found on
the uplands wherever the soil was fertile and other conditions
favorable. The overflow of streams undoubtedly did much to distribute
and plant the seed, aided always by the ubiquitous squirrel.

Twenty-nine of the States reported the trees as thrifty and bearing
well-filled nuts. Eastern Maryland reported the trees as thrifty but the
nut crop light. Michigan reports the nuts as having been well filled
formerly, but poor in recent years. West Virginia makes a similar
report, and attributes poor crops to the presence of anthracnose, a
fungus disease of the leaves causing early defoliation.

The nut crop of the wild trees appears to be ungathered to a large
extent, taking the country as a whole.

Eleven states report whole husked nuts being marketed in a limited way
and six report the marketing of home-produced kernels. Prices for the
whole nuts are quoted as low as $2.00 per bushel, with a top of $5.00
per bushel for Kansas-produced named varieties.

Accurate statistics as to whole nut and kernel production are not
available.

Tennessee reports black walnut cracking plants, as follows: One each at
Lebanon and Morristown, and three located at Nashville.

A West Virginia report estimates the State's kernel production at
$200,000 per annum. A cracking plant in St. Louis is reported as
processing 1-1/2 million pounds of whole nuts annually, for which it
pays 5-1/2 cents per pound. Other cracking plants reported are one at
Stanford, Kentucky, one at Broadway, Virginia and one or two in West
Virginia, location unstated. No statement was received as to the amount
of business done by these. A new one is starting operations at
Henderson, Kentucky in 1951.

Production of black walnut kernels as a home industry has languished
since the Federal ruling that the kernels must be pasteurized as soon as
produced. Most of such kernels are now consumed locally, so as not to
run afoul of inter-state regulations. No epidemic has, as yet, been
traced to such local use.

A question designed to disclose what named varieties give the best
results in the various localities was not very effective. Replies
usually came in the form of lists of varieties being planted with little
definite indication as to the ones that have proven superior.

As might be expected, Thomas led the list by being mentioned 15 times.
Elmer Myers was listed 9 times, Stabler 6, Ohio 6, Mintle 3, Snyder 2,
(New York and Tenn.), Sifford 2, (Kentucky and Kan