s bearing a
fair crop, but the nuts are smaller than usual.

While my hickory trees appeared to suffer no winter injury, out of
possibly two dozen that I have planted since 1939 I expect to have only
three left. The number had dwindled to nine last year, and six of those
I am afraid will be dead by the end of next year. These six had done
well for six or seven years. The cause appears to be poor circulation
through the graft union. This is unfortunate as I believe hickory trees
will live and bear fruit in our climate.

I had the usual experience with filberts and hazelnuts, namely that the
catkins were, for the most part, Winter killed. There, are no nuts on
Rush, Barcelona, Medium Long, or Red Lambert, and the Winkler bushes
[self-fertile--Ed.] which bore heavily last year (although the nuts did
not fully ripen), are bearing only a few nuts this year.

Native butternut trees last year bore a heavy crop of nuts. This year,
the crop is very light.

As an experiment, I planted three Chinese chestnuts this spring:
Abundance, Nanking, and a "straight line" seedling. Although I haven't
much hope that they will survive many winters, I thought I would try
them out.

Several people have inquired about nut growing in New Hampshire, and I
have sent them a resume of my experiences.

Breeding Chestnuts in the New York City Area

ALFRED SZEGO, Jackson Heights, New York City

[Part of a letter to the Secretary, October 27, 1948.]

I am one of those members who have not been able to attend annual
meetings. In the two or three years that I have been a member, I have
derived great enjoyment from reading the annual reports and receiving
information through your news bulletin.

Therefore, when I received your improved bulletin, "The Nutshell," I
felt that I and others like me should write and tell you how wonderful
it is.

There is much that I just want to "get off my chest." My past criticism
was that the organization was a bit lethargic. But nut trees are _slow_
in showing results, despite the nurserymen's attractive visions of
quick, big harvests of nuts and even timber!!! This slow patience of the
black walnut has determined the tempo of much of the membership.

+Chestnut Breeding Efforts+

My main work is to attempt to breed two types of chestnuts: (1) One that
is very productive with a low head and will bear nuts like the old
American chestnut. (2) Another that will make a good timber stick. It is
my theor