llected into a
solid block the yield per acre would have been nearly 2,500 pounds.
Crowding of the trees in the Brown tract is becoming serious at 11 years
of age with a 25 x 25 foot spacing. Alternate-year bearing is becoming
apparent and the stand of trees must be thinned immediately. Because of
such potential yields and because rather extended storage of nuts of
varied keeping quality is now economically possible the future of the
chestnut industry in the Southeast is very promising.

The selection and propagation of selected seedlings is desirable as a
means of advancing the industry at a more rapid rate. The propagation of
selected seedlings offers a problem because of lack of compatibility
between some stocks and scions. Since the chestnut is almost completely
cross-pollinated it may be necessary to develop special plantings of two
or three selections as a source of seed nuts for the production of
stocks. Such plantings might possibly produce seedlings of quite uniform
and desirable characteristics, but this prospect, is not very promising.
Certainly, the evidence points to the conclusion that scion selections
must be worked on stocks of the same strains if incompatibility is to be
held at a minimum.

There is a further problem in the propagation of varieties on seedling
rootstocks in the nursery. Only one propagator appears to be having much
success in this art but others must learn it. Topworking of older trees
by the inlay bark graft is generally successful and older seedling
orchards can be worked over to improved selections without difficulty so
long as the stocks are of compatible strains. Time will be required to
work out the details of the solution for this problem but they will be
worked out.

In the selection of improved seedlings for propagation the strictest
attention should be paid to the important characteristics of tree
vigor, precocity, productiveness, nut size, attractiveness, and keeping
and eating quality, and type of bur opening. These characteristics have
been previously discussed but it is well to emphasise their importance.
The tree that comes into bearing at an early age seems likely to be more
productive in later years. The nuts should be no smaller than 45 nuts to
the pound and be attractive to the eye of the buyer. Most individuals
prefer nuts with a bright and shining surface free of fuzz and with a
fairly rich mahogany or chocolate color. Keeping quality is, of course,
of great impo