Northern Nut Growers Association Report of the Proceedings at the 43rd Annual Meeting: Rockport, Indiana, August 25, 26 and 27, 1952
Science
Northern Nut Growers Association Report of the Proceedings at the 43rd Annual Meeting: Rockport, Indiana, August 25, 26 and 27, 1952
Northern Nut Growers Association -- Periodicals; Nut trees -- Periodicals; Nuts -- Periodicals
Our procedure in naming varieties is still somewhat chaotic. Possibly we
should adopt the general pattern of the American Pomological Society.
Their example of setting up an approved list of varieties for planting
on a regional basis is worthy of consideration. Even though such a list
were tentative and incomplete, a start which would embody the best
information we have would be valuable.
Securing new varieties of, hardy nut trees through breeding has made
some progress. Most encouraging is the work of the Federal Experiment
Station at Beltsville where Doctor Crane and Doctor McKay and their
associates are using modern techniques in securing new varieties of
hardy nut trees. Some progress in hybridization, of course, has been
made, particularly with the filberts, the hybrids developed by J. F.
Jones, G. L. Slate, S. H. Graham, Heben Corsan and some others, showing
great improvement over previous European varieties in their adaptability
to the northern United States. At the present time there are filbert
varieties of hybrid origin better than those in the nursery trade which
should be propagated and made available. Work with the Chinese chestnuts
has also been valuable.
It is my opinion, which I believe is shared by most of those who are
familiar with progress in securing new varieties, that we are not likely
to find in the wild, varieties or clones which show any marked
improvement over those already found and named. There is, of course,
always the possibility of the "perfect nut" arising as a chance
variation. The recent walnut and hickory contests, however, have been
somewhat disappointing for they have not discovered any variety of black
walnut better than the Thomas for instance, or a hickory much better
than some of those located years ago. This does not mean that members of
the Association should not keep a sharp lookout for new varieties
occurring spontaneously which will be better than existing sorts. It
does mean, however, that if real "breaks" are to be secured, it will be
necessary to apply some of the more effective techniques which are known
in the plant breeding field. Any such program is a long time project and
can only be effectively attempted by experiment stations, or by some of
the young men, who begin now to make crosses under the direction or at
least with the advice of those who are familiar with plant breeding
techniques.
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