e
chestnut tested thus far, as determined by performance in the
above-mentioned test plots and in several plantations established in
1926. In the Middle Western States, all Japanese chestnuts, Henry
(forest-tree) chinkapins, and the "ever-blooming" Sequin chestnuts have
shown poor growth or have died. They do not appear to be winter hardy.

On the basis of these findings, the Division of Forest Pathology since
1946, has made available to Federal and State agencies only one
introduction of Chinese chestnut--P.I. 58602--for planting as forest
trees. They were distributed in lots of 50 trees, and used to establish
1/4-acre demonstration forest plots. All are located on public-owned
land on favorable forest sites where Asiatic chestnuts would be expected
to do well. The underplanting-and-girdling method was recommended in the
establishment of all the plots.

Chinese chestnut P.I. 58602, because of its superiority in performance
as a forest tree, is now also being used extensively at Beltsville,
Maryland, in hybridizing work. Nearly all of the Japanese chestnut,
Henry chinkapin, and Sequin chestnuts, as well as inferior hybrids in
the climatic test plots during the past several years have died a
natural death or have been destroyed. They have been replaced with
Chinese chestnut (P.I. 58602) replants--thus gradually converting the
climatic test plots into future Chinese chestnut "seed" plots of the
very best Chinese chestnuts.

During the spring of 1953 several nurserymen members of the Northern Nut
Growers' Association furnished the Division of Forest Pathology a total
of 2,600 Chinese chestnut seedlings for tests to determine their
suitability for forest planting. These and 600 seedlings of Chinese
chestnut P.I. 58602 are now being tested for performance, in randomized
plots, on favorable forest sites in North Carolina, Ohio, and Illinois.

Conclusions

Of 28 Asiatic chestnuts, forest-tree chinkapins, and hybrids grown in 21
climatic test plots in the eastern United States under forest
conditions, only certain Chinese and hybrid chestnuts show promise of
becoming satisfactory timber-type trees. The best Chinese chestnut
discovered thus far is P.I. 58602--a seed importation made by the U. S.
Department of Agriculture in 1924, from Nanking, China. Foresters, as
well as farm woodland owners, interested in growing Asiatic chestnuts as
timber trees, should accept only planting stock that, through
performance under forest