of centuries ago.

The great majority of the Persian walnut, chestnut, and hazel trees
which have been tried have failed us; some have even brought fatal or
near-fatal diseases to us.

At first thought, we would feel compelled to abandon all further efforts
with the foreign nuts; but not all that have been tried are guilty of
offence or failure. Here and there, from New England to Michigan and
from Maryland to Missouri, we are finding occasional nut trees either in
groups or standing singly, which because of their age, vigor,
productiveness, and quantity and quality of nuts, appear to be fit
foundation stock for the varieties so much needed in this part of the
country. A number of such are being propagated by the nurserymen and, as
the members here present know, are being disseminated.

The present great need is for knowledge regarding the location of other
such trees, not only of the foreign species, but of the natives as well.
The Northern Nut Growers' Association and the Federal Department of
Agriculture at Washington together are seeking to find Persian,
Japanese, or black walnut, Asiatic, European or American chestnut,
European or American hazel, and native butternut, hickory, pecan,
chinquapin and beech trees of more than ordinary merit. Upon the
locating of, and the propagation from such trees, as new varieties,
apparently depends the future of nut growing east of the Mississippi and
north of the Ohio and Potomac Rivers.

The appeal therefore is made to the owners of hardy nut trees that they
drop a postal to the Department of Agriculture at Washington, D. C.,
stating that they desire a mailing box and frank for sending in a few
specimens of the nuts which they believe to be of more than average
merit. The only expense necessary to incur will be in the price of the
card, and in the trouble of collecting and packing the nuts. Before
mailing, the package should be plainly marked with the name and address
of the sender, and a note should be inclosed giving information
regarding the location, ownership, bearing habits, etc., of the tree
from which the nuts were obtained.

If more convenient, the nuts may be sent to this association, which in
any case will be apprised by the Department of all new varieties of
apparent merit which may be brought to light.

However, no one should anticipate a great fortune as the result of any
nut tree of which he may find himself the owner. It is not possible for
a variety to b