The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-09-05
Pecan Planting by Dynamite.

Pecen Planting by Dynamite.
An accidental discovery by planting a
pecan tree over an old well filed with soil
has developed wonderful possibilities In the
rapid growth Of the pecan tree by loosening
the ground where the trees are 60 be
planted.
lis well known that a tree when FIRST
planted must gain root power sufficient to
force its way down. II the ground iG hard
below where the soil has been dug up to re-
ceive the tree. time must bs had for the
root 30 gain power 20 force its way through
the hard subsoil below. This viii take one
TO three years IL ground Ia very hard.
There is no place 10 the world where time
is OF more Importance than in the life Of a
quick-growing plant. This is gained by the
use of dynamite, which will thoroughly pull
verize the ground at a very small cost, and
will accomplish as much rapid growth OF
the pecan tree as it did where it was planted
over the old we'll The party who planted
the grove Of pecans found an old abandoned
we'll In exactly the place for one of the trees
Not wishing to change his plans he soraped
down an elevation near by and filed the
old well with EARTH
The pecan tree growing over the old well
outgrows the others to an amazing degree,
reaching a hight Of fully three times
that OF any other tree planted on the same
day, all having the same care. With or
binary planting the young tree at l year
old is eight inches high with q tap root
four times as long. By thoroughly prepar-
ing the ground with dynamite 1t is in all
reason that the pecan tree will, the frat
year. reach hight Of four or five feet and
the tap root correspondingIy as deep below.
well-grown tree will generally
push its root almost anywhere,
for IL is strong, while very small tree is
always more or less stunted by having its
roots meet obstacles that they cannot we'll
overcome. Another great advantage in
using dynamite is, the brace roots can much
more rapidly find foothold which could
not otherwise be secured in years on the old
plan.
Another valuable point gained Is in the
access Of air to the roots and soil, which is
Of utmost Importance. This gives, also,
good drainage when there might be sur
plus Of water about the rosts-more than
enough to supply the necessary moisture for
evaporation through its leaves.
All this has been fully demonstrated by
tree planting in California. the result being
that no such growth has ever been seen on
the richest and deepest bottom lands as on
the thin looking uplaHds that have had the
bottom Of the hole shaken up with dyna-
mi 9 until barrels of water could be run
into it without standing moment. Scarcely
ally knALk " III SUCH kOOQ drainage as
a good charge of dynamite fred six or eight
feet below the surface. For such a good
shaking-up Of the ground with dynamite
opens ! 900 avenues for the roots that
would otherwise be closed.
1t may enable a tree TO get in the first
season foothold, and a range of feeding
that it might not get in five years IL left to
open up the ways by its own unaided force.
The necessity Of good drainage for the
roots of ia ton we'll knnUu ~
need any proof. The soil should hold
moisture without holding water. Wherever
there is any ques ion Of hard pan or clay,
no matter how thin the layer the use OF
dynamite is advisable.
When the remedy Is so cheap It seems
foolish not to try it in cases when there is
any reason to suspect lack of drainage
Vast numbers Of orchard and shade trees
all over the country have died or remained
stationary or borne poor fruit which could
have been made profitable had the soil in
the hole been thoroughly broken up to a
great depth, which is accomplished by
blasting, the cheapest way.
There is no danger in using dynamite, as
you can safely stand within ten feet and
only witness bit of earth rise up a few
inches and fall back. Beyond that the
ground would merely shivsr as il it had
had chill You accomplish a wonderful
cutting up Of the soil at very small cost
For a cost of Is or 20 cents you have accom-
plished a wonderful WORK aud thoroughly
pulverized q hole eight feet deep, shivering
the soil around to the width Of four to six
feet. This same work could not be done by
digging less than 81 20 81 30. This use of
dynamite, while we'll adapted 10 all tree
planting. is especially well adapted to
planting the pecan, which has such a long
tap root.
This enables a man to plant out a grove
of pecans from the nut, including the dyna-
mite, at less cost than Of any fruit or nut
grown that has anywhere near its value.
Under this process pecan tree will bear in
six years as large crops as at ten years whea
planted by the old plan. The gain in time
is big fortune in l00-Acre grove. l had
a letter few days ago from a man who
wants to plant, in California, pecan grove
this fall of 800 acres. When such an orchard
comes into bearing it would far exceed the
capital OF many bank in this country every
year. From the day a pecan grove is
planted the value of the farm Is enhanced,
and in time will earn more for Its owner
than all the combined earnings of other
corps on the farm.
In planting pecan grove you are out but
little money, so that If you sold at only s
per buShel you would be making lots Of
money. but your income will be far beyond
that. Should you so desire the same land
could be used with profit in growing grain
vegetables or like crops. Those who have
hesitated about planting pecans because it
seemed 80 long before they would come into
bearing eau now plant with q certain ex-
pectation of their getting some fruit Of
their labor. Not only that, but the planter
is doiag a work from which generations un-
born will reap rich incomes
TIE Boa time for planting Is in the fall,
q d tie best lands the rich lowlands along
the streams, which are useless because Of
she frequent overhows.
Choice pecans for planting are not plenty
mo others are worth planting), and the de-
mand will early take the supply, az the crop
lie reported less than usual
Fort Worth, Tea. HERBERT PosT.