The San Saba weekly news. (San Saba, Tex.) 18??-1???, 1891-11-13
A Bonanza in Nuts.

The large returns from individual
trees and immense profits from estab-
lished orchards, have stimulated much
interest in growing the soft shelled
Texas pecan. which IS equal in quality
TO the best imported nuts of any kind.
These are already raised to quite an
extent in Texas and. while the indus
try is in its infancy, enough has al
ready been demonstrated to show that
the profits are far ahead of orange
growing. In fact the United States
Department OF Agriculture considers
it OF such importance that it has direc-
ted special attention to the subject
and a bulletin viii be issued detailing
the results in the near future. Cali
fornia fruit growers have made for
tunes during the past few years, but not
equal TO those which can be made by
pecan raising. An acre of the large
soft-shelled pecans at eight years old
viii, If bearing one peck per tree earn
at least 500 per acre which makes
the amount for the running value Of
81, 900 per acre. At ten years old the
yield viii be from one 10 three bushels
per tree, earning $40 per tree or S72O
pera At fifteen years they should
bearfrom ten to twelve per tree, which
counting the large nuts at I2c per ID.
earns, calling but ten bushels per tree.
$50 or 81. 800 per acre. Some may
think facts viii not bear out these fig
ures, but l have seen repeated instances
where the wild forest trees earned $50
per tree for their owner and the cult
waited tree should do still better
Unlike most orchard trees the pecan
has DO enemy. Once planted they re-
quire no care except to keep the weeds
away until they begin bearing. After
that the gathering and the marketing
of nuts is the only expense and the
trees viii bear for generations. They
are known here TO reach the age Of
500 or 600 years. All of the best au-
thorities are now fully agreed that the
pecan cannot amount 10 much without
deep running tap roots aud that when
the original tap root is once removed
a new root will never appear. They
therefore recommend planting the nuts
where the trees are to grow. There
is no trouble in transplanting the pecan
where it has been previously prepared
as nurserymen prepare them, but as
yet / have never heard OF a tree that
was perfect They viii look well for
a year or two. but finally die. Nur-
serymen sell the best pecan cions at
81 each. These cost $50 Der acre to
plant while the nuts can be planted
and are sure not to cost over So per
acre. The largest orchard in the
world is near here and only two years
old. This contains 400 acres and IL
00G trees The owner who has ex-
perience, says they viii begin bearing
when eight years old and will soon
average six bu. 10 the tree. II the
trees bear only one-quarter Of a bush
el each at SO per bu; it is no big price,
they will earn SG75 per acre, as 10
per cent on $3.50 which 1t pays per
acre the first year. The comparison
with the ordinary orchard products is
hardly TO be considered. for all
orchard trees have an enemy while
the pecan has none. The lend on
which the pecan orchard is planted,
unless in "a forest can be cultivated
each year. but il IS best 10 put the
orchard into grass when the trees are
bearing so that the surface will be
level in gathering the nuts. Inyesn-