Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, October 2, 1993 TAG: 9310020062
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: CATHRYN McCUE STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
"The whole tree was just full of nuts," he said. Would that include himself? No comment, except a chuckle.
But without a doubt, Heckler and the others are gung-ho boosters of the great American chestnut that once dominated eastern forests. A fungus nearly wiped out the species some 60 years ago.
Heckler found the rare, mature American chestnuts in the Jefferson National Forest in Botetourt County. In July, with a grant from the American Chestnut Foundation, Heckler cross-pollinated the trees with blight-resistant Chinese chestnuts.
On Friday, the chestnut lovers harvested two bushels of nuts. One contained the cross-pollinated nuts, which are 15 parts American and one part Chinese. The other bushel is of pure American nuts.
"They might have some [natural] resistance," Heckler said.
Left to their own, the nuts would fall off the tree and stay under decaying leaves during the winter. The cold temperatures aid in germination.
Heckler will surround the nuts in damp peat moss and store them in freezer bags or plastic containers in the back of his refrigerator.
Come February or March, the nuts will be planted at Explore Park, which has several plots of different hybrids. Heckler isn't sure how many of the nuts were successfully pollinated, but guesses they'll get about 50 trees.
After five years or so, the young trees will be zapped with the blight, to see if they are resistant.
The fast-growing American chestnut tree was valued for its rot-resistant, straight timber, which went into houses and furniture. It ranged from Georgia to Maine.
The fungus, thought to originate in the Orient, first infected trees in New York City, and soon spread outward. By 1950, the species was virtually wiped out.
If anyone remembers the chestnut forests, the folks at Explore Park would like to hear about them. Call 345-1295.
by CNB