It is my opinion that the peculiarity of this season has wonderfully aided to solve many of those unanswered questions about the growing of European hazel-nuts for commercial purposes in the Eastern States. Through practical experience and close observation throughout the whole season it certainly has convinced me beyond the slightest doubt in my mind that some varieties of European improved hazel-nuts properly selected for the different states or parts of the Eastern States can be profitably grown for commercial purposes. It will of course require time and work to find out the right and proper varieties for the different sections of our country. For Western New York I could select eight or ten varieties from my nursery that would prove A No. 1 for that part of the state of New York, probably a number of the same varieties would do equally as well in parts of adjacent states, but of that we are not sure until actual planting has been done and thoroughly tried out. The question now is how and where can we obtain the necessary varieties of hazel-plants, as the importation of most kinds of nursery stock, including all nutbearing trees from foreign countries is at the present time very much restricted, practically prohibited. To my judgment there is but one way out of this, if we want to grow hazel-nuts of foreign origin.
We are under the existing circumstances, as stated before, simply compelled to grow our own plants. And this is being done. And to prove that it can be successfully done I will try to describe and demonstrate the method I am using or employing in my nursery for propagating the hazel- or filbert-plants. I still adhere to layering as the best method of propagating the hazel, large numbers can be produced in a comparative short time, if sufficient stock-plants are at hand; and plants on their own roots have many advantages over grafted or budded stock, as there is no wild growth to combat with, so deceiving and aggravating to the people who plant hazel-nuts and liable to choke or kill the growth or bud, that eventually nothing but the wild stock will remain.
The general assertion or claim, that grafted or budded hazel-plants are more productive, more prolific, than plants on their own roots does not hold good to all varieties, as I have both grafted plants, as well as plants on their own roots of bearing age and have so far not been able to see any difference in bearing, now in the size of the fruit or nuts, but would like to have it strictly understood that this opinion of mine, gained through experience and observation in my nursery only should not be taken as final, as I only have a few grafted varieties to watch and to compare. In fact I have every reason to believe that grafted hazel-plants of some varieties, will be more prolific and bear more regular, but have had so far no proof of it, but will do more grafting of other varieties to establish the fact more positive and report the result later. For the buying public at the present time, plants raised from layers on their own roots should be preferable and layering as a method of propagating the hazel-plants resorted to until the general public gets more and better acquainted and familiar with the growing of hazel-plants.