ed seven
varieties of filbert of European origin which were then being featured
by Conrad Vollertsen of Rochester, N. Y. He was concerned over the
chestnut weevil as he had about 125 trees of the Reihl varieties from
Illinois and already weevils were troublesome.

Those who had the privilege of keeping in touch with Mr. Fickes during
his later years know that he assembled together a good many varieties
of other kinds of nuts. His was an excellent collection of black walnut
varieties. Persons who knew him well still mourn his passing. He was the
type of man who made others feel better to be in his presence.

It was 24 years ago last February that the American Nut Journal, then
edited and published by R. T. Olcott of Rochester, N. Y., told of "x x
the 57-acre farm of O. F. Witte near Amherst (in northern Ohio), on
which Mr. Witte, who was then 72 years old, had been growing nuts for 52
years." The dispatch went on to say that the "x x farm was devoted
exclusively" to nut trees. What a pity such men can't live on
indefinitely! However, the spirits of Fickes and Witte live on. No one
need go far in Ohio to see the evidence.

Going east from Wooster on the morning of the third day, a group of 50
or more persons stopped first at Kidron where they were shown the nut
plantings of Mr. E. P. Gerber and his family of that small hamlet. A
half mile north of town, Mr. Gerber led the party through his largest
planting of nut trees mostly of bearing age. Of black walnuts he showed
such varieties as Deming (purple foliage, especially in early spring),
Lamb (the original tree had a figured grain), Ohio, Stabler, Ten Eyck,
and Thomas. Of pecan, there were five varieties, Busseron, Butterick,
Greenriver, Indiana and Posey. In the group of heartnuts, there were two
named varieties, Bates and Faust, and one of which Mr. Gerber appeared
not to have the name. He simply called it a "sport." There were filberts
of various kinds, Barcelona, DuChilly and Jones Hybrids, being the ones
bearing variety designations. Also there were Persian (English) walnut
trees, principally Broadview and Crath. Mr. Gerber had more Chinese
chestnut seedlings than trees of any other one kind. There was but one
butternut and that appeared to have been unnamed. Altogether 40 black
walnut trees, 20 pecan, 30 filbert, 20 Persian walnut, one butternut,
and 140 Chinese chestnut trees were seen.

Upon finishing with the first block of trees, the party was taken into
tow