a total, hand-cracking
total kernel content of 25 per cent, I would like to say 23, but I think
that is just a little bit strong. In Tom's early processing of black
walnut kernels at Renfro Valley his first average was 16 per cent on
wild nuts. I don't know where he got those nuts. They must have been
Thomas variety. But as he told me today, he is down to 10.7.

Mr. Mullins: Those nuts I talked about, Mac, that ran up that high
percentage were from over in Clark County around Winchester. And I have
quite a few of them that I pick-up that are even larger in size than
some of these Thomas nuts that are lying in here, out of that particular
locality. They are very big.

Mr. McCauley: You will find that that is true. Your percentage varies
over the country. I like to think that the wild seedling black walnut
has a possibility of about 18 pounds in a hundred. I may be wrong.

Dr. MacDaniels: Is that loss in the cracking procedure; I mean, that the
things don't crack out?

Mr. McCauley:. The loss is in the cracking, but on an 18 pounds
possibility we would probably get between 14 and 15 per cent with this
new method of cracking and processing.

Dr. MacDaniels: Now, if you had a nut that would run hand-cracked 24 per
cent, you lose 2 in your cracking procedure, and you recover 22. Would
you pay twice as much for nuts of that quality as you would for common
grade?

Mr. McCauley: Yes, I think that I would. If I had assurance that I was
going to get 22 per cent kernels I would be very pleased to pay double.
It would pay me, if I were shelling, to pay twice as much for that
variety for the simple reason that I only have one cost of picking. Now,
the average cost of picking black walnuts kernels is about 11-1/2 cents
a pound. At least, that's the best I have ever been able to do with
them. And if you sold me a walnut that would give me twice as many
kernels with one cracking and one picking, I'd make money and I could
pay you twice as much money for that nut.

Dr. MacDaniels: What volume would a cracker have to have to make it
interesting? What quantity would have to be produced and offered to a
cracker to make it interesting? That is, say I have 50 bushels of
Thomas. That isn't any good to you, because your cracking plant--

Mr. McCauley: Why wouldn't it? If I had 50 bushels, that is 2500 pounds,
right? All right, Tom could run his plant for two hours and a half, we
will say, on 2500 pounds, and in that two hours and a h