ces were built that way. My plan was to
change over to a contour operation. After reading "Nut Growing" and
"Tree Crops" I decided to plant nut trees at 100' intervals along the
edges of the contour strips. I had a twofold purpose, to produce more
revenue and preserve the contour method of farming.

I ordered grafted nut trees from Jones Nurseries, Crath seedlings from
Graham and 200 northern pecan nuts from Wilkinson. Homer Jacobs, really
"sold me" on the Nut Growers Association and then sent me scions of the
Wilcox hickory. I was successful in getting two to grow about 100'
apart. Miss Jones sent me Pleas hican wood and one graft grew between
the two Wilcox. All were grafted on shagbark stock, breast high using
the late Mr. Fickes' method. The pecan nuts were stratified and given
the usual nursery care and at three years of age were transplanted to
the farm along with 200 seedling black walnuts and 100 chestnuts. These
seedlings were to be used as stocks for grafting the newer and superior
productive varieties. This was 1943. The farmer became dissatisfied with
my soil conservation tendencies and moved away. The war developed in
earnest and I matriculated at a defense plant. The farm just grew up. I
was not dissatisfied. I was just tired. I couldn't find enough time to
manage 1,000 acres of farm land 20 miles south; work at a defense plant
20 miles north and operate my insurance and real estate business. So I
sold all the farms including mine with the nut trees.

Now it is 1947. It was only two years ago that I made a decision to
relinquish the 90 acre farm. A short time ago I found all the grafted
trees bearing fruit except the hickories and hican. The grafted
Zimmerman, Stoke and Hobson chestnuts have died and most of the pecan,
walnut and chestnut seedlings planted on the contour strips have
succumbed to the mower, etc. I could find none of the grafted hickories
purchased through the years except one Fairbanks. The present owners are
enthusiastic over the early bearing chestnuts and are taking care of all
the remaining survivor trees.

I have reached the conclusion that any farm in this section of the U. S.
with enough hope to warrant contour farming is usually marginal land.
This is land which barely pays the cost of working or using; land
whereon the costs of labor, coordination and capital approximately equal
the gross income. I believe that a planting of grafted nut trees on the
edges of contour strips will i