e when they were
more easily frozen.

We have several trees that are evidently seedlings, as they grew up from
the ground after the tops died, They usually bear well, producing sweet
nuts, well-flavored but small.

We have six Persian walnuts that have had only about ten nuts in all
these years. One tree has a black walnut coming up from the root on
which it was grafted. It is of the same size as the Persian top. Two
years ago, this tree had about 30 nuts on the Persian side and 50 on the
black. It is not easily accessible and I have not been to it this year.

+Behavior of Pecans+

The Posey trees are in an east-west row about one-third the distance
from the north end of the orchard. Most of the Major and Busseron trees
are farther south, some as much as 200 yards. A few trees of both
varieties are directly south, within 100 yards, while others are the
same distance away off and some farther southwest. It is stated in a
recent bulletin of the Virginia Agricultural Extension Service that
Posey is needed to pollinate Busseron and Major.

Since reading the bulletin, I have been thinking of our crops in the
past. I remember that trees of these two varieties farthest from the
Posey, do not bear as well. Until now, I have attributed this to the
fact that the soil was less fertile and the trees are smaller and less
vigorous. Also the trees are farther from the frost-tempering river. I
am not sure yet that this is not the reason.

We are not alone in our experience of an uncertain crop, as other pecan
growers in the county tell the same tale. There are a number of large
old trees in this general section of Virginia, as well as a good many
seedlings. In addition, there are native, bitter, large-growing water
hickory (_Carya aquatica_), which is not uncommon in lowlands. (These
hybridize freely with true pecans, producing beautiful trees but
astringent nuts. Ed.)

One of the largest orchards was set out a few years before ours, by the
late Dr. Wm. C. Stubbs, on a farm that had been in his family for many
generations. It is on York River, about 15 miles from our place. It was
he who encouraged my husband to set out our orchard. Dr. Stubbs was for
many years Director of the Louisiana Experiment Station near New
Orleans. He spent his summers at his old home. His trees were probably
the best started and cared for during his life, as he knew how to do it.
I drove to see the farm recently, and talked with the present owner, w