What Kind of Tree
There is a tall tree on the vacant property next to my house that is dropping very large round green seed balls. It is not a chestnut tree. I don't know what it is. There is a hard center, the pods are about the size of a tennis ball or billiard ball. They rot rather quickly, turning completely black, and have an unpleasant smell. Deer don't eat them. Anyone have any ideas. I do not have the expertise or electronics to post a picture.
Lonesome Dove 
Bug3Thanks. Looked up a picture & that's it. Are they edible? If so, I've been wasting them for years, lol.
Pookietoo 
AJMS nut edible.
staining inside hull horrendous though.
Hulls are said to keep away spiders
“staining inside hull horrendous though”
That’s from the chemical “juglone” inside all parts of the tree, especially the hulls. This is a toxin to kill surrounding vegetation (thus ensuring the tree gets all the nutrients in the soil), but it’s also toxic to animals (watch your dogs or horses) and can be an irritant to human skin or cause allergic reactions if you ingest sawdust when cutting the wood.
Along those lines, if the OP or anyone else is planning a garden, juglone in the root system of the black walnut will kill many other plants, fruit trees, etc. up to 50 - 60 feet away from the main tree or where leaf/hull litter leaches it into the ground.
Quite a nasty nut, but apparently tasty!
Mark Mc. Found best tool to pick up black walnuts. For years picked up walnuts by hand, now I use a garden weasel large size for the walnuts, bought it from Amazon. There are different size weasels for different nuts. Faster cleanup, not back breaking. Need some strength to open the cage to spill out the walnuts. Wish I had found it years ago.
Put the green nuts in your driveway and drive over them for a couple days....then pick the hard nuts out, put them in the sun for a day or 2 to dry. Then you can get out the hammer.
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