ap.

Random Notes from Eastern New York

By Gilbert L. Smith, Wassaic, New York

During the past few years I have found it increasingly difficult to keep
up my nut tree work. However, three years hence, I expect to retire from
my job as Farm Manager at Wassaic State School and then to devote much
of my time to nut work. Mr. Benton now has even less time than I do for
the nut work. Our work of previous years is now beginning to show
results, especially our variety tests which should become more
significant each year as more varieties come into bearing and repeat
crops bear out or disprove our earlier opinions. Following are some of
our findings on such varieties as have borne enough for us to form an
opinion.

Black Walnuts

THOMAS, no doubt, is still entitled to first place. We made a poor start
with Thomas as our first graft was placed on a stock growing at the edge
of low swampy ground and the nuts of this graft have never matured
properly, while those from two younger grafts, on higher ground, have
matured their nuts well. This shows that black walnuts should not be
planted in low wet ground, that is, land that is actually swampy; low
ground which is well-drained is all right.

We have found Thomas to be a fast growing and very good type tree. The
nut is large, thin-shelled and cracks excellently, giving light-colored
fine appearing kernels, largely in whole quarters. We do not consider
the flavor of Thomas to be one of the best. I have tested this many
times by cracking nuts of Benton, Snyder, Sparrow and Thomas, and then,
without revealing which is which, have had various people try them and
pick out the ones they like best; Benton and Sparrow in all cases were
liked best, Snyder second and Thomas always least in favor. Thomas is a
consistent bearer here.

SPARROW is a little known variety which has a good many good points in
its favor. In my opinion, it surpasses Thomas in everything except size
of nut and cracking quality. In cracking quality I consider them to be
about equal. Sparrow originated near Lomax, Ill. Wood of it was sent to
us by C. A. Reed in the Spring of 1938. It has never been entered in any
contest so is little known. The tree may not be quite as fast growing as
Thomas, but it retains its foliage in the fall until cut by hard frost,
long after its nuts have ripened, while Thomas will be nearly bare of
leaves for some time before frost or its nuts are ripe. Sparrow ripens
its nut