gh, Sifford,
Stabler and Beck, in that order.
Thomas is the most precocious in early bearing. One report has it that
Thomas kills itself, sometimes, by overdoing it in this respect.
Stabler, Sifford, Creitz and Beck come next. All of these varieties are
reported as having well filled nuts, with Stabler in the lead, which may
come as a surprise to many. Other qualities, such as husking and
cracking, size, and quality of kernel, are reported to be the same as in
the north except that Stabler leads in cracking quality, with Thomas a
rather poor second, owing, perhaps, to a shell too well filled for
cracking without shattering the kernels.
_Seedling Chestnuts._ More Chinese chestnuts are planted than Japs. They
are hardier, yield better crops, are more precocious, and have a far
better quality of kernel. The Japs excel only in size.
_Named Chestnuts._ Hobson is hardy and an extremely precocious bearer of
finest quality. Carr follows. Reports on these varieties, however, are
not numerous enough to enable one to reach a satisfactory appraisal. Two
Marron strains are mentioned as producers of very large nuts; otherwise
this variety's record is not impressive.
_Pecans._ Posey and Greenriver are given top mention for hardiness, with
Busseron, Major, and Niblack next. In the more southern areas, of
course, the more tender varieties are favored, such as Mahan, Success,
Burchett, Schley and Stuart. Mahan seems to be the one most favored for
general excellence in yield, flavor, and cracking qualities. It must be
said, however, that, in flavor, these larger pecans are inferior to the
best pecans of the indigenous northern varieties which are now being
propagated. But because of their size, beauty, and productiveness, they
will probably maintain their present leadership commercially.
_Hybrid Pecans, Filberts, Butternuts._ Reports from the south are
inadequate for appraisal. The inference one must draw is that they are
not being planted extensively there.
_Persian Walnuts._ The object of the inquiry, of course, was primarily
to get information about varieties which might be capable of expanding
their range toward the north. In this, so far as the southern reports
are concerned, we have not been successful. Placentia and Eureka are
mentioned in one report but their records, as reported, are not
particularly good. Corroborative evidence is needed. Upon the whole, the
south, strangely enough, seems not to be the place to look
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