e species of each nut tested as such information
is useful, it must be understood that the notations of species are
tentative and subject to change should further knowledge require it. It
is, frequently, difficult to positively identify a nut as to species
without having leaves, buds, bark and husk for examination and in most
instances the judges did not have these. No nut is noted as a hybrid
unless it has been proven so by evidence which it is believed is beyond
question, yet there are a number of nuts noted as pure species which
later may be proved to be hybrids. This is particularly so in the case
of the hickories.

In explanation of the tables it should be noted that weights of nuts and
kernels are expressed in grams, while cracking pressures are expressed
in kilograms. The methods used for measuring the various characteristics
are noted in detail in the article "Judging Nuts" on pages 122 to 132
inclusive.

The two items cracking quality need a little explanation. Last year 20
points were awarded for cracking quality and 5 points for plumpness of
kernel. Plumpness was very difficult of estimation. It means the reverse
of shrivelled. To assign values for this can only be done by appearance
and it seemed impossible of measurement. A study of the nuts of the 1918
contest which were awarded high values for plumpness and those which
were awarded low values showed that in no case was a nut which had a
shrivelled kernel awarded a high value for proportion of kernel.
Sometimes a nut with a plump kernel had a very thick shell and a low
proportion of kernel but in no instance did a nut with a shrivelled
kernel have a high proportion of kernel, so it was thought that for
practical purposes the figure for proportion of kernel would answer very
well to represent excellence in both characteristics. It was also
evident that the ratio of the weight of the portion of the kernel which,
after cracking, could be easily picked out with the fingers to the total
weight of the kernel, which was taken to represent cracking quality last
year, was capable of more refinement for it was noticed that of those
nuts where the entire kernel could be easily picked out with the fingers
after cracking that some were better crackers than others, for, in some
instances, the entire kernel fell out. As the proportion of the kernel
which could be picked out easily with the fingers is seemingly the most
important this was still given 20 points and called