f walnut, and it is
quite the exception to find among any Persian walnuts growing on the
Atlantic Coast or the Pacific Coast or in the middle of the country
walnuts that are free from this tendency to astringency, to insipidity,
and to toughness.

When I was on the Pacific Coast looking over specimens in one
agricultural collection, a young woman who was showing the collection
said, "And here is a lot of Franquettes, and Chabertes, and Mayettes,
and Parisiennes that we imported; and do you know, we found our walnuts
very much better than those?" I said to her, "Don't deceive yourself in
this matter. This self-deception is a mistake. The thing to do is not
to make that kind of a decision, but really to develop in our own
country walnuts just as good as those, but not like them."

This was exemplified in a group of walnut raisers. One would say, "Here
is a fine walnut that I raised." The other would say, "Yes, that looks
pretty good, but you have got to hire a good talker to sell it." Another
would say, "Isn't this a fine thin shelled nut?" And the same thing
would be said. Now, the whole conversation of that meeting was to the
effect that "you have got to have a good talker to sell it." Those
people send their good talkers all over the country, and they do sell
the walnuts; and it is going to kill the walnut market, unless this is
stopped. Those points are ones upon which I would like to have an
expression of opinion from Mr. Lake.

Professor Lake: I may say that the western knowledge of the walnut is
based very largely upon the character of the Santa Barbara Softshell,
and the people in the West are fully satisfied that the Pacific Coast
walnuts are the best in the world. I am thoroughly of their belief, too.
I agree thoroughly with the doctrine that we have got to improve our own
varieties, and that is being done in the best way that we know at
present,--by cross-fertilizing and growing the seedlings. A number have
been developed the past few years. It is very true that the general
public's taste, however, is not up yet to the connoisseur's in this
matter, and I am satisfied that the ordinary grade of walnut is going to
meet the public demand for a long time yet. The Santa Barbara Softshell
will sell to the American public for good profitable prices for some
time, and in the meantime, the men who are really wideawake and have a
knowledge of the situation are going to endeavor to improve the home
strains. I can't see