This is a very strong
indication of hybridity with wild hazel or Winkler. On one of these
plants, about one-foot high, I found staminate bloom which I consider
unusual after only two seasons' growth.
During the fall of 1941, I became interested in a phenomenon of fruit
determination previous to actual fructification of the plant by detailed
examinations of its buds. I noticed, for instance, that large buds
generally meant that the plant would produce large nuts and small buds
indicated small nuts to come. The color of the buds, whether they were
green, bronze green or reddish brown, could be fairly well depended
upon to indicate their hybridity in many cases. These tests were not
wholly reliable but the percentage of indication was so high that I was
tempted to make predictions.
At that time, hazilbert No. 1 had not borne nuts. The bush resembled a
wild hazel so much that I had begun to doubt its hybridity. Upon
examining its buds, I found indications in their color that it was a
hybrid, although the nuts apparently would not be large. It would be an
important plant to me only if its pollen should prove to be effective on
the other hazilberts. At the time this was only a wishful hope, because
the pollen of the wild hazel, which this plant resembles, apparently
does not act to excite the ovules of either filberts or filbert hybrids
with filbert characteristics.
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