Le MeschaceÌbeÌ. [volume] ([Lucy] La.) 1853-1942, 1876-07-08

without interest, and therefore what
ever 10 made by the use Of it, Is -sa
much clear gain to the wealth and
prosperity ofthe State. tt Il -aihH
Pecan culture as business, has re-
ceived bat little attention in Louisiana
or in any of the Gulf States. There
are few trees here and there planted
throughout the State or that have
come up voluntarily from seed of the
planted tree, that bear pecansin pay
ing Quantities. The object Of this ar
ticle is to call attention to the fact
that pecan culture can be made pro-
fitabls and that it offers sound in
ducements to capitalists to invest in
the planting of large pecan orchards,
as q good thing, profitable and safe,
onstrictly business principles. Ittakes
time, it is true; for the trees to come
to profitable bearing, but the time
comes. Ifyears do pass before any
thing IL realized from the investment,
it is allmade up when the investment
does begin to make returns aud then
the returns, in an increasing ratio,
continue to come in for several gene
rations from che first tand com mparativc
small outlay. The value of a pecan
tree or grove will depend upon the
quality of the fruit. II the nuts he
large and have a thin paper like shell,
the fruit from single grown tree,
will sometimes reach fifty dollars.
Hence the necessity Of planting the
very best seed that can be obtained,
and care should be taken that the
tree from which the nuts to BE- plant
ed are gathered stands alone, OF far
away from other pecan trees bearing
inferior frnits. The trees should I've
planted far apart, so as to give plenty
Of afr and plenty Of room for the limbs
to develop and the whole tree to as
snme . low and wide spread form.
When planted too close together, the
grove assumes the appearance, hA-
bits and growth, Of common forest
trees, sll the lower limbs die ont,
grows tall and bears only ON the.top
and that in limited quantities. From
twelve to sixteen. to an acre on good
rich ground Is enOu9 9yI., The average
value, one year with On other, Of o
lot oftwenty trees, is not over Hv.
dollars to the tree. But at this rate,
or even atone half this average rate,
. pecan orchard will pay its owner
over ten per cent net profit on the
capital invested. Let us take Q case,
on somewhat large scale.
Spppoge . paytyF with some uea6s,
purchases 1000 acres Of. good pecan
land at, say Ave dollars per acre, land
goodslanismt prcent ghn b had for
less money Che 6ost Of shetland Will
be $500, To enclose this with good
cypress fencing, viii cost, material
and work. s4OM. Seed, planting of
the same, Gfty-twol feet apart each
way, (makiug sixteen to the acre.
and putting cypress stakes around the
seed planted, $1,000. Total, $4,000.
A smaller grove might BE- taken, as
q sample, but what is trne Of q large
one, will be moro fully true of a small
one, which can be kept mp i'm con-
nection with the regular work of the
farm, without the purchase of addi-
tionai mules or farming implements,
for the speciaI'work Of cultivating the
gr0ge.a eA~f az ri sA# tesa
10 saves time and money ~ plant
the seed just whore the tree is to
stand, instead Of planting the seed in
nursery and trapsplaating the trees
= two and three years old, to their
places in the field. Tins far we have,
for cost Of land, fencing and putting
the esd. .iD the ground, with proper
guards arbuodtt, . cost Of ten tholis-
and dollars-size Of grove 1000 acres,
trees in rows 61 feet apart, or l6 to
the acre, gNieH for tbe whole grove
16, 600 Trees. Now 6er the cultivation
ofkbe4e trbes, planted in arproper
eoil, The pecan media cultivation
for its own cake. Il will grow from
the seed 70 a'fnIl sis6d stfsS without
the - - ~ plcw SfhtA II Is a
f0re5t tree,y y win long rodts, capable
" nlllpe thtir nay fhrunfA TIE soil
and tAthesing ak fodd likesother for
est treeA without the help of 1man.
But, being comparatively slow
grower at 8rt, 1pd ,tlsersfors liable
to y smofhercd To death, by the rank
growth Of weeds, ets,, natssnl tossur
warm climate and prolific mil, the
pecMn tree, for the /rst few years of