ormed miracles in the Southeast,
but we regret that it is not the answer to our problems. Only a long
period of seed selection will turn up better trees of this species.

Prolonged heat and drought caused us much concern this year. Some one
year old seedlings died outright but older trees only suffered varying
degrees of defoliation. In some areas, the subsoil was reported powder
dry to a depth of six feet. Even the native forest trees dropped much
foliage and went into premature dormancy. Oddly enough, the American and
Japanese chestnuts suffered much less defoliation than the common
Allegheny chinkapin, _C. pumila_. _C. henryi_, a rare species, a native
of China, and the several chinkapins native to the Gulf Coast seemed
inherently adjusted to drought and heat, and thrived without apparent
damage. The Ozark tree chinkapins did well also.

Hybrid hazels and choice native seedlings have been set out here in the
last few years. We are adding a few every year and planting them between
chestnuts to prevent the latter from forming extensive root grafts. This
is done in anticipation of oak wilt, which has not yet made its
appearance here.

Experiences and Observations on Nut Growing in Central Texas

KAUFMAN FLORIDA, _Rotan, Texas_

In view of my membership in the Association for some twelve or fourteen
years it would be quite reasonable to expect of me more observations in
connection with nut growing in my area than I'm able to make. Though
I've followed the proceedings of NNGA with great interest, the
difficulty of earning a living (from farming) and putting a little
something aside has caused me to neglect and put off from year to year
the planting of the kind of experimental orchard I've long hoped for. I
have lately acquired a reasonably well situated plot of land and,
barring a continuation of the drouth of the past two or three years,
plan to put out a few young trees next year.

My original interest in nut trees sprang from the hope that a tree
combining beauty, utility and long-life might be found to replace the
Chinese elm--a "weed tree" if there ever was one. In spite of many
shortcomings the Chinese elm (along with two or three other equally
undesirable trees) is to be found in most homestead plantings in my
area.

Here, in my locality of north-west central Texas, the total rainfall
ranges from a low of about twelve inches in some years to a high of
about forty-two inches in others, and the annual