The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1893-12-05
PECANS IN PETTlS.
r. G. Leaning, of SedaIia, has
Planted Some-An In.
teresting Letter.

M. II. G.. Leaning, a we'll known
and highly intelligent gentleman of
this city, has become interested in
pecan culture and has already started
him small orchard on the old Vest
place southeast of the city, and ex-
poets to have, in a few years, quite a
number of bearing trees.
The following letter he recently re-
ceived from Mr.. Herbert Post, a pc
can exper of Texas:
There seems to be greater interest
being taken in growing the Texas
thin shell pecan than any other in
dustry now befIre the public.
The interest is well founded, for
there is no nut tree that grows, early
bearing, with a bearing life of six to
eight hundred years, that is its equal.
The olive, which is now being
grown in California, is a tree of long
life, and it is said, pays fabulous
profits, yet it is much more expens We
to plant, and the product is expensive
to prepare for market
While oranges pay large profits on
the investment, they cost from 500
to $50 per acre to plant. and their
bearing life may be twenty-five years.
The pecan can be planted for So per
acre for the best thin shell Texas
pecan nuts, and will begin bearing in
six years, continuing for generations.
/ have lately received letters from
the states north in which writers ex-
press some doubt Us to whether the
thin shell pecan will do we'll there.
When we know that the pecan, the
hickory, the back walnut (Which are
all of the same family grow both north
and south, they show very little differ
ence, even in the thickness of the
outer-covering of the nut. Unlike most
other trees, these trees mentioned.
have all tap roots which grow very
deep for moisture; hence, they feed
upon soils entirely below that of ordi-
nary trees. This is the reason of these
trees withstanding storms so well,
making them valuable as wind-brakes
around the dwelling on the farm.
1t is rare thing that a dead pecan
tree is found in the forest, or one
blown down. This, is, suppose, the
same in hickory and black walnuts
The pecan is found along the Missouri
and Illinois rivers, the latter near
Peoria, where they are subject to III,
severe colds of those sections, vet they
bear their crops as regularly as mos,
trees.
The nuts are hardshell, suppose,
because the hardshell nut WAS first III
troduced, and ! know no reason why
the Texas thin shell will not grow as
successfully as those now growing.
Prof. Stelte. noted botanist and
horticulturist now deceased), had
made the pecan study for twenty
years. He says the thin shell pecan
nuts will produce fully ninety per
cent. Of not 100 same as nut planted.
Planting in groves is a great i'm
provement over the wild growth, pro-
ducing by cultivation, a larger and
finer product as well as more. There
are plenty of wild trees here. less than
twenty years old, which bear
from six to twelve bushels of pecans
TO the tree. l have paid as high as
sixty dollars for the crop of one wild
tree one season. That same tree has
earned IN five years to my certain
knowledge, s267. 90, an average of
over $50 per annum, and never cost
the owner a dollar year in care. II
wild trees do this what may we not
expect from trees cultivated?
The use of dynamite is of wonder
full advantage in planting of any trees
and worth many times more than it
costs. This is especially so in plant
ing the pecan or any tree which has a
tap root. A charge put down SIX feet
will thoroughly pulverize the ground
TO the depth OF eight feet and a di-
ameter of four to six feet, the adyan-
tage being that tree will grow four
or five times as fast as trees planted in
the ordinary way, because there is no
waiting for the tree to gain strength
enough to force the roots thro' the COM
pact spil, the dynamite making the way
easy for the roots to penetrate. II
also creates reservoir for moisture
which is especially valuable for early
growth of trees.