ut the next year after applying these elements my
yields increased from 430 lbs. the previous year to 961 lbs. and have
remained high ever since. Minor mineral elements show beneficial results
on our garden crops, and I am inclined to believe they are needed, since
our soil is so sandy and porous, and especially the soil that has been
cultivated so long. Since my trees have produced so well with this
moderate fertilization, I have made no check against higher rates of
application. In fact I am against the use of large amounts of mineral
guanos since I know certain tender shrubs and plants are injured by
their use and some soil bacteria and animal life are also harmfully
affected, according to reports I have read.

Three of my trees bore a few nuts at four years. No record of yields was
kept until the seventh year or 1942, in which I gathered about 328 lbs.
of nuts. After that my records show for 1943, 554 lbs., 1944--430 lbs;
1945--961 lbs; 1946--1722 lbs; 1947--1554 lbs. No individual tree
records were kept except in a few cases. I kept a rough record by
looking at the burs at the end of the season, and classed trees as
excellent, good, or poor producers, along with other characteristics of
the trees. However, I know several of my trees produced over 100 lbs.
each in 1946 and one tree, ML No. 2, of which I kept a record by weight,
in 1947 produced a little over 150 lbs. of nuts.

[A note from Mr. Jones early in 1949 reports a crop of 1,836 pounds of
chestnuts harvested from his 21 trees in 1948, the largest yield to
date. His ML No. 2 tree produced 165 pounds.]

Nuts on a few of my trees begin ripening the latter part of August, but
September is the heavy month, with some extending to the middle of
October. Their early ripening period while the weather is usually hot
and dry, I think tends to cause damage to nuts from the effects of the
hot sun and rapid drying. Damage to the nuts and consequent spoilage can
be kept at a minimum if they are gathered promptly, which should be
daily.

+Preparing Chestnuts for Market+

Here is how I generally handle my crop. As soon as the nuts are gathered
I put them in a container with water and remove the nuts that float.
This eliminates practically all spoiled nuts and those beginning to
spoil. Those that sink are then placed in coarse mesh burlap bags (about
25 lbs. to the bag) which are tied near the top. These bags are laid on
a slatted platform under a shade tree and presse