ricot kernels being transported to the
market and sold as almonds. We had understood that China was quite an
important almond-producing country, but I doubt if there are any almonds
in China. I did not see a tree, nor did I get an indication that there
were any there.

One of the largest chestnut trees that I saw measured eight feet and
would have been valuable for timber purposes. It was in one of the very
attractive little orchards of chestnut trees in the north of Shansi and
northeast of Tientsin. We understood that there were very large orchards
to the north, but you might say that there is no such thing as a large
orchard in China. We counted about 100 trees in such orchards, and we
made notes as to their bearing habits. We found the chestnuts of
pleasing quality, of a fair size, and not quite as large as European
nuts but larger than the American. We did not see many of the trees
which had been allowed to develop normally. They are not of special
value in China, and consequently, the branches are removed as high as
possible, and often the tops are cut out.

The Chinese have a species of native peanut which is very shrivelled and
hard; but missionaries from this country have introduced there the
American peanut, which is now grown so extensively that Chinese exports
have disturbed our market conditions considerably.

The Chinese allow nothing to go to waste. When the peanuts are removed
from the ground and cared for, the soil is sifted so that no peanuts
will be lost. The American peanut grown there is served in little
butterdishes on the hotel tables, as a delicacy.

THURSDAY MORNING SESSION, SEPTEMBER 27

Meeting called to order by President McGlennon, 10:15 a. m.

The president appointed as Nominating Committee to nominate officers for
the ensuing year, Dr. Robert T. Morris, Prof. C. P. Close, J. S.
McGlennon.

Mr. T. P. Littlepage, of Washington, D. C., then spoke on the subject of
Commercial Nut Culture.

This is a very difficult subject to discuss, for the reason that, as
yet, there are very few facts upon which to base any conclusions about
commercial nut culture in the North.

First, let me say that the principal point upon which we base our
opinion that nut culture in the North has commercial possibilities, is
the fact that growing throughout many sections of the North are
thousands of nut trees, pecans, walnuts, hickories and butternuts, many
of which grow very fine nuts. It would be a