Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1894-08-11
THE PECAN INDUSTRY
ruR PROCESS OF POLISHING
FOR MARKET.
some interesting Information About ~
Trade Ia These Nuts f'h's' "
tho world Come From Louisiah@
Chudren's Inheritance.

The pecan belongs 20 the family Of
hickory, and is found growing IN ~
wild state from the gulf OF Mexico 20
the great lakes, but principally 10
tho rich soil along the Wabash MIS-
souri and Mississippi aud many
rivers in Texas and Arkansas Along
these rivers the pecan tree attalhs
its largest growth, and in the south
it often measures three 10 four leet
in diameter. with spread Of TOP Of
sixty 10 seventy feet, It's habit Is
lower and more spreading taaa the
hickory when not surrounded oy
other trees. and when growing alone
il makes a full oval head, forming
one OF the handsomest shade trees
with foliage Of rich. dark green
color.
Under favorable conditions the
tree is OF very rapid growth. Inc
nuts are borne in clusters Of three
TO as many as seven on the eNtreml-
ties OF new wood; the stIminate dow
ers appearing at the ends Of the pre-,
ceding years growth. Many years
ago some nuts were planted 10
Maryland, aud now some Of the Snest
pecan trees in the union may 0e
found growing there.
The finest pecan nuts in tho world
are found in the state Of Louisiana.
where the trees are cultivated In
groves The large soitshell or pa
per.shell pecans come from Louis,
lana. and some OF these nuts are
from one ana one half inches to one
and three-quarters inches Ia length
and from three fourths TO oae inch
in thickness These fancy pecans
bring from twenty-five cents 70 forty
cents q pound on the market ia New
Orleans. and all the largest nuts are
used az home for the table, while
only the smaller ones reach the trade
in the North he largest pccan
that are on the II Louis market
come from Louisiana aud the trade
here pays from eighteen cents 10
twenty cents pounl FOR them
The Texas pycans are the ones
principally seen on the market here.
They grow will there. but are culti.
waited TO a limited extent There
are a few owes ~ from 100 90 2Ut
acres each In the central an vest
central portions Of Texas. along The
Brazos river These poems are
bought by 81. Louis commission rnen.
and are shipped here b. car load
lots, the price being fixed az 80 mu h
per pound. A car load ranges from
24.OJ1 to 10000 pounds. and the price
| for the Texas nuts 10 their native
state is generally from ave 70 six
cents per pound.
After being received here the nuts
are run through u process which
polishss them and cleauscs them %
all foreign substances This il done
by machinery. 4 pecan nut In IT,
natural state has a light brown
color, and after being polished by
machinery and the use % harmless
chemicals II has u reddish brown
color and glistens like FURNISHED
steel. The nut Is then a beautiful
ornament for table
. A'AS 90 v a1H Gl ~ ittbAGansa TUT DOS
ishing. says the 81 Louis Republic.
but the secret in mixing the chemi.
Gals Is known only TO members OF the
firms using them. II Is said that the
ST. Louis polish is far superior 10 tue
polish given the pecan nuts Ia Chicago
and New York. The Chicago and New
York polish gives dull brick color
with no gloss and the polish rubs
of when tho nuts are handled. The
St Louis polish remains. and II
has a high gloss Tho asserting ma.
chtncrY separates ths pecans into
three or four different sizes
There are some fine cultivated
pecan groves Of from 90 to 80 trees to
the acre In Louisiana
4 pecan tree bears few nuts al 8
to Z years Of age. but at 10 years. II
the tree has had proper care ana
soil. 1t will give paying crop o I
10 pounds OF nuts The crop viii
increase annually until tho tree
arrives at Misunderstanding age.
when il is from 20 to 80 years old
When in its maturity a tree will
raise from 200 to 25J pounds Of nnts
Then figure on an average price OF
seven cents per pound for tho nuts
tr' say. an average Of SIS per tree
and with 30 trees 10 tho aero that
would mean 5000 on an acre for ono
crop.
OF course the pecan grover must
wait ten or twelve years before his
grove begins to pay a profit Pecan
trees thrive best near "a stream. and
sandy subsoil is preferable. The
deep alluviums, or river lands. even
those liable TO occasionally overflow
and such as are in consequence of ia.
tie value for other purposes, consti.
tute those Of the greatest value IN
lAaut the pecan upon. But II IL not
advisable to select larhT with Too
compact a subsoil which holds sur.
faee water. The pecan tree has a
tap root which shoots downward nor.
fectly straight until II strikes water
This tap root is often longer than
the tree itself
The pecan industry Is growing
rapidly. but there is much room for
Improvement The general public
has not found out the value OF this
Industry. But any man who desirea
10 leave his children in good cfrcum.
gtumpnu puttlI