that are fluted and cause the nut to
be cracked against these saw toothed flutes and while being cracked are
revolved down through the plates. The plate moving at an angle forces
the nut finally through a 3/8 inch opening where they fall into a rotary
sieve. The sieve has three sizes of mesh. 5 mesh, 2 mesh and 3/4 mesh.
The larger pieces go on through and are returned to the cracker. This
cracker will crack up to 500 pounds per hour, and uses a 3/4 h.p. motor.

The last of the three basic machines is the picker. I have not yet built
the picker but a number of the parts have already been machined and
before long it will be a reality. The Kenneth Dick, picker, of Peebles,
Ohio is the best for small orchards. It is essentially a separator using
a conveyor belt which carries the cracked nuts to needles that pick up
the kernels and deposit them on trays that at the timed moment accept
the black walnut kernels. The discarded shells remain on conveyor and
travel to the end and fall into a receptacle. After this process,
further inspection becomes necessary but up to the present it is the
best we have.

The black walnut is a messy nut to fool with but with the proper
machines it soon becomes a pleasure to work with it. I can work all day
hulling nuts and finish with clean unstained hands.

Processing the Persian walnut is a simple matter as compared with the
black walnut. My Persian nuts are gathered and placed on drying trays.
Most of the nuts fall free from hull and the stick tights are discarded
as inferior. N.N.G.A. members need but write to the agricultural
colleges in California, Oregon and Washington and a list of publications
will be sent. One of the latest machines being offered is one that picks
the nut from the orchard floor with a speed with which no human can
compete. It has not only removed the back ache but the human back as
well. The Persian walnut industry in the Pacific Coast states is big
business.

There is only one organization that can and does disseminate the
necessary knowledge and experience that will give the northern grown nut
its proper place in the American diet. That is the Northern Nut Grower's
Assn. You newer members have become heirs to knowledge based on the
experiences of others which represents not only blood, sweat and tears
but a lot of good hearty belly laughs. When one becomes nut conscious
there is no turning back. It gives life a new approach and a finer
meaning.

Black Wal