Northern Nut Growers Association Thirty-Fourth Annual Report 1943
Science
Northern Nut Growers Association Thirty-Fourth Annual Report 1943
Northern Nut Growers Association -- Periodicals; Nut trees -- Periodicals; Nuts -- Periodicals
3. Does the score give an accurate evaluation of the variation of a
variety from year to year in one locality or in the same year in
different localities? The latter is very important in determining
the regions to which the variety is best adapted and the
performance of the variety in any one locality.
4. What are the causes of variation in the scores obtained? Which
of these reflect the inherent worth of the sample and which are
related to technique, personal equation and methods of handling the
sample?
5. What changes may be made in the schedule to weight the various
factors to give a more realistic score of what changes in procedure
will make the schedule more realistic?
Table 1 gives data on replicate samples tested by the same operator. In
the samples of Spear, numbers 1-6 the variation is as follows: weight of
single nut 1.3 grams, per cent kernel first crack 2.9, total per cent
kernel 2.6, number of quarters 3, penalties 4.5 points, score 9.2
points. In scores figured without penalty the variation is 5.4 points.
Sample No. 7 was cracked November 4 before the nuts were dry and hence
is not comparable with others.
Analysis of these differences indicates that the variation in nut weight
is closely related to the number of shrunken and empty nuts in the
sample. This is a difficult factor to evaluate in a practical way. At
the time of the 1939 report it was suggested that the score should be
figured on the basis of filled nuts. This cannot be arranged easily in
testing because if the operator cracks the nuts before weighing there is
almost sure to be loss of fragments of shell. Trying to correct the
original weight in any way is necessarily inaccurate. Deciding whether
or not the kernel of a nut is sufficiently shrivelled to deserve a
penalty is a matter of judgment which is a personal matter.
The variation in per cent kernel first crack and total per cent kernel
probably represents fairly the difference in the samples. The total per
cent is a wholly objective value and varies practically as much as the
per cent first crack. Uniformity in the number of quarters is striking.
This large number is undoubtedly related to the fact that many of the
kernels were shrunken enough to be penalized and others were perhaps
shrunken enough so that they did not tightly fill the shell cavity. In
general it may be said that the more tightly the kernels fill the shell
the more difficult it is to extract large pieces. Thus having the
kernels a little shrunken but not enough to seriously reduce their
weight favors a higher score. Of course, in some varieties the kernels
may he plump and still not fill the shell tight enough to make cracking
difficult. This is a desirable condition.
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