Los Angeles herald., 1891-07-26
Typical Facts About South
ern California Farms.
Some Information About the
Texas Pecan Nut.
Other Points of Interest to Horti-
culturists.
The Pecan Nut Hardy and in Great
Demand - Home Grown Peach
Trees-New Field Fire
Law-NOtes.

The large Texas soft-shell pecan has
only of late years been seen for sale in
the markets, and such has been the de-
mand for planting orchards that the
large-sized nuts are now sold only for
planting, says correspondent in the
Rural Press. The superiority of the pc
can over other nuts has created great
interest in them, and these facts have
come to light from recent investigation
First. Being of the hickory family
(carya) they are very hardy, have few
enemies, are rapid growers under culti-
walton, making a handsome tree in
orchards, lawns, avenues or scattered
about over the farm for shade trees, the
wood being equally as valuable for COM
mercial uses as the hickory, and
strong bearer, the nut being valuable
for oil. The demand for the soft shell
nut increases annually, so that with the
wanton destruction OF the forest trees,
the supply does not equal the demand,
and the planting OF extensive orchards
is now demanded to meet the wants of
the market. The more it is used for
consumption, the better it is appreci-
ated by consumers, especially the Texas
pecan fact, as long as any Texas
pecans are to be had, all others take a
back seat.
The nut is so delicious, sweet and
healthful that person hardly knows
when to stop eating, as they produce no
i'll effects as do some other kinds of
nuts. The plentifulness OF the wild
pecan in West Texas has heretofore
caused little interest in improvement of
them, and even at this day some OF the
old-fashioned Texans will look upon it
as foolish to attempt improvement; but
little as is now thought of it, natures
fine old pecan trees are rapidly follow
ing in the track of "Lo, the poor In
dian"-their former owner. The way
think that perhaps at the close Of the
next half century but few natural pecan
trees will be standing in Texas. This
being the case, it is an opportune time
to plant orchards of the soft-shell pecanH,
the best of which are grown in West
Texas, and on no other continent but
America. Unlike most orchard trees
which are short-lived, we have in the
pecan a tree which, in Texas, COM
mences bearing at six years, at eight
years begins to pay profit, at ten years
a handsome income, bearing at that age
four to five bushels per tree, ut fifteen
years, ten to twelve bushels, and going
on bearing, bringing in an annual in
come for generations.
Two years ago a tree was struck by
lightning. killed and cut down. At the
stump it measured six feet diameter,
and showed by its rings to be fully six
hundred years old, and the year it was
destroyed it bore large quantity OF
nuts.
The cost OF planting pecan orchard
is so small as to hardly deserve the name
of cost when you consider the immense
profits when the trees begin to bear.
Possessing long tap root, they will 60
deep for moisture, in fact it is said that
no one ever found the end OF the tap
root of a mature pecan. No irrigation
is necessary. The most favorable place
for their growth is in the rich alluvial
bottom lands along the creek and river
bottoms, which are rendered almost use
less by occasional overflow, preventing
the cultivation of hoed crops.
An occasional overflow is no detriment
to the pecan, but on the other hand
beneficial, as these lands are cool, moist
and we'll adapted to the growth of the
tap-root of the pecan. The pecan does
we'll in any soil where other trees will
grow, provided there is nothing to OBJ
struct the tap-root going down to its
hearts content. Cultivation increases
the size of nut and thinness of shell, as
we'll as rapid growth.
A botanist and horticulturist of twen-
ty years. experience says that "the pc
can, unlike most orchard trees, is true
to nature" He says that in no instance
has he ever known a variation of over
ten per cent. In other words ninety per
cent at least of product will be like the
nut planted. Planting 35x35 feet apart
gives thirty-six trees to the acre. This
gives plenty of room for hoed crops or
other trees of short life, which would
bring income annually, 80 that the only
expense in the starting Of an orchard is
the first cost OF the nuts to plant.
HOME GROWN PEACH TREES.
The time required to grow good Or
ange nursery is some excuse for going
abroad for nursery stock, but why this
should be done with the peach and other
prehensible. To import eastern grown
of the dangerous yellows, which, if in
troduced, might entirely ruin the peach
growers OF the state. Homegrown peach
trees can be easily raised in quantities
sufficient for all demands in this state
Riverside Press.
THE NEW FIELD FIRE LAW.
Now that the field fires are becoming
too common. it may be we'll to publish
new law passed by the legislature,
reading as follows
Every person who starts fire in
hay stubble or grain without first care
fully providing, by plowlng or other
wise, for the keeping of said fire within
and upon which it is started or set
out, and by the reason of non-provlding
of such barriers any property OF any
adjoining or contiguous resident or
owner is injured, damaged or destroyed,
is guilty of misdemeanor."
FRUIT IN SAN FRANCISCO.
A Bakersfield man in San Francisco
writes to the Daily Californian in an