ne of the six Persians and a native black walnut. During the late
nineteen-thirties, all of the trees, Persians and seedlings, with the
single exception of the existing hybrid, were killed by an unusually
hard winter.

The Merrick hybrid walnut, now about 20 years of age, is an extremely
vigorous and healthy tree. Its height is between 55 and 60 feet and its
spread nearly as great. Trunk diameter is at present about 12 inches at
breast height. The location of the tree is very favorable, being near
the crest of a high ridge and with protection from the northwest by the
house. A chicken yard is near and the kitchen drain empties close by to
supply moisture.

In nearly all aspects excepting the nut itself, the tree favors its
pistillate parent. This is evidenced by the general shape of the tree,
by the texture and color of the bark of limbs and twigs, and by the
shape and color of the leaves, the buds, the flowers, and the nut hull.
Hybridity is indicated by the (usually) eleven leaflets to the leaf
stem, by the nut, and in the disintegration of the hull which, after
falling, quickly changes into a most disagreeable, dark-brownish,
semi-liquidlike mess. The nut itself is much more like a Persian walnut
in appearance than a black walnut. The shell surface is slightly rougher
and somewhat darker than most Persian nuts. The suture of the Persian
parent is prominent. Black walnut parentage is exhibited by the thick
shell, the interior configuration and in the flavor of the small kernel.
Nut size varies somewhat with diameters ranging from 1 to 1-1/4 inches
and lengths ranging from 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 inches.

The bloom, which is strikingly like that of pure Persian trees, is
always profuse and precedes that of the surrounding native black walnuts
by a week or two. In the two years during which the writer has observed
the tree, the greater part of the staminate bloom has preceded the
pistillate by several days. This was noticeably the case during the
current year, and either this, or the rainy weather, has resulted in a
small set of nuts which the owner states to be unusual. During the years
observed, the tree appeared to be self-pollinating.

It is recognized, of course, that the Merrick hybrid is worthless as a
producer of edible nuts. The possible value of the tree lies in
opportunities it offers in being the forbearer of more worthwhile
progeny. We know of the vast possibilities in hybridization. We know of
the difficulties