On Mar 23, 3:00*pm, Frank Reid © 2010 wrote:
On Mar 23, 2:34*pm, Giles wrote:





Well, it's THAT time of year again. *I've got about a hundred fifty
american chestnuts (and sixty or seventy chinese) ready to sprout.
Free to any and all good homes anywhere that the U.S. post office can
find. *First come, first served. *Same as last year.

The difference (well, NOTHING is ever EXACTLY the same......,right?)
is that none of the seeds has yet sprouted this time around.....I
didn't keep them hydrated to the same extent. *Becky is in a mild
panic about what to do with all the sprouted seeds she has. *I will
gladly convey requests for sprouted seeds to her....IF they arrive
VERY soon. *Meanwhile, american chestnut is famously fecund. *While
there are no guarantees, the odds STRONGLY favor a very high rate of
germination.

As before, seeds are sent with a MOST EMPHATIC!! warning to protect
them, and the ensuing seedlings, for at least two full years from the
predations of rodents......meaning, especially, squirrels......and
deer. *What this means is that you MUST make it absolutely
IMPOSSIBLE!!!! for squirrels to get at the seeds (which persist for at
least a full year). *A relatively fine mesh wire netting for the next
two or three years (as a hedge against deer predation) is also
recommended. *Ask those who have gotten seeds before whether this is a
case of histrionics......or don't.....we'll probably have some more
next year.

Plant seeds directly (or, if necessary, start in pots and then
transplant......they are relatively forgiving) not more than a hundred
feet apart (fifty is much better) if you want viable seed production.
American chestnut is NOT self-fertilizing.

The odds are almost 100% against any of the resulting trees surviving
into old age.....IF.....they are ever exposed to the Cryphonectria
fungus.....which may or may not happen depending on how isolated they
remain. *That's your business......not mine. *Suffice it to say that
you should be immensly flattered if anyone should ever show interest
in your chestnuts......and then you should immediately shoot them and
bury the remains where no one will ever find or hear of them.

The Chinese chestnuts hybridize readily with the American. *Various
authorities on the chestnut blight still hold out hope that the
hybrids will (to one extent or another) prove to be the salvation of
the latter......all relatively sane and fantastically idiotic
arguments from both camps have already been heard and
considered.....bother someone else with it.

Give me an address and numbers of either or each.....here or by
private email.

giles
and....um.....did i say first come first served? *yes, i think i did.
offer good while supplies last. *talk to walmart.

Note's in your inbox.
Frank Reid
who is going to infect Nebraska with another invasive species

Noted.

giles
who is sorely tempted to visit omaha.......just for the thrill of
personally bringing to fruition a prediction of ecological disaster,
all by his lonesome.