on an unploughable hillside in the corner of
my father's farm in Virginia which I stuck there ten or a dozen years
ago and have done very little to them. Of course they are native. They
have thriven. Nature does it exactly that way.
The Secretary: It seems to me there is no question that they will do
better under cultivation. Of course they may do fairly well in odd
places if they can dominate the other growth.
Prof. Smith: A man could take a pocketful of the various kinds of nuts
and go around his fence corners and plant a few. In an hour he can plant
fifty, and if he gets one to grow it is good return for that hour's
work.
The Secretary: I have advised people to take a handful of nuts and a
cane when they go out walking and occasionally stick one in.
The Chairman: In our locality, people would ask, "Why is that string of
squirrels following that man?"
Mr. Corsan: I have been planting nuts in that way for years.
The Chairman: If a man planted trees which belonged in his neighborhood,
nuts that were already in the dominant ruling group, then his chances
for success would be very good, but if he introduced in fence corners
trees that had to adjust themselves to a new environment, he would find
very few growing and the squirrels, other trees and various obstacles to
development in the midst of established species, would wipe out most of
them. Nevertheless, as it isn't much trouble, I would advise anybody to
take a pocketful of hickory nuts out with him when he goes for a walk
and plant one every little way.
A Member: The idea is good; let us follow it up.
Mr. Rush: I don't think it is feasible at all to plant trees around
fence corners.
The Chairman: In our locality it would not do at all.
A Member: It won't do in any locality. The sods and grass around the
tree will dwarf it and cause a very slow growth. Our time is valuable
and we can't wait on that kind of a tree to bring results. Cultivation
is the main need. Sometimes trees will do well where the soil is rich
and competition absent. In Burlington, N. J. we found a walnut tree
bearing enormous crops in a back yard. I have seen the same thing in
this county, and also in Carlisle, and the Nebo tree, famous for its
wonderful productiveness, has a similar environment. But it is high
cultivation that usually is necessary for the best results in all trees,
and walnut trees particularly.
The Secretary: Here is a note relating to this subject:
"The
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