but since 1940, when accurate records have been maintained, we have
planted 239,000 black walnut seedlings or seed. Initial survival is not
high, averaging only about 50 percent but we still have a general
distribution of seed trees that are providing a source of seed for
natural reproduction. Trees from plantings made in 1927 to 1934 have
grown well and we now have walnut trees over 10 inches in diameter and
60 feet in height. The average for all areas would probably not exceed 5
inches but individual trees have made remarkable growth. These trees are
only seedlings, but they are bearing heavily and their fruit is sought
by the local people.

In 1946 and 1947, budded stock of walnuts and pecans and seedlings of
Chinese chestnut were obtained from Mr. Wilkinson and were set out on
six selected areas. A wide variety of sites were picked and a wide
variation in both survival and growth has been obtained. No special
treatment was given the areas where the trees were to be planted nor
were the trees mulched or watered after planting. Even under these
rugged conditions we have a survival of over 60 percent of all trees.
The walnut trees now range from 5 to 12 feet in height and the pecans up
to 6 feet. The chestnuts vary in form from low spreading plants 4-1/2 to
5 feet in height and as much as 8 feet across to well formed trees 8 to
10 feet tall. Pruning on all three species to produce a clear butt log
has been started.

Pasture seeding on areas high enough in available lime to support
legumes is following a pattern laid down by three years of graduate
study, financed by the Indiana Coal Producers Association, at Purdue and
by work done by the Illinois Agricultural Experiment Station under a
similar arrangement with the Illinois Coal Strippers Association.

Unfortunately, we have only a small portion of the spoil area in Indiana
that is suitable for the development of improved pasture. Not over 10
percent of the area mined to date is good enough and that percentage
will decrease. Modern operations are deeper than the early ones and are
exposing more hard rock and shale. Fortunately, most of these areas can
be reforested after three or four years. In exceptional cases less than
5 percent of the area mined the exposed materials contain large amounts
of sulfides. These break down into acid that in some cases require ten
to twelve years to leach out before revegetation can be undertaken.

The fact that these stands of trees