al possible sources of supply, husk maggots had so infested the
crop that the nuts were discolored and unattractive. It might have been
possible to secure enough black walnuts to include in the kit but the
problem of state quarantines against the bunch disease could not be
easily adjusted.

Finally I believe the Northern Nut Growers Association is doing a very
significant work. Our emphasis at the present time at least might very
well be on nut growing as a hobby and for conservation, for better shade
trees and for better living on the farms and homesteads rather than to
emphasize the commercial angles. This will come in time if it can really
be demonstrated that growing northern nut trees is a profitable venture.
In these days of job specialization everyone needs a hobby and an outlet
for special interests. I know of few other fields of endeavor for those
who like growing things than the rewards that are to be found in the
growing of hardy nut trees.

MONDAY AFTERNOON SESSION

The Monday afternoon session was convened at one o'clock p.m.

PRESIDENT MacDANIELS: The afternoon session will please be in order.

The first paper this afternoon will be, "The Future of Your Nut
Planting," Mr. W. F. Sonnemann, Vandalia, Illinois.

The Future of Your Nut Planting

W. F. SONNEMANN, _Vandalia, Ill._

Ladies and gentlemen, it is a great pleasure to appear before the
Northern Nut Growers Association. I am just a sprout as far as nut
growing is concerned, when we consider the age of some of our old
hickory nut trees.

About 25 years ago, I became interested in nut growing and, in
particular, the river-bottom hickory nut tree. Then we had so many nut
trees growing in the bottom that we never thought of trying to plant a
tree or look after one. People could gather all the nuts they wanted and
often the trees were cut just to get the nuts. They'd lay a stick of
dynamite at the base of the tree to shake the nuts off.

After a few years of that, I thought we might do something to save the
nut trees for the future generations. That's when I first started to
plant some nuts. Incidentally, I made a big mistake, by not joining the
Northern Nut Growers Association.

Naturally, I wanted the largest pecan I could find. I went to the St.
Louis market and bought and planted nice Papershell pecans--very nice
pecans, but the trees do not mature their crop. Mr. McDaniel and I tried
to top-work them, but that's a big job.