e best nuts from the
best types and planting them; thus by keeping on selecting, we shall win
success in the future.

IS THERE A FUTURE FOR _JUGLANS REGIA_ AND _HICORIA PECAN_ IN NEW YORK
AND NEW ENGLAND?

JOHN CRAIG, ITHACA, N. Y.

[Read by title.]

It is common knowledge that there have been frequent instances of the
successful fruitage of Persian walnuts throughout the entire Northeast.
The evidence is forthcoming in attractive samples of nuts. Specimens
have been received during the past two years from New England,
Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and the lake region of New York, as well as
the Hudson River section. So far as I am aware, however, _Hicoria pecan_
has not fruited to any extent further north and east than southern
Indiana.

Is it not remarkable that so little effort has been made to extend the
natural range of this superb native nut northward?

The fruiting habits of _Juglans regia_ may be regarded as fickle,
depending in some cases upon pollination, in others upon climatic
conditions at the blooming time. One of its defects is its decided
proterandrous habit, which seriously affects pollination and fruit
setting. In general, the Persian walnut is capable of cultivation in all
safe peach growing sections. Yet in the Gulf States the complaint is
made that it is too readily susceptible to stimulating influences of
warm weather in the spring. Again, the roots in that section are
affected by fungi and insects. Notwithstanding these charges, there
should be a future in the North, as well as in the South, for this fine
nut. It is hardly to be expected that success is to be attained in all
sections of the country by using exclusively the material, by this I
mean the strains and races, we have at the present time. For instance,
in the South the root trouble is peculiar to that section, and it is
probable that the root difficulties spoken of may be overcome by using
native stocks in grafting and budding. The blooming habits, however, can
only be modified by the relatively slow process of breeding.

In the North, nature has already provided us with foundation material
for the improvement of _Juglans regia_. We have many promising varieties
that have appeared more or less fortuitously here and there over the
country. It is conceded that all of these do not possess the full range
of desirable qualities, but they are sufficiently attractive certainly
to challenge the best efforts of the plant breeder. We