Some years ago I had sent for the seeds of Rhamnus Purshiana
from U. S. A. This was sown here but it did not germinate. I shall feel
obliged if you could let me know the requirements of this species, that
is, the situation, soil, et cetera, which this species demands. Rhamnus
dahuricus grows wild here as a small shrub. Do you think I can get
American species by grafting my species with Rhamnus Purshiana scions?

Communication from John W. Hershey, 1934

I called at the experimental nut planting place of the late J. W. Waite,
at Normandy, Tennessee, on June 1st and found he had been dead about
eight months. I talked with a native who told me he was one of the most
plucky men he had ever seen, having had, because of some disease, both
legs amputated, was all crippled up otherwise, and traveled in a wheel
chair. He even use to milk cows and drive around in an old buggy.

This setting at the Waite place is going to be of immense value to the
T. V. A. tree crop program. I met the daughter who knew very little
about the trees, but the first thing she mentioned was the wonderful
nuts they got off the McCalister tree.

I could identify a few of the trees but will not make much progress at
it until this fall, when the nuts are ripe. They are heavily set with
bloom now. To assist me in this work, I am wondering if the Association
has anything in its files pertaining to the varieties that he has. As
you know, one can identify a tree quicker if he knows what he is looking
for.

Letter From Mrs. E. W. Freel

_Pleasantville, Iowa, September 5, 1934_

Yesterday, when coming home, we drove around (which was not out of our
way) to see those walnut trees about which you made inquiry. The Freel
tree has been topped and it has made a wonderful growth this year and is
going to make a very pretty tree. The Marion has a few walnuts on this
year, but they are falling off due to the dry weather this year. Last
year it was loaded. The Metcalf tree has some on but, like the others,
most all of them have fallen off. It was also full last year. The
Worthington tree also had some on this year, but have all fallen off. It
also had walnuts on last year.

I have never known any of these trees to be a complete failure unless it
would be this year due to the drought which has been pretty severe with
us. We have had no garden to speak of and the crops in this section have
almost been a complete failure.

The Wheeling tree had wal