d a
future for nut culture in the north, full of wonder, hope and profit. If
I had written it ten years ago, I should have filled it with
discouragement and disillusion. Now, after growing such trees for more
than 30 years, I realize that the truth lies somewhere between these
extremes, but nearer the first.

It is seldom practical to move native trees very far from their natural
range, nor is it necessary to do so in this part of the north: We have
four fine, native nut trees: the hazel, the butternut, the black walnut
and the hickory. In my experience, these four have completely
demonstrated their practical worth.

If commercialization is the primary hope of the nut tree planter, he
should first consider the large, hardy hybrids, known as hazilberts,
which I have produced between a large Wisconsin wild hazel and European
filberts. Hazilberts equal the best European filberts in every way,
without the latter's disadvantage of susceptibility to hazel blight and
its lack of hardiness. They are as hardy as the common wild hazel and
are more adaptable to environment and soil conditions than any other
native nut tree. They may be trained into trees or allowed to grow as
large bushes. Like all other filberts and hazels, they, too, need
companion plants for cross pollinization to obtain full crops of nuts.

The butternut is also a very adaptable tree. No one who is acquainted
with it, questions the quality of the butternut kernel. In a good
variety, the nuts should crack out in halves and the kernels drop out
readily.

So many good varieties of black walnuts are being propagated, I need not
say much about them, except that many of the best ones are not practical
for this climate. Nurserymen who grow them can give the best advice
about varieties to anyone selecting black walnuts for orchard planting.

Hickories are the last of these native trees to be recommended from a
commercial standpoint, as they are the most particular about soil and
climate. However, with improved propagation methods and planting
technique they should become some day as valuable as pecan plantations
have become valuable to the south.

Considering the nut tree as a dooryard tree, an ornament rather than a
business, makes it possible to include many more species as suitable for
growing in the north. For this purpose, I suggest heartnuts, chestnuts,
pecans and hiccans. The heartnut tree is always one to draw attention
and interest, picturesque in its