Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-11-08
THE GAZETTE AND THE PECAN

Your articles on pecan culture for Texas
have brought about a new awakening, and
have started everybody here to talking
about the pecan. All the talk is in one di-
rection, to-wit: The pecan is among the
greatest of the many great things that ma
ture has given us. No other state could
compete with Texas in pecan culture, for
Texas, as you have often stated, is undoubt-
edly the natural home of the pecan. I am
entirely with you in your suggestion that
the first pecan tree grew in Texas. 1t has,
by battling against less favorable condi-
tions, finally spread itself to few other re-
giOns, but the further it gets away from
Texas the lower becomes its grade in point
of perfection. The most perfect pecans of
the world, in natural state, are found in
Texas.
The interest that you have aroused in the
pecan emboldens me to say that the Fort
Worth GAZETTE WILL during this coming
winter: have founded TO itself thousands
upon thousands of living monuments to
stand and represent the publication long
after all the people now living shall have
been gathered to their fathers. Those
monuments may bear no inscription telling
to whom they have been erected, but the
facts in the case will remain all the same,
even though unprecedented.
Naturally, Texas is the great pecan state
-artifcially she is to remain the great
pecan state. In my honest opinion there
can be no doubt about that
Since you began working up the pecan
through the Fort Worth GAZETTE 1 find
great changes in pecan literature. as COM
pared to that formerly spread before the
people. Lots of ideas evidently original
with The GAZETTE are creeping into all the
pecan literature now getting into print.
One of these, of especial importance, was
that the pecan could be planted along our
streams where the land was exposed to oc-
onS nd bnnpa 70
for any other crop. All these lands, as you
state, can be put into pecan groves, ana
thus rendered more valuable than any other
lands we have, the occasional overflow be-
ing more of advantage to the trees than
otherwise.
Another important idea was that it was
not necessary to clear up those bottoms be-
fore starting the grove. All needed was to
measure off the rows, dig out the hills, cut
away overhanging growthS and plant the
nuts. This idea will probably lead to the
planting of thousands of acres to pecans
the coming winter that would not have been
planted but for the Fort Worth GAZETTE.
Both of these important ideas now APP
pear in all our recent pecan literature, but
the first | ever saw of them appeared in
the Fort Worth GAZETTE about one year
ago.
We are beginning to look upon the Fort
Worth GAZETTE as our boss pecan author
lJy, anu Oh tudU dCCOuuL WflUe you IllS
letter. So far you have shown US the pecan
in a light entirely favorable, but there are
almost invariably two sides to every
question. Is there really nothing against
pecan culture in Texas2 I am planning to
put out large grove this winter-am al
ready securing the best nuts l can find in
three counties with view to that kind Of
performance. Now, l would like, under the
circumS tances, to hear something of the
dark side if there is one) before l go too
far, and doubtless very many readers Of
THE GAZETTE are in the same fix as myself
Has the pecan no insect enemies that might
knock it into cooked hat at about the time
when we had gone to all the expense
necessary for establishing a pecan grove?
Up to this time you have advanced not
word with reference to insect enemies of
the pecan. 1t don't seem possible that
thing of so much Importance to Texas could
have only bright side. Please answer
through The GAZETTE and much oblige a
well-pleased reader of the agricultural
department.
]. r. CLAYTON.
Dimmit county, Texas.
After thanking our correspondent for his
kindly expressed appreciation of what THE
GAZETTE has been doing, we would refer
him to the second article appearing on this
page as having been written in response to
his request and suggestions.