ut they mature their
wood, and if they mature their wood, they are likely to mature staminate
and pistillate flowers.
Mr. Littlepage: While it is true they may mature staminate and
pistillate blossoms, the question arises whether or not the growing
season is going to be long enough at the end to mature the nuts. I
notice in going through wild groves in Indiana, once in a while you have
a tree which never matures any nuts, though it has bountiful crops. The
frost gets them.
Professor Craig: There is evidently a lack of summer heat to ripen
fruit. Before we get quite away from this subject, I would like to ask
Mr. Roper if he has noticed any striking differences in the hardiness of
Stuart and other northern forms of the pecan in his particular locality.
Does Stuart maintain its reputation for hardiness in his locality? We
are interested in that question from the northern standpoint.
Mr. Roper (Virginia): I think it does, but that is discussed in a paper
which I shall read some time here in the meeting. Both the Stuart and
Moneymaker have done better with us than any other of the southern
varieties when they are budded on hardy stocks. The grafted trees do not
do well with us.
President Morris: Professor Lake, will you speak on any of these
points?
Professor Lake: I am learning much and prefer to continue a learner. I
shouldn't know anything about this crossing, except in the case of the
_Juglans regia_ and the oaks of California. That is one case that was
not mentioned. We have a remarkable hybrid between the native oaks and
the Persian walnut. It is remarkable in many ways. It has foliage that
is perhaps half way between the oak and the walnut, and the nut on the
surface looks like a small walnut, and on the inside it is between a
walnut and an acorn. I had an opportunity to sample the flesh, but it is
not edible yet. They are interested in the work very much, especially at
Chico and the Southern California Station.
President Morris: It is said to be a cross between the live oak and the
walnut. It seems absolutely impossible, but I have seen the nuts, and a
photograph of the tree.
Mr. Reed: We haven't devoted a great deal of attention to the
hybridization of nuts in our Department work. There is one thing that
occurred to me, as I sat here, merely of passing interest. A gentleman
in Mississippi sent a specimen of foliage, together with berries, from
what he said was a hybrid between the pecan and the Chin
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