reciably from year to year, for example a
variation of 4.9 grams per nut and 3.3 per cent in kernel weight is
reported for Snyder. Such variation is recognized and emphasizes the
necessity of testing a variety in any locality for a number of years if
correct valuation is to be made.

In Kline's paper earnings per hour for fifteen black walnut selections
are given showing a maximum of $0.279 for the variety Norris, $0.245 for
Ohio down to $0.12 for an unnamed seedling.

Lounsberry(5) published kernel cavity measurements for 64 clonal
selections and related these to kernel weight per nut. Measurements of
the thickness of the partition separating the halves of the kernel are
also given. He does not relate these characters to scoring or cracking
quality.

The purpose of the scoring system under discussion in this paper is to
provide a realistic method of judging the relative merit of different
clones of black walnuts that can be used mostly by members of the
Northern Nut Growers Association or others having some skill in cracking
technique. At the present time the Association has little reliable
information either as to the performance of different varieties under
different conditions in any one locality, from year to year on the same
tree, or the suitability of any one variety growing in far different
parts of the United States. It is important that such information be
available and a workable basis of evaluation would be of the greatest
value in obtaining it. Much of our information at the present time is
from the many tests made by N. F. Drake(6, 7, 8) which are of great
value in rating varieties. His schedule is an improvement over any
previously proposed but fails to provide standard sampling and cracking
procedure and includes the items of flavor and color which are in no way
objective characters. The use of a point score based on the concept of a
"perfect nut" is cumbersome and considered undesirable by the committee.

It is recognized that the value of a variety depends also upon the
bearing habit of the tree, the nature of the husk, disease resistance
and other characters.

It has been five years since the present schedule was proposed and
enough tests have been made to give a basis for judgment as to the
merits and weaknesses of the schedule. As stated in the original
committee report it is generally agreed that the best measure of the
value of a nut of any clone is the amount of usable or marketable
kernels