Part 5

Illinois is fourth now with 38 members. I don't know what it'll drop to after this meeting. One member changed his address from Chicago to Indiana, but we are still seven up from the 31 of two years ago. Maybe Illinois is going to become a nut growing state after all, in spite of oak wilt, walnut bunch, spittle bugs, and the 1950 Thanksgiving freeze.

Will the Illinois people rise, both members and visitors? Not quite a fourth of the group is from Illinois.

Michigan is still fifth--32 members now, 30 in 1949. Take a bow, all you Michiganders--five or six from Michigan. We could afford to take a chance on a meeting there again before long.

Indiana is going up slowly in membership. It is now sixth with 27, supplanting Tennessee. It had 18 members in 1947 and 25 in 1949. How many Hoosiers here? Six or seven from Indiana.

Canada has 26 members listed now, putting it seventh. (There were 26 in 1949 also). Who's here from Canada--at least two.

Iowa is one of only two other states with more than 20 members, having 22 in the book now, compared with 26 two years ago and 30 in 1947. How many Iowans here?--three besides our President.

New Jersey has 21, Massachusetts has 17, Tennessee has 16, Virginia and Washington 14 each, Missouri, 13, California and Maryland 12 each, Connecticut and Oklahoma, 11 each, Kentucky and Kansas 10 each, West Virginia 8 and Georgia 5. There are fewer than five each in all the other states, except seven states with no members. Arkansas is a good nut producing state, but membership dropped from four to none. There are no members and seldom have been in Arizona, Colorado,[5] Maine, Montana, Nevada, and Wyoming. I believe we never had one in either Arizona or Nevada, but the others have occasionally had one.

Hong Kong is a new territory on our list of foreign members, though Mr. Wang, who now lives there, joined the NNGA from China around 30 years ago.

We are a _little_ better off on the annual report now than we were a year ago. It is printed and members who are here can take their copies. The story is the same as usual with the printers, although they are new ones this time. Our job got behind some others which moved slowly and then was put aside for work on school annuals in which this company does a lot of business. With some more volunteer editorial assistants and proof readers maybe we can get the copy to the printers earlier, so as really to get the book printed in the winter I agree with all the members who said that a year between the meeting and the publication is too long.

Looking toward this the November 1 cut-off for accepting papers should still apply, with the suggested addition that no long ones will be accepted which were not read at the meeting. Composition is too expensive to permit publication of a book with unnecessary wordage, so I hope we can avoid as much as possible the duplication of material which appeared in recent reports. Boil it down, and please, for the sake of the editor's eyesight, don't try to put too much on a page. The editors appreciate some space between the lines. But if you have something new to report, don't hesitate to send it in.

The 1950 report is here. I think it's a good one. In the hope of having a still better one for this meeting, I'll stop now.

DR. ROHRBACHER: Thank you for your report. Any discussion and criticism both destructive and constructive?

MEMBER: I thought this 1951 circular of information was a handy thing to have. I was wondering if more are available.

MR. McDANIEL: Yes, we run off a surplus each year and any member may have more upon request.

MEMBER: If you were to mail two instead of one to each member, that member could give the extra copy to a prospective member.

MEMBER: I would like to make a suggestion on that card business. Why not follow the system of the _National Geographic's_ recommendation card--you can't become a Geographic Society member any other way.

MR. McDANIEL: We will put a card or blank for nominations of members in the next issue of the _Nutshell_.

DR. ROHRBACHER: This is the time the secretary would like to have comments on this to give him help if he gets his job back.

MEMBER: It seems to me it would be a help in not only attracting new members but a help in stimulating attendance in our meetings if the annual report of the preceeding meeting could be gotten out something like two months ahead of the following meeting.

MR. McDANIEL: I believe we can do better than that this year.

MR. DAVIDSON: I do think it has quite an influence in stimulating interest not only on the part of our members but stimulating attendance at our meeting. I do think also that the suggestion of following the example of the _National Geographic_ should be put in the form of a motion and the Secretary instructed to remind each member to please nominate his or her friends for membership in the Association. I would be glad to make that motion.

DR. ROHRBACHER: Do I hear it seconded? (Motion seconded). It has been moved by Mr. Davidson and seconded by Mr. Wallick from Indiana that we carry through this new project of securing membership. Any further discussion?

MEMBER: Please repeat the motion.

MR. DAVIDSON: I would move then that the secretary be instructed to send to each member a reminder of his duty to nominate friends for membership in this Association.

MEMBER: What do you mean by membership--members or officers?

MR. McDANIEL: Members first, officers later. If you stay a member long enough you probably get to be an officer.

MEMBER: I'd like to amend that resolution that the secretary send a card to each member in which he can nominate a new member. With the secretary just reminding the members nothing ever happens. I think the card has to go with the reminder.

MR. DAVIDSON: I accept that amendment.

MEMBER: I think this whole thing clarifies itself if you bear in mind that the application form and the nomination are one and the same thing. A card which says in effect "I apply for membership in the NNGA" and the blank for his name, occupation and address. The card says that remittance of the annual dues is made herewith and this applicant has been nominated by the current member of the Association. It is one card. I receive a couple of these from the secretary and write my name for a nominee. His name and address and that is sent in to the treasurer together with his dues and an application of someone who has been nominated. It is a good screening because you have people interested definitely in the work of this organization.

MEMBER: I would fear that too many barriers put in the way of it might tend to decrease the number of new members. It is hard enough to get people interested.

MEMBER: Mr. President, I don't see how that can be a barrier since one doesn't know unless a member tells him. One doesn't become a member until a member said "Look, you should belong, let me nominate you for membership."

DR. ROHRBACHER: If I want to become a member, this is just another source.

MEMBER: The _National Geographic_ psychology is good. They have a circulation of one million, seven hundred thousand. If you want the _National Geographic_, some member has to sign a card. The psychology of that is that it makes it a little hard to get in and it works.

MR. RUMMEL: If there is a motion on the floor, I will second the amendment.

DR. ROHRBACHER: All in favor say "aye"--opposed "no". Motion carried.

Is there anything further to take up under the heading of helping our secretary? If not, we will go on and have a report from our treasurer.

FOOTNOTES:

[Footnote 5: A Colorado walnut grower joined later.--Ed.]

Treasurer's Report

MR. SMITH: Ladies and gentlemen of the NNGA, our good secretary awhile ago made the remark that perhaps he wasn't a very good salesman. Perhaps it is more the treasurer's fault for not being a good collector. The treasurer's report for August 26, 1940 to August 25, 1941. Annual membership dues--$1655.00. Among these there are two contributing members, Arp Nursery and Mr. Howard Thompson. I have two sustaining members, Mrs. Herbert Negus and Mr. Alfred Szego. Sale of Reports--$240.51; Interest on U. S. bonds--$37.50; contributions toward the rental of the hall--$47.25; contributions for the Persian walnut contest $35. I had hoped that some other states would come forward, but they didn't. Total receipts--$2,015.26.

Disbursements: Rich Printing Company for the 1949 annual report, $1,529.26, including the mailing and envelope charges and also the cost of printing. _American Fruit Grower_ subscriptions--$221.20; supplies--$65.38; Secretary's 50 cent per member--$270.00; secretary's expenses--$37.49; treasurer's expense--$96.37. My expenses rose due to the fact I sent out two notices that dues were due. The two years previously I had depended upon The Nutshell to let the members know and a lot of the members don't read the notice. The editor had it up there in the front lines, but it didn't bring them in too well. That made the postage bill $37 more than it was the year before. Prizes for the Persian walnut contest--$75.00; rent of hall, $60.00. You will notice above the rent was more of a donation. They gave us strong hints that is what they wanted. G. R. Grubb and Company $47.25 for cuts for the annual report you just got. We owe $19.00 on the cut that appears on the front cover. 1000 copies of Ford Times--$10.00. This is their March, 1951 issue with Dr. J. Russell Smith's color-illustrated article.

MR. McDANIEL: I told you about it in _The Nutshell_ and I have ten or more requests. I still have a large stack and will try to bring some over. [Still available for 3¢ stamp at the secretary's office.]

MR. SMITH: Membership affiliation with American Horticultural Society--$5.00; Bank service charges--$1.72; Miscellaneous--$16.50; Total--$4,320.93. Cash on deposit as of the present time--$1,730.99. There are still a couple of checks outstanding. One was for a walnut prize winner. He probably just framed his check. He has had it over a month. We have $1.97 in petty cash on hand. Disbursements of $2,587.97. Total on hand--$4,320.93. On hand August 26, 1950--$2,305.67; the receipts this year to August 25, 1951--$2,015.26 which makes the total of $4,320.93. U. S. bonds--$3,000.

DR. ROHRBACHER: Thank you, Mr. Treasurer.

MEMBER: I'd like to speak about the pamphlet from the Ford people, an article by Smith, very interesting. I believe the secretary said he has a number of copies in his possession. It is well worth having.

DR. ROHRBACHER: I think the treasurer will welcome a vote of thanks for his report and work. I move his report be accepted with thanks for his work. It has been moved and seconded that we offer a vote of acceptance and thanks for this report. So passed.

MEMBER: Mr. O'Rourke has a report and he has a pamphlet. He would like each of you to have a copy to read and study, so when he comes on the program it will save a lot of time if you read this pamphlet which he has provided.

MR. SILVIS: As chairman of the auditing committee, I find two discrepancies in the report issued by Sterling Smith. The checks that are uncashed of course I don't believe are found, and while the cash seems to be going down, in the face of mounting printing costs and mailing costs, this committee in auditing the books believe they are in good shape.

DR. ROHRBACHER: Thank you. Shall we have a motion?

(Motion made, seconded and passed)

I have appointed Dr. Crane on the Resolutions Committee. At this time we will go along with our program.

MEMBER: Mr. Chairman, I believe that a report on our constitution and by-laws provide that the nominating committee must make a report on the first day of the meetings. Now, I am not sure about that.

MR. McDANIEL: The nominating committee doesn't have the legal number of members. We overlooked a careful reading of the constitution and it should have five instead of three. I think the constitution says it has to report on the first day.

DR. ROHRBACHER: Is the committee ready to report?

MR. CRANE: I think the nominating committee makes its report as to the slate of officers that they suggest for the next year. However, the election of the officers takes place at the closing sessions. That is in order to give the membership the opportunity to study the recommendations. Nominations for any office may be presented from the floor now or immediately preceding the election, if you disagree with the choice, so you have an opportunity to present additional nominations just before the election takes place.

Mr. President, the nominating committee desires to nominate our Dr. L. H. MacDaniels to be our president for the coming year. And for vice president, Mr. Richard Best of Eldred, Illinois. Our very loyal, faithful, hardworking secretary has agreed to fill the post for another year again, so we will nominate J. C. McDaniel to that position. I am sorry to say our present treasurer has asked and insisted upon being relieved from his duties, so the nominating committee has reluctantly agreed to that, feeling that we should not work an officer too long and too hard. We ought to pass these things around, and we now take Carl F. Prell of South Bend, who has kindly agreed to serve. This, Mr. President, is the report of the nominating committee.

DR. ROHRBACHER: Thank you, Mr. Crane. This board looks very good. Understand that it is open for any further nominations from the floor at any time, either now or preceding the election. If you wish to present any other names to this list, you may do so at our meeting tomorrow evening.

Mr. Best, we haven't heard about your problem, about your project. Before we make this trip I think we should have a little response.

MR. BEST: You want me to tell you what the trip consists of at Eldred. After getting through with the Persian walnuts at Royal's, we will proceed down the Illinois River about 30 miles to our place at Eldred. We are along the Illinois River. We have a large planting of all the nuts we can think of, but what we are particularly interested in showing you folks is our pecan trees, 5,000 pecan trees. Those are grafted varieties. We have 47 varieties. We are doing some work with seedlings. We have taken Mr. Wilkinson's Major and Greenriver and then a few of the hickory-pecan hybrids and we have planted nuts with the idea we will grow those nuts and let them bear. We will exhaust all the possibilities. This year we have treated a number of seedlings with colchicine. We don't plan to show you very much of anything but pecans. We do have some Persian walnuts.

We should have some notice for reservations. Everyone who has written to us we have taken care of in the best possible way. If any more of you want to come, be sure and let us know so we can handle that.

Status of the Northern Pecan

W. W. MAGILL, _University of Kentucky, Leader of Discussion_

MR. MAGILL: I offer no apologies for being late. My car broke down. Mr. Armstrong is with the car and will be up here most any time. Since three o'clock this morning I have been trying to get here by bus. I was stranded over in Danville.

This is the first round table discussion I ever tried to lead without previously talking to some members of the panel. Mr. Best, Mr. Crane, Mr. Gerardi, Mr. Weschcke, Mr. Snyder, Mr. Wilkinson.

In leading a discussion on northern pecans, I don't know how well this group of nut enthusiasts agree. I think we should have an understanding of what a northern variety is. About all I picked up I got from Ford Wilkinson, introducer of many of our leading varieties. He knows where every one of them is standing. I don't know how many times he has been up there. We owned two of the most valuable. During the floods of '37 when water was over Louisville, Paducah and the original Major and Greenriver trees the farm hands were sent out to clean up the debris so they worked it out and ended those two trees. Now this Niblack, that is from up here around Vincennes, the Posey originated in Gibson County, Indiana, the Busseron is from southern Indiana. The Goforth is from New Haven, near Shawneetown, Illinois. The Tissue (Tissue Paper), the Giles and Johnson are from Kansas. Gerardi has a few from Southwest Illinois. We can't say north of the Mason-Dixon line; we say "close to the Mason Dixon."--Is that north or south out there in Kansas?

MEMBER: It's Republican.

MR. MAGILL: I'm not counting that. West of the Mason-Dixon line.

I assume that this group would be interested in certain factors and maybe we can get it out to the crowd in a more interesting way by asking questions. What factors would you take into consideration in trying to make a decision? We recognize the southern varieties would be more easily killed by certain temperatures. You're from Illinois. Read off your contribution. What is your observation on these northern pecans?

MR. GERARDI: The varieties that we introduced around our particular area I could give as much for as any. These others have all been tried and with close observation there is not so much difference in the varieties I can see. I will name three or four of those varieties. The Gildig pecan is a little longer than the Indiana, but the same shape. This variety I tasted. I think the flavor is better in the Gildig. Soil variations will make a difference and it is a little longer. That is the one variety I like very well. A little slow in bearing, the trees in the nursery have no nuts before five years. After that time, it began to build up, until we had spittle bug infestation and that has been a battle. It suddenly appeared. The first I noticed was the native seedlings with spittle bug and then it moved into these plantings of these better varieties and it is very bad. In the last four years it is noticeable on the amount of nuts taken off. Because of killing that latter twig growth, it destroyed the crop of the future years. We have had the trees bear at four years old. They have a wonderful set until the spittle bug gets hold of them. From the first to the tenth of June, it's around until the 25th of July. And the second brood was active and of course it doesn't take the nut off. Most of the damage is on the twig. The first brood insect gets right around where the cluster of nuts set and it drops off. It seems to girdle the tree. The insect bores into it. I had a little difficulty telling just what quantity was on this Gildig pecan.

The next variety is the Fisher pecan, very much like the Major. The fact is I think it is a little more elongated. The youngness of bearing is the same. The Major started at three years old. The three-year tree had several sets of nuts. It keeps building on and the bearing isn't getting less.

MR. MAGILL: Do you find your bearing earlier? In top working a seedling tree?

MR. GERARDI: Top working will gain at least two years. Then again depending on the size of your root stock. You will gain at least two years. Under adverse soil conditions at least five years.

MR. MAGILL: Do you plant seedlings where you want them to grow and then later top work?

MR. GERARDI: I haven't because I have been producing them in a nursery. I don't think we have time for pre-planting these pecan seeds where you want the tree to grow. I think it is advisable in many areas. If you can plant a nut tree you can go right ahead and there is no further care to be given it. After the Fisher and the Gildig is one called the Queens Lake. (This was called Gildig number 2.) It is a little more round. It is stubby and heavy in diameter something like the Money-maker among the southern varieties only not as large. It is a little smaller.

Another variety is the Duis. He had named two or three, including the Swagler and Duis variety. I noticed two years ago after he had died, the ground had changed hands. I saw the tree but it had very few nuts. The tree was apparently ten years old. I don't believe there are more than a dozen nuts. It was in a creek bottom, growing very rapidly. The Duis pecan is a nice size. It is a little larger than any of the commercial northern varieties. As for the bearing, I am a little skeptical. The Swagler variety I have practically abandoned. It is very much like the Norton. Clarksville I like very well. The Norton (parent of Clarksville) does not bear at all for me. I have ruled that one out. The Swagler gives a little trouble with late growth and winter trouble, winter damage, from the late growth in the fall. Consequently I haven't had any fruit until the present time.

MR. MAGILL: We'll come back to you later. I want to present some points in a letter from Dr. Frank B. Cross, of Oklahoma A.&M. College. They spent a lot of time on pecans in Oklahoma. They don't all have oil wells. He makes two or three statements I hadn't thought of. I will just throw these in to carry this discussion along.

"In comparing the two groups of nuts, namely, northern and southern, we find that practically all northern nuts require a longer rest period, than do the southern nuts. This means that the northern nuts for the most part begin growth later in the spring and begin to mature leaves and shed leaves and drop nuts before the southern varieties. The Major and the Greenriver are perhaps somewhat different from others of the northern varieties in that their maturity date usually falls with the earlier southern varieties.

"In order of production, I would rate the northern varieties as follows from highest to lowest: Major, Greenriver, Busseron, Indiana, Niblack, Kentucky, Warwick, Posey, Coy, Tissue, Johnson. Perhaps a little broader classification and grouping should be made. In my judgment, the Major, Greenriver, Busseron, Indiana, and Niblack compose one group which may be depended upon for fairly satisfactory production. The Kentucky, Warwick, Posey, Coy, Tissue, and Johnson have consistently been much lighter producers than those named in the first group.