ing to me. The plants themselves were
growing beautifully, but most of the staminate blossoms or catkins were
frozen, and, consequently, very little pollenizing was accomplished, and
very little fruit the result. Such and possibly other occurrences, from
time to time we may expect and look for, and should be ready to
investigate thoroughly, before we can advocate or recommend the planting
of the hazel extensively.

It really seems strange that while the hazel generally is at home in the
northern latitudes, it should partly freeze when the thermometer reaches
say about 12 to 18 degrees below zero, and, as I had never noticed that
before, it then occurred to me that possibly another reason could be
found, why so many of the catkins were frozen.

Through my investigation in the spring of 1918, I have come to the
conclusion that the unusually wet season in our vicinity of western New
York throughout 1917 caused the hazel plants to grow until the real cold
weather was upon them, which gave the wood a very poor chance to ripen,
particularly the terminal buds, where a great many of the catkins had
formed, and caused not only them to freeze but also a certain part of
the wood. Only the lower and more protected catkins came through the
winter alright and caused what little pollenizing was done, hence the
very light harvest in the fall of 1918.

Should the results of my investigation prove true, and the continuance
of the wet weather prove the main cause of freezing so many catkins,
then it seems to me there is nothing to be alarmed about, and the
planting of the European hazel, at least in this vicinity, for
commercial purposes could be conscientiously recommended, and should be
done, the sooner the better. We do not expect our apple or pear orchards
to bear an abundant crop every year, and we should not expect it of our
hazel orchards. Something will occasionally happen to them as well as to
other crops, otherwise we run no risk whatever.

My trees or bushes, several hundred in number, planted in 1912 and
later, have stood all kinds of weather, extreme cold, very hot,
continuous wet, and still are growing most beautifully at the present
time. They gave a very satisfactory crop of nuts this last fall, 1919,
in spite of severe freezing weather on April 25th and 26th when the
mercury dropped to 12 to 15 degrees, and all hazel bushes in full bloom.
At the present time the prospect for a good crop of nuts next season is
certainl