year their rate is 50 cents. The opinion of the directors and committee members present last night was that we should drop that subscription to the American Fruit Grower for our members. It will be sent to all members who join for this year and up to the beginning of the next fiscal year. After October 1st, no subscriptions to the American Fruit Grower through the Association. Do we have any discussion on this proposal? (Considerable discussion followed.)
PRESIDENT MacDANIELS: I suggest that we hear the report of the Board of Directors and then act on the various items one by one in executive session.
MR. McDANIEL: You have heard something about the membership drive, and we will have more on that later. The directors suggested that we encourage more memberships, contributing memberships and sustaining memberships in the Association at $5.00 and $10.00 per year. Some of us feel we can't pay any more than $3.00 for our membership; others will be able to support the organization financially by taking memberships at the $5.00 or $10.00 rate, and we are still offering our life membership at $75.00.
Another matter discussed was offering the set of 34 volumes of back reports in The Nutshell at the price of $20.00 for the 34 volumes now available.
We suggest also that the Association authorize the appointment of a Publicity Committee to work with the Membership Committee in attracting new members.
That is about all I have as the report of the directors' meeting last night, Mr. President.
PRESIDENT MacDANIELS: This matter of the Board of Directors reporting to the business session is a pattern which I think is a good one. The proposition has been placed before you as to whether or not you wish to continue our affiliation with the American Fruit Grower magazine. As you will recall, the reason the question comes up at the present time is that they have raised their rate from 30 cents a member to 50 cents a member, which is 50 cents of our $3.00, which with the 50 cents secretarial expenses leaves but $2.00 to run the society. As the Treasurer will explain to you later, we are in somewhat of a financial difficulty.
It has been moved and seconded that the Association subscription to the
American Fruit Grower be discontinued.
This matter is up for discussion.
MR. MCDANIEL: We have much more space available in The Nutshell than in the American Fruit Grower, and there is the possibility of more frequent publication.
MR. DOWELL: If we could actually get it bi-monthly or quarterly, in place of the Fruit Grower, I think most all of us would be better informed and actually have more information. And The Nutshell is a very excellent means of showing somebody what the organization is about. You give them a copy of the American Fruit Grower, and if he is interested in nuts, most copies aren't going to convince him of much.
PRESIDENT MacDANIELS: I think this question is related to the appointment of a Publicity Committee which will explore what can be done to secure more publicity and give more information about nuts to our members than has been possible in the Fruit Grower.
The members of the Board of Directors felt that $300-plus is a high price to pay for what we got out of The American Fruit Grower.
(The question was called for.)
The motion is passed without dissent.
The question of authorizing the appointment of a Publicity Committee is introduced mainly as a matter for your information, also because it's much better if the society as such were to authorize such a committee. Do I hear such a motion?
Moved by Mr. Salzer, seconded by Colby and passed that the appointment of a Publicity Committee be approved.
I will ask for the report of the Treasurer, Mr. Prell.
Treasurer's Report
MR. PRELL: Mr. Chairman, ladies and gentlemen, Mr. Best has asked that I help in connection with his report. That certainly is not because I can make his report better than he can, but probably because a new member is not a new member until his check has arrived and has been recorded, and I happen to have those figures. I will be happy to do that, but perhaps we should start first with the report that the President has asked for, the Treasurer's report.