of Nevada City, in
northern California, began the introduction of French walnuts both by
seed and scions. Out of his efforts and those of others who subsequently
joined him, developed the walnut industry of northern California, which
now bids fair some day to equal that of the lower part of the state. The
famous French varieties of Franquette and Mayette were introduced by Mr.
Gillet, and from seedlings of his growing evolved the Concord, the San
Jose, and no doubt the Chase varieties.[1]

A nut which probably has received equally as much, if not more,
attention at the hands of experimental planters in this part of the
country is the chestnut. Just when the introduction of foreign strains
began, history seems to have failed to make clear; but according to
Powell[2] general dissemination in the Delaware section began with
introductions by Eleuthers Irenee du Pont de Nemours, made at about
1803. It is said that some of the original trees planted at that time
near the present site of the du Pont Powder mills by Mr. du Pont, still
survived when Mr. Powell recorded their history in 1898.

The spread of both European and Japanese chestnuts and their general
trial throughout the Eastern States has been narrated at former meetings
of this association. The chestnut blight, discovered on Long Island in
1904, after it had apparently gained several years' headway, and which
now seems fairly certain to have been introduced from Japan, has so
monopolized the attention of orchardists, foresters, landscape gardeners
and others interested in the chestnut that for the time being little is
being done with it, other than to study and discuss this disease. What
the final outcome will be no one can predict, but it is not improbable
that our pathologists will discover some practical means of control, or
that a natural enemy to the blight will appear. Nor is it unlikely that
immune strains of chestnuts, either native or foreign, will replace our
present groves and orchards, in case other efforts fail.

Another nut which has received a large degree of attention at the hands
of the planters and upon which hopes have been built from time to time
is the hazel, or filbert. Here again, history seems to have failed us,
for as yet the writer has been able to learn but little regarding the
early introductions into this country. In his _Nut Culturist_, published
in 1896, Mr. Fuller (A. S.) reasoned that at that time plants of the
European hazels must