The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1891-04-02
Pecans and Peacan Culture.

One finds at the table on festive occa-
sions, and at frst.class hotels, almonds,
English walnuts, Brazil nuts and pecans.
The almonds and walnuts come from
Europe and Africa, though some are
grown in California. The Brazil nuts
are grown on the overaowed banks of the
Amazon and Orinoco, in South America.
The pecan alone is native of the United
States. 1t is found as far north as Louis.
vile, and as far west as Kansas City.
The pecan is a hickory, cargo olive fer
mis-, so named from the olive shape Of
the nut. As timber, it is nearly as velu-
able as the shell bark hickory for all me.
chanical uses. til is adapted to q great
diversity of climate and soil. Near
Tampa, Fla, there are trees bearing
bushels Of nuts, growing on the white
sandy scrub lands, under an ayeragetem.
perature of u degrees. Within the
recollection of men, not yet very aged,
the pecan was one of the nuts not classed
as commercial, nor placed on the table.
Now it has not only nearly displaced
the hazel, but it is deservedly taking
rank next to the almond. In Santa Rosa
County, Florida, lives man who has
supported bis family upon the produce Of
few pecan trees. Less than fifty years
ago q man living near the banks of
the Blackwater, was walking in his field,
having in his pocket some large, thin.
ahelled pecans which he had received
from Louisiana. The thought occurred
to him that they might grow; 80 he
made holes couple of inches deep in
the soil With his cane, aud dropped in
each nut, and covered them up with his
foot. The nuts came up and have made
large trees, and the present owner of the
land yearly receives more money for the
barrels of nuts they produce than does
the owner Of an equal number Of orange
trees. The best nuts bring as high as
seventy-6ve cents a pound for the pur-
pose of planting. The pecan tree can be
grown on any land on which the oak or
hickory may be grown, and the fruit will
be fairly true to its parentsge, 80 that
when the best nuts have been used for
seed, good marketable ones will be
produced. The cultivation Of the tree
need not greatly exceed that for hill of
corn, during the 6rst three years of its
life, after which, if it be six feet high, it
may be left to ITSELF
The pecan roots will generally form
below the action Of the plough, and if the
tree be defended by strong stakes to pre-
vent wounding the stem of. the tree, the
field may be ploughed and planted to
crops, leaving the tree to be tended by
the hoe. The stem of tree should not
rise to exceed six or seven feet before
forming its top, and if there be plenty of
room and light, put on 6ne spreading
top. A proper distance for planting is
thirty. three feet, or forty to the acre.
After the trees come into bearing, which
will be in the tenth year from the seen,
ploughing the ground should cease Just
before the nuts commence to fall the sur.
face should ba raked clean to enable the
nuts to be seen and gathered. The pecan
tree is one Of great healthfulness, its enc.
mics being confined to the long moss and
variety Of caterpillar, which must be
removed by hand. The nuts fall as soon
as they are ripe, and slight shake
given with the foot or hand will down all
that are fit 10 gather. Cattle and horses
must not be allowed to trample and pack
the soil under the trees. In all parts of
the South the pecan can be grown for
profit. There can never be too great a
supply of nuts, as the demand is increas.
ing largely each year.