The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1891-03-26
PECANS AND PECAN CULTURE.
A Source of Pleasure and Profit in the
South.

One finds at the table on festive oc-
casions, and at frst-class hotels, al
monds, English walnuts, Brazil nuts
and pecans The almonds and walnuts
come from Europe and ssi;as. ! sI5s,->4esl7-
some aIsssEosss = California. The
~. : .s.zif nuts are grown on the overfowed
banks of the Amazon and Orinoco, in
South America. The pecan alone is
native Of the United States. It is found
as far north as Louisville, aud as far
west as Kansas City. The pecan is "a
hickory, carga olive formis, so named
from the olive-shape of the nut. AS tim
Der, it is nearly as valuable as the she'll
bark hickory for all mechanical uses. 1t
is adapted to great diversity Of cli-
mate and soil. Near Tampa, Fla, there
are trees bearing bushels of nuts, grow
ing on the white sandy scrub lands,
under an average temperature of -
degrees. Within the recollection Of
men, not yet very aged, the pecan was
one of the nuts not classed as CONNER
cial, nor placed on the table. Now it
has not only nearly displaced the the
hazel nut, but is deservedly taking
rank next to the almond. In Santa
Rosa county, + Florida, lives a man who
has supported his family upon the pro-
duce of a few pecan trees. Less than
fifty years ago, man living near the
banks of the Blackwater, was walking
in his field, having in his pocket some
large, thin-shelled pecans which he had
received from Louisiana. The thought
occurred to him that they might grow;
so he made holes couple of inches
deep in the soil with his cane, and
dropped in each a 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 re-
ceires- 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
five cents pound for the purpose Of
planting. The pecan tree can be grown
on any land on which the oak or hick-
ory may be grown, and the fruit will
be fairly true to its parentage, so that
when the best nuts have been used for
seed, good marketable ones will be pro-
duced. The cultivation Of the tree
need not greatly exceed that for hill
Of corn, during the first three years Of
its life, after which, il 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 prevent 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, it puts on fine 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 seed, ploughing the ground should
cease. Just before the nuts commence
to fall the surface should be raked clean
to enable the nuts to be seen and gath
cred. The pecan tree is one Of great
healthfulness, its enemies being con-
fined to the long moss and variety
Of caterpillar, which must he removed
by hand. The nuts fall as soon as they
are ripe, and slight jar or shake given
with the foot or hand will down all that
are fit to gather. Cattle aud 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 supply Of nuts, as the demand
is Increasing largely each year.