The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-10-24
4 Room IN PECAN NUTS, TOO.
southwest Texas IL shipping Them by tho Car
load nnd Making Money mt II.

SAN ANTONIO, Tex. Oct. 5.-Not much is heard
about the pecan nut. not even here in Southwest
Texas. where it grows wild and. in favorable
seasons. is harvested in great abundance. The
pecan nut has always had a good market value.
but IL is only within the past few years that
shipments have been made from here to Eastern
and Northern markets. These shipments were
at first small. but the dealers have found the
profits 50 satisfactory that their scale of buying
Is increasing each year, and carload shipments
have now become common. 1t requires consid-
cradle capital TO handle pecans in carload lots,
and for this reason the small dealer is at a disad.
broker who makes pecan buying n side issue to
his regular business. The profits are certain
anr the pecan nuts are obtained with no difi.
Guilty. The nuts are brought into The city from
all parts OF the surrounding country by small
farmers, small boys, and professional Mexican
pecan pickers. They are sold TO the local dealers
at low prices. the piCkers being satisfied with
very reasonable wages. Local pecan dealers
not only receive the nuts from the abovc-namcd
sources, but also buy large quantities from the
small merchants of the little towns OF the sur.
rounding country.
This years crop OF pccans in southwest Texas
is the largest in many years. and several million
pounds of tho nuts will be exported and shipped
~ ''N ''N' 80 ~ $3.50 N''''N : hs' F,h'F'A
closes. Before shipment is made from here the
nuts are run through an asserting sieve and
then classified according to size and thickness of
shell. The soft.shcll pecan commands n much
higher price than tho hard shell. The latter
comes from a long'livcd tree, which also produ-
ccs in more abundance than the soft. shell tree.
lined with pecan groves, and for scvcra! week
o come they will be visited by parties OF nut
hunters. There are few households in this city
IN Al, - "A, ,,t tfrl q ,r, "a tl.p ,,tr 1~, H..
coming winter will not be laid up. Many poor
Mexican families here make the pecan Kernels
their primary article OF food during the fall
and winter months.
The Mexican housewife is an adept NJ pre-.
pairing tho kernels rs, delicious, table dishes. a
kind Of Hour is made, from the dried kernels.
This t!onr makes Il wholesome. finely favored
bread. Tho nuts arc also made into dcliciou ;
| puddings aud cnkcs, The Mexican pecan candy
man is nm old institution OF san Antonio and il
WILL rclncmberc' by tourists. who visit this city.
s,nnk IS ST h nsc 6msy a SSIS iniitp ne iE Is mo Sr laying VI FL IN bis 3
work of Smelling them can begin before the win.
ter tourist travel starts this way. When the
nuts are thoroughly dried the kernels are re.
moved in halves. They are then made 10 form
ihr princinal part q 1f a mSst tempting and really
their stock on the streets exclusively. the tour.
istS and hcalth.scckrrT being their best patrons.
Ihis sal" Of pecan "'hMy on M f,reo,3 Is u Gus,
in ANY city IN Mexico.
Tho, Mexicons arc rXrGrts in removing tho
being built up here in that work. 1t was started
In n omewhat Interesting manner. A local con,
fcctioncr sent To a friend in New York, who wa
also In tho confectionery business. n few pounds
bf the pecan kernel AS "A present. The New
York cOnfcctiOncr then sent an order to his
friend here for 100 pounds Of the kernels. Thu
rcCipicnL Of the order secured the ser
vices Of a number of Mexicnns. and The
desired quantity of pure meat kernel,
was quickly turned out and shipped. Til,
shipmcnt lod to others. and the demand con
tinucs To increase, Large shipments of kernel,
are now made from here every fall and winlcI
to New York. Chicago. -. Louis, and other East
crn and Northern cities. Fancy prices ave
obtained for The kernels from the large cOnfcc
tiOuCrv houses. aud The profits are large. I'll
labor employed here is inexpensive. An HttcmpI
was made rcCcntlN 10 remove the kernels ny
means of Il i%.acuinC. but II WAS quickly founf
that the McNiCans performed the work NOR,
satisfactorily and ChcRply than the machine.
The polishing Of IN" pecan nut is also "a grow
ing industry hove. The nuts cnmmvud n trir,
better pricC when the remnants OF Dark are re
moved and their surface polished. The polish
ing Is done by placing the nut in a large cvlin
der, which il rcvulvcd rapidly.
The pccnn tree tlOurishcs in every part o
southwest Texas. wherever its roots can rcaCl
wafer o. mui,turc. The profits in Taisini
the nuts are 30 large that all the groves nov
in existence are being protected ana many or
chards OF The Trees have been planted by farm
crs in the mast few years. There is one orchard o
pecan trees ofsevcrRl hundred acres near Brown
wood. Texas. The orchard has been grown from
the direct planting of the nuts. 1t Is now scv
eral years old aud will soon begin 10 bear.