Northern Nut Growers Association Report of the Proceedings at the Twenty Fourth Annual Meeting
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Northern Nut Growers Association >> Northern Nut Growers Association Report of the Proceedings at the Twenty Fourth Annual Meeting
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The President: I will also call on Dr. Smith.
Dr. Smith: Mr. Bixby had a great many fine qualities, but first of all
he had that great characteristic, intelligent inquiry. He had great
persistency and great industry, and a wide-awake mind.
Now the average American has no interest in anything but his job and his
own particular pleasures. In other words, he has no avocation. We are
here because we have the avocation of nut growing. One of the most
interested members of this association was Mr. Bixby. He had applied to
it his great brain and statistical equipment. He might have had a yacht
or spent his money on race horses, but instead of that he picked out
something new. It is a great pity that his life had to be snuffed out
just when he was needed most. He used his spare time in having a useful
avocation.
On motion of Prof. Neilson the organization expressed its appreciation
of Mr. Bixby by rising and standing one minute in tribute to his memory.
At the suggestion of Mr. Reed the following night letter was sent to Dr.
Morris who has been confined to his home for a long time and has not
been able to attend the conventions.
Downingtown, Penn.
Sept. 11, 1933
Dr. Robert T. Morris
Merribrooke Farm
Stamford Conn.
The Northern Nut Growers Association in convention at Downingtown,
Pa., sends you its affectionate greetings. Your long years of
association with us and your priceless service to the association
and to nut growing and the gracious charm of your presence have so
endeared you to us that our meetings are quite incomplete without
you. We pray for your speedy restoration to health and return to
our councils. Northern Nut Growers Association
The meeting was then adjourned to Mr. Hershey's nursery and nut grove
and the members and visitors were privileged to inspect his large stock
of nut trees and plants and the specimen plantings, some of which are
very rare varieties. A delicious supper was then served by Mr. and Mrs.
Hershey on the lawn of the Hershey home. Those present expressing their
appreciation by a rising vote of thanks.
A Black Walnut Grove and Why
_By_ DR. F. L. BAUM
_Boyertown, Pennsylvania_
I will give you the "why" first. Early in 1923, we realized the need of
a diversion, something which would take us out into the open every day
of the year and bring us closer to nature, which would be a source of
pleasure with prospects of a material return in the future when I wish
to retire from the active practice of medicine. After investigating
several projects, we finally decided that a black walnut grove would
best meet our needs.
In the December issue, 1925, of the American Nut Journal, I read
"Eventually, why not now?" In that article, Mr. T. P. Littlepage said:
"The time will come when the northern states will produce big groves of
nut trees." The Journal's comment was "What are we waiting for?" I too
wondered because, long before the trees had leaves, I had visions of
them bearing to the extent of breaking the limbs from the weight of
nuts.
When this picture was taken, I asked myself this question, "Was it a
venture of fools rushing in where angels fear to tread?" Also I began to
think that the quotations in the article I read were sales propaganda
put forth by high-pressure salesmen. Encouragements came later when we
discovered thirteen nuts on this tree and when my grafts grew on
seedlings.
About this time pests came such as caterpillars, rose chafers, leaf
hoppers, bud worms and, now my worst enemy, a borer which I believe is a
cherry tree borer. I have placed a section of a tree on the table which
was attacked by this insect. The question has been asked if it were not
a blight canker which killed this tree. When I noticed the tree in
distress the leaves were drooping and the bark was intact and smooth,
with a wet spot the size of a pin point about three feet above the
ground. A stab wound revealed the bark loose and full of holes which
extended into the sapwood. All of our trees have been treated for the
destruction of this pest. Next Spring they will receive a second
treatment. By this method we will overcome our difficulty.
In July of this year my men who were picking caterpillars came with this
information, "There is no necessity for hunting caterpillars as there is
a fly stinging them." The insect, the size of a wasp, is part black and
part yellow.
In the evening they said that if some of the trees in the backfield were
not propped, they would break down due to the pressure of so many nuts
on them.
(Lantern slide pictures of individual trees were then shown and
described by Dr. Baum.)
The vision I had a few years ago is becoming a reality. I now wonder if
it might not have been a case of angels rushing in and other fellows
staying out. We may conclude "Now, not eventually."
Question: Do caterpillars give you any trouble?
Dr. Baum: Yes, they give me considerable trouble. I sprayed this year
with arsenate of lead. For a few years I burned them off but last year I
sprayed.
Question: Do seedlings come up?
Dr. Baum: A few, I mow them down.
* * * * *
Dr. Smith: I want to talk to you about the possibility of making some
small cash contributions next summer for a nut contest. We have not had
any contributions for a nut contest for some time and it is the only way
we can get any new varieties. I would like to start this nut contest
next September. It will be necessary to get a lot of people interested
and a lot of publicity in the newspapers. We could give a first prize of
$25.00, some $5.00 and some $3.00 prizes. It means we would have to have
$60.00 or $75.00.
Perhaps we can make a more definite call next September.
Dr. Theiss: I would like to get any information that is available on the
pollinization of filberts. The difficulty seems to be in getting
pollinators.
The President: There is full information on that subject in the bulletin
issued of Prof. Slate of the Geneva Experiment Station.
Prof. Slate, what can you tell us about it? Have you any information
other than what was published in that bulletin?
Prof. Slate: We have this difficulty, that the pollen bearing catkins
seem to ripen very early and then the first cold snap freezes them.
Dr. Smith: I would like to know something about the market for shagbarks
and if the market is for cracked nuts.
The President: There is a very small market for them in Cleveland, Ohio.
Is there any information about hickory nuts?
Prof. Neilson: Hickory nuts frequently sell for about 10c a pound,
sometimes as low as three pounds for a quarter.
After the discussion closed three telegrams were read, from the Kellogg
Hotel, The Agard Hotel and The Chamber of Commerce of Battle Creek,
Mich. inviting the association to hold its next meeting in that city. A
motion was unanimously adopted to hold the next convention there
September 10th and 11th, 1934.
Motion was made to give Mr. Z. H. Ellis a life membership in return for
his contribution of $50.00. The motion carried.
Miss Sawyer: Is the mollissima chestnut blight proof?
The President: I should like to have Dr. Smith answer that question.
Dr. Smith: The mollissima chestnut came from China where it has been
exposed to the blight for ages. It is blight resistant but not blight
proof. An occasional tree gets the blight and dies; an occasional tree
gets the blight and recovers. It is the opinion of Mr. G. F. Gravatt, of
the United States Department of Agriculture, that the physical
prosperity of the tree has much to do with its ability to throw off this
disease. For example, some of the trees at Bell, Maryland, got to be a
foot in diameter and bore crops, without any sign of blight until the
terrible drought year of 1930 when some of them developed blight and
then later recovered from it. I think mollissima chestnuts are less
likely to die than cherries or peaches, and probably less likely than
apples.
While the subject of blight resistance in chestnuts is up, I should like
to call attention to the fact that there are many Japanese chestnuts in
the eastern part of the United States that have survived the blight.
Some of them bear good nuts, very good nuts, although most of the
Japanese have a properly bad reputation for flavor. Doubtless an
experimenter has a chance of producing something very valuable by
breeding from the best blight resistant Japanese chestnuts now surviving
in the eastern United States.
Green Shoot Grafting of Trees
_By_ ROBERT T. MORRIS, _M. D. New York_
In the course of experimental work with trees I grafted scions of
several species and varieties into stocks of their respective genera at
times of the year when grafting is not commonly done.
Scions were taken directly from one tree and placed at once in another
tree. To this method I gave the name of "immediate grafting" in order to
distinguish it from grafting with stored scions which might be called
"mediate grafting" indicating the intermediate step of storage.
Immediate grafting was successful in mid-winter in Connecticut but I had
no thought of making it a practical feature of our work beyond the
recording of a research fact.
Immediate grafting was successful in mid-summer in Connecticut. The
procedure was very different from that of winter grafting. In summer the
new green growth of the year was cut away completely from a scion and
the remaining wood of one or more previous year's growth was depended
upon for sending out shoots from latent buds. That is what happens after
accidents to limbs or to trunks of trees and it occurred in the same way
with my scions. Furthermore, it seemed to offer new hope for the
propagation of walnuts, maples, and grapes, for example, because the
free flowing sap of such species in the spring and early summer has led
to attacks upon the sap by bacteria and fungi which ruin repair cells.
I have already published elsewhere the statement that immediate grafting
may be done in the way described in any month of the year with many
kinds of plants. Exceptions to this rule will doubtless appear here and
there. For example, the grafting of trees in August would not be safe in
Connecticut because the new young shoots would be killed by September
frosts. That is the reason for August cutting of brush by farmers. The
tender new shoots that are sent out from latent stump buds become
frosted and the entire plant may die.
On account of an illness that had kept me confined to the house most of
the time for some months, I had allowed the spring grafting season to
pass this year. Stored scions of many kinds lay under a heap of leaves
at the rear of my garage. The drying-out process had been intensified by
an employee who made a spring clean-up of the yard and who looked upon
this heap of leaves as something upon which creditable showing for his
work might be made. A month or so later I kicked over the few remaining
broken remnants of scions for no reason in particular. Down near the
ground I observed that two hybrid chestnut scions which had been
trampled into the ground had retained some moisture. Each one had sent
out a pale canary-colored shoot of the sort with which we are painfully
familiar. The shoot on one scion was about an inch and a third in length
with well-formed unfolding sickly yellow leaves. The other scion had a
shoot of the same kind but only about one-third of an inch in length and
with yellow leaves barely out of bud-bursting form. It occurred to me
that my old method of waxing the entire scion, leaves and all in this
case, might be done as an experiment in order to see how long these
greatly started shoots would hold up if desiccation was prevented and
always with the possibility of a surprise.
Some years ago I had waxed some hazel scions from the West that had
burst their buds and they all grew but the test was by no means so
severe as it was with these yellow chestnut upstarts. The rule of
discarding scions that are not wholly dormant was about to be rudely
broken; waxing changed the whole situation. A miser does not scrutinize
his treasure more acutely than we horticulturists do when getting out
scions that have been stored during the winter and the voice of Demeter
is calling us to the side of our own wards. How sadly a million
nurserymen have thrown away a billion started scions of valuable kinds.
My two chestnut scions had gone far beyond the hopeless stage but now
perhaps I could be a doctor to them. If my two canary birds could be
made to sing then would I also sing.
They were dipped in a dish of melted parafin wax for an instant and then
quickly shaken in the air before scorching could occur. The scions were
then grafted into a small chinquapin stock. A few days later one of the
larger leaves of the larger shoot had cleared itself from the wax
coating and had begun to expand widely, turning to a natural green
color. The stem of the shoot turned to a normal brownish red. Two tiny
shoots then broke through the wax of the larger shoot, looking like
axillary bud shoots until closer examination showed them to be scale bud
shoots. That should interest plant physiologists. Eventually the cramped
leaves remaining under wax coating that was unnecessarily dense finally
dropped away useless. The single green leaf and the two scale bud shoots
went on to natural development. The smaller shoot of the other scion
managed to burst through the wax completely and made normal growth.
After these scions were well under way I went out and searched in the
loose dirt and leaves of the old heap and found another hybrid chestnut
scion that presented the allusive emblem of a canary bird. This one had
a shoot of about half of one inch in length and it burst completely
through the wax, to make a fine little twig.
So much for an experiment that led immediately to one of far greater
importance. If canary bird shoots could be made to break rules of
horticultural theory and of recorded fact perhaps we might note the
principle and apply it to the experimental grafting of green shoots of
the year in tree propagation. This is what lawyers might call a _non
sequitur_. Such grafting had always been a failure so far as I knew,
and certainly my own attempts had failed in former years. Grafting of
new growth of the year upon new growth of the year in the growing season
is an established feature of horticultural experiment with certain
annual plants. Why had it so signally failed with perennial plants and
most impressively with trees? Doubtless plants produce in their leaves a
hormone which directs certain enzymes that conduct wound repair by cell
division. If plants which do not lignify for winter manage to direct
successful wound repair after grafting and if plants which do lignify
for winter do not conduct successful repair of grafted new growth it
occurred to me in a speculative way that the reason might perhaps be
sought in the nature of the two different kinds of hormones or of
enzymes belonging to annuals and to perennials respectively. The
difference might possibly depend upon the arrangement of ions, anions
and cations upon two sides of the permeable membrane of a repair cell.
The cell is an electrolyte and therefore division of the cell in course
of preparation for multiplication might perhaps depend upon an electric
impulse so delicately in balance that Nature for some cryptic reason
might prefer not to allow the necessary balance to go toward cell
division in grafts consisting of green growth of the year in perennials.
Perhaps I might defeat natural processes by leaving a leaf or part of
one at the distal part of a green graft shoot. This leaf might perhaps
elaborate the necessary hormones or enzymes for wound repair
purposes--and also for conducting polarity of sap movement toward
maintenance of that scion and leaf.
We need not speculate further upon the philosophy of the subject because
I took it up at this point for pragmatic tests experimentally. The
horticulturist does not have to go to the theatre for thrills. My
advance report at this moment comes at a time when a scientist would
demand more works along with faith and my only reason for presenting
incomplete notes at this time is that they seem to be fascinating in
their outlook and no one knows how much experiment may be permitted me
for next year at Merribrooke.
The summer was well along when my canary bird shoots opened a vista. The
vista appeared at a time of drought when plant propagators wait for
better days. It seemed to be necessary to get in a part of the work at
least on July 28th and we then had the drought intensified by five more
days of great heat, temperatures ranged above 90 degrees F. in the shade
and above 140 degrees F. in the sun. After this period of heat and
drought we had abundant rains. All grafts were wax treated in these
experiments. In no case was an entire leaf left at the distal end of a
graft because it was felt that even one-fourth of one leaf would attend
to the required functions.
Exp. No. 1. A growing persimmon shoot about two feet long was cut up
into scions with a few buds each, and about one-fourth of a leaf allowed
to remain at the distal end of each scion, other leaves on each scion
being snipped off. Each scion including its remnant of leaf was dipped
in melted parapin wax. Two of these were grafted upon green shoots of
another persimmon, the latter cut back to make stubs for reception of
cleft grafts. Three of the scions were inserted in bark slots in older
wood. Note, Sept. 9th, Green leaf part including its petiole had
dropped off from all five scions. A small slit in the bark of each graft
for investigation showed that the cambium was green in four grafts, the
fifth graft was completely dead.
Exp. No. 2. On July 28th three persimmon scions consisting of last
year's wood and each one carrying a couple of inches of new growth with
a terminal trimmed leaf were grafted into last year's wood on another
persimmon tree. Note. Sept. 9th. All three grafts dead including both
old and new wood.
Exp. No. 3. July 28th. One green persimmon scion with terminal leaf
inserted in bark slot of branch one inch in diameter cut back for
purpose. Note Sept. 9th. Dead.
On August 2nd the drought had been broken. All trees seemed to have put
up top buds on account of drought and heat. The following experiments
were made with green growth of the year but with new top buds much to my
regret at having no actively unfolding shoots for furnishing scions.
Exp. No. 4. Aug 2nd. Persimmon tree (a) One graft, green on green; one
green graft on old wood. Note. Sept. 9th. Terminal leaves remained green
several days after grafting but by Sept. 9th all had fallen off. Small
slit in bark showed cambium of grafts still green.
Persimmon tree (b) Two green grafts on green. One green graft in bark
slot of older wood. Note Sept. 9th. Terminal leaves had finally died but
two of the buds of green graft on green have burst forth into leaf.
These will probably winterkill. Green in old wood has green cambium but
no swelling bud.
Exp. No. 5 Aug 2nd. Persimmon tree (c) One green on old wood. Sept. 9th.
Leaf dead, cambium of stem green.
Exp. No. 6. Aug 2nd. Persimmon tree (d) One green on old wood. Sept.
9th. Leaf dead, cambium of stem green.
Exp. No. 7. Aug. 2nd. Persimmon tree (e) Three greens on old wood. Sept.
9th. Leaves dead, one stem dead, cambium of two stems green.
Exp. No. 8. Aug. 2nd. Papaw tree. Two greens on green, two greens on old
wood. Sept. 9th. Two greens on green have buds enlarged and ready to
burst. One green on old wood is not enlarging its buds. One green on old
wood is dead.
Exp. No. 9. Aug. 2nd. English walnut. Four greens on green. Sept. 9th.
Leaflets dead on all. Petiole dead on one, stem cambium green. Petioles
bright green on three and the cambium green on these.
Comment. I could not take daily notes which would have been very
important. A general statement will cover the point that the terminal
leaf on a scion seldom died until it had functioned for at least a week.
Some of them functioned for more than two weeks and one of them for at
least four weeks, failing only a day or two ago. This would seem to mean
that the terminal leaves in scions conducted or helped to conduct repair
in green graft wounds to a point where buds are now bursting on two
persimmon scions. Two pawpaw scions have enlarged buds to the point of
bursting. The terminal leaves on scions seemed to conduct repair up to a
point where lignifying for the winter is now going on. This cannot be
determined until winter passes but I have never obtained anything like
this effect until experimenting with the terminal leaf theory for the
first time this year. The most striking effect so far as appearance goes
is with the English walnut grafts with their bright green stems.
If I may have opportunity for conducting experiments next summer I shall
begin earlier by pinching off the buds of growing shoots, giving them a
week of rest and then cutting these shoots up into scions. If buds then
start off like those of two persimmons and two papaws they will have
time for lignifying.
My whole lesson of this season would seem to mean that after properly
checked experiments we may perhaps add what I call "green grafting" to
the other form of immediate grafting. The practical feature of this
whole new phase in grafting method is an extension of the grafting
season to include every month of the year. Scion grafting of perennials
in the latitude and longitude of Connecticut had formerly been confined
to about two month's in the farmer's rush season, and with general
failure in the grafting of some species which may now be grafted
successfully.
* * * * *
_Letter from Prof. Colby_
_Agricultural Experiment Station Urbana, Illinois_
I regret very much indeed that I cannot attend the meeting of the Nut
Growers Association this year. This letter bears my very best wishes and
hopes for a successful meeting. We shall miss Mr. Bixby's pleasing and
helpful personality. Some time ago I promised to give you a report on
some of our activities here and if you think it is worth while, I would
appreciate your reading it to the group.
There is an increasing interest in nut culture in Illinois. Wholly aside
from the commercial aspects which have been so profitably developed in
southern Illinois is a project of recent development, one in Extension
work in top working seedling walnuts and pecans with improved varieties.
This project is sponsored by the Department of Horticulture, University
of Illinois, and the Extension Forester of the State Natural History
Survey, with the cooperation of the County Farm Advisers.
Last fall in Gallatin County native pecans of the best grades sold for
18 cents per pound on the market, while the average tree run stock was
bringing six cents. With a native pecan crop from one county in
Illinois, more or less ungraded, selling for $100,000 in a recent year,
thinking horticulturists in the state are beginning to feel that there
are potential profits in nut culture where better varieties are planted
or top worked. Seedling trees for top working are already growing in
abundance in many sections of the state with an ideal climate and soil
for northern nut production.
Last year seven counties in Illinois carried on the top working project.
This year approximately three times that number have been enrolled. In
addition, groups from neighboring counties have been present at the
demonstrations. Growers from Iowa and Indiana have also attended. The
total attendance has run into the hundreds, both men and women, most of
them actual growers.
All the meetings are held out of doors in the orchard or nursery and the
group is instructed in the propagation of nut trees through grafting and
budding. Nut growers of the immediate locality are glad to assist with
the work. After the discussion and demonstration, all present are
invited to learn how to do the work by actual participation and many
become sufficiently skilled to top work their own trees upon their
return home. Possibilities of this type of extension work are almost
unlimited.
* * * * *
_Letter from J. U. Gellatly_
I enclose a short chart or graph of the flowering habits of some of my
leading walnut trees. I started in 1930 to keep a record of some of the
trees and have added a number since till this year when I kept a record
of 17 different trees. The ones shown cover the full time from May 12th
to June 25th.
Some new ideas in budding procedure that may be of value and interest I
also include herein that others may test them out as I am doing. But
even if they fail with me it will not prove that they have no value, for
the generally approved methods have failed to give commercial results
here.
My main idea was to try to find a new system of handling the budding
operations that would give more definite results and if possible to
eliminate the use of a wax melter and the waxing of buds. My first trial
consisted in the use of florist's tin foil. Cutting bud from bud stick
with my new style bud cutter, I cut out the patch from stalk and placed
bud in place and with two or three turns of raffia, or rubber bands,
secured bud in place, then put 2 wraps of tinfoil around the bud and
stalk extending from one inch below to one inch above bud, then with
hand pressed tinfoil tightly to shape of bud and stalk, then completely
wrapped with raffia and tied securely. This makes a neat job and is
pleasant and convenient to work with.
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