The butternut is not without certain weak points which must not be forgotten. The timber is less valuable than that of black walnut, the trees grow to smaller size and seldom live more than 75 or 100 years; outside of the best growing sections of the North, it is possible that the majority succumb under 40 years.
Being less symmetrical, butternut trees are not as suitable for ornamental planting as are nut trees of many other kinds. Nevertheless, a tree or two of each of the best varieties now available should be included in all nut planting as far south as the species is indigenous, and perhaps farther down.
ALVERSON--The parent tree of this variety is owned by Mr. M. E. Alverson, Howard City, Montcalm County, Michigan. It was first called to public attention when it was awarded third prize in the 1932 State contest held at East Lansing under the direction of Prof. James A. Neilson, of Michigan Agricultural College. A one-pound lot tested in Washington during April of the same year counted 47 specimens. It yielded 14.44 per cent of quarters and 1.11 per cent of small pieces, making a total of 15.55 per cent kernel. The cracking quality was found to be good. The kernels were large, long, plump, medium bright, and the flavor distinctly pleasing.
DEMING--This variety was called to attention by Olcott Deming, a son of Dr. W. C. Deming, Hartford, Conn., to whom it was awarded first prize in the 1918 contest of the Northern Nut Growers Association. Dr. Deming sought to have this variety called Olcott, but the name became fixed when it appeared in the Jones catalogue of 1920, and later in various reports of the Association.
The Deming butternut is probably an early bearer, as in notes prepared by the late J. F. Jones for use during the 1926 convention held at Lancaster, reference was made to two trees (Nos. 88 and 89), which were in "bearing while still quite young," the latter of which "bore two nuts the next year after being grafted," and which was then "bearing its third consecutive crop." Mr. Jones began its propagation in 1920, commenting to the writer at the time that it was "larger and had a thinner shell than Aiken."
IRVINE--This variety was awarded first prize ($50.00) in the Northern Nut Growers Association contest of 1929. The parent tree is owned by Mrs. L. K. Irvine, Menominee, Dunn County, Wis. In a Washington test of three pounds, conducted in 1931, the nuts averaged 53 per pound and had a range of from 44 to 59. The kernel yield was 22.13 per cent quarters, 3.90 per cent small pieces, and 0.38 per cent bad. The cracking quality was excellent, the kernels large and highly attractive, the quality good, and the flavor mild. This is apparently one of the finest although not the richest or sweetest, of any variety of butternut yet discovered. It is known to have been successfully propagated but to a limited extent only.