over and looked very doubtfully with a trace of pity in his expression and said, “When do you expect all those trees that you are setting to bear?” I replied, “I am not sure, but I do know that they will bear a long time before those trees that you are not setting.”  Topworking, however, gives quick results and enables one to take advantage of the long-established thrifty root systems of the wild black walnuts, hickories and pecans growing in economic spots, around the fences, corners, creeks and hillsides.

* * * * *

MR. JONES:  In all our grafting we cut the cleft; we don’t split it.  The slip bark method is better in some cases.

MR. PRESIDENT:  What is the size limit for the slip bark method?

MR. JONES:  Anything less than two inches we would cut.

THE PRESIDENT:  Will Mr. Jones tell us about budding with cold storage wood?

MR. JONES:  The cold storage buds would take better, but you would have more loss in their failing to grow.  In other words, a much larger percentage of buds set with the current season’s growth, will grow in the following spring.  I would not recommend either method alone.  By grafting in the spring and then budding, first with cold storage and later with the season buds, you would have three chances.

THE PRESIDENT:  Have you budded any cold storage wood before this year?

MR. JONES:  We have done more or less of it for six or eight years, and it has been successful.  Anyone with very little experience can use cold storage buds.

THE PRESIDENT:  Mr. W. C. Reed, have you any additions that we ought to know?

MR. W. C. REED:  Mr. Jones’ method and views in regard to cold storage buds agree with mine exactly.  Last year I put in on July 30th quite a number of English walnut buds that were held in cold storage.  In the fall we seemed to have almost perfect stands from these buds, but they are still lying dormant.  Buds of the season’s growth put in about three or four weeks later gave better results, although our success last year was very poor.  We seemed to have a fair stand on quite a number of varieties, but this spring they refused to grow.  I lay much of this trouble to the extreme cold we had in November.  This killed many peach trees that were from six to eight years old, and I think it injured many of the walnut buds.  I found the buds that started best were those nearest the ground, where they were protected by a little grass.

In regard to the topworking of the English walnut, several of you have seen my trees, the three trees along the highway in a ditch where they catch the wash where they have made 91/2 feet growth.  I am sorry to report that two of these trees are entirely gone, killed by the cold spell, and the other is about half alive, but I was not in the least discouraged by that loss.  In September the rains commenced, following the extreme drouth and started a second growth, and the freeze caught them November 22d as full of sap then as they were in September, when you were there.