of producing something, I think this will be
the beginning. Or rather, you have been going a long time. This is a
means of progress in tree crops that I am well pleased to take a part
in. Mr. Chairman, I think that's about all that I have.

* * * * *

President Davidson: I know we all wish we had more county agents like
that, interested in trees and interested in young folks. Those two
things should go together. I wish you would just sort of propagate that
idea when you meet other county agents, won't you, Mr. Shadow?

Now, then, Mr. Frye of Pleasant Dale, West Virginia, will tell us
something about Nut Hobbying in Eastern West Virginia.

Nut Hobbying in Eastern West Virginia

WILBERT M. FRYE, Pleasant Dale, West Virginia

Mr. Frye: After hearing such wonderful speeches as we have had, with
your reading, Mr. McDaniel, I wish I could be all of us, but as it is, I
am just myself. I don't know how many know where Pleasant Dale is, but
anyhow, you know where Washington, D. C. is; I live just along U. S. 50
and my section is 103 miles west of Washington, D. C. That will locate
where we are.

This section of the country is composed of a lot of long ridges with
steep hills, narrow valleys, some of them very fertile. These valleys
form bases where you will get the draft off these hills down into the
valleys. You must keep all the fruit and most of the nut trees out of
those places, or you have these frost spots that I have been telling
some of you about.

As far back as people can remember that country has been covered with
all kinds of nuts except the European (Persian or "English") walnuts,
and the early people coming in there used these nuts for food, and the
chestnut was their main one. Whenever a person clearing the land found a
nice tree he would save it. Then he would show much pride in having a
good tree, and it kept on going until there became a rivalry as to who
had the best chestnut tree. Some had an orchard of them.

When the blight hit the country I had an orchard of chestnut trees. When
I saw the first blight in the top of a tree I didn't like the looks. I
kept noticing that. It kept on coming down the tree, and it killed the
base. The total result was everybody lost their hobby trees, and then
soon they changed to something else.

Now, when the blight took the chestnut out of the country the people
began to pride themselves on the walnut, who had the best walnut,