The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1897-05-27
PECAN CULTURE.
Texan Tells About tho Value of
the Tree and How to Raise it.

Probably there Is no Investment OF
so small cost that will yield SO largo y
revenue for the life t;me Of tho planter
and his dosccndunts as that OF growing
Il large pecan grove on tho farm. Not
only tho value OF the acreage contain.
ing tho trees, but every acre OF the
farm will DO increased in valuo If IL
grovo OF twenty to fifty acres be
p.auted.
Comparing tho cost OF planting OF
iruit trees, orange groves aud tho like,
tue CXpcusc OF planting IL pecan grove
Is the least OF them al. Not only that,
but when once plants d, always piuptcd,
Tor when they como into barring at six
years Of age they continue tn increase.
tnrlr bearing until the trees arr thir,y
years oid, but will b AZ during ,hr;r
long life of six hundred years. TI.r
pecan trees &rc very hardy, being OF |
tho same family as the hickory ana |
black walnut, have deep tap root, aud |
IT. Is AZ raro sight to SEQ in our forests
either dead pecan tree or one blown
down.
Planting tho pecan trcc in groves as
they do the 0 ivo in California, 20x2O
f"ct apart, gives l26 trees 20 tho acr,.
We havc reports from T. ,liforu't -!
| Ulivo trees earning from 81 800 10 81 800
pa" acre. Tho o from licm sNito 4,
Tl.0O per quart. At seven years Of usr
t"ry earn $500 to tho tree, and dOub;r
| THAT when tn'y arc twelve years ulu.
The owner OF the largest olive grove
in California says these est,uut - are
rather uphcr than over. In fact, nc
said he WAS almo-t af:aid to tell tne
Whole truth, FOR fear nc would not b>
b. we'd. ID | give his name IL"
would be rn-ily recognized as one Of
the most r&l;nblH growers Of the Pacific
coast.
| What is truc Of the olive Is true of
tn" Texas thin sh' 1t pecan, which. with
cu'tivAt Oh and care, far ,Xc'.;s tn"
forest growth. We have many wild
trees or seedlings which arc unh'.r cut-
tlvat"n wlJA yields OF eight to tiitlun
bushels 10 tic tree, and sOmo that
arm from $50 10 $50 TO the tree. With
l26 trees TO tho acre, and vie lds Of only
fifty pounds 70 the tree, and but 20 cents
per pound, which choice nuts shuul j
easily bring, this means 81 260 per acre.
Count The earnings but 81 TO the tree,
means $500 per acre, which is not IL
had income when you can add to that
what can be derived from cuttivatiDg
the same ground In other crops
| Pecan trees respond very iIbcrally
TO cultivation, and can be treated sttmc
a. any Other fruit tree. Says an cXpe-
riencrd pecan grower in this State:
"The fullest successes | have seen
have been obtained by treating the
pecan absolutely as lruit tr"o from
5, ed to harvest. No more costly mis-
takes have | made Than in trying u
follow nature in growing tho pecan.
Every hgricultural succ s5 has been
Achi, we'd by overcoming natures CT.
forts 10 defeat it. Tae finest and mos:
productive pecan treoS | have seen
have been ra!-,d on we'll drained up
lnp ~ !,
earliest fruit Hg OF pecans have been
on. sandy lands. The grHndrst pecan
trees arc on rich >nIiuvlnl soil. Thert'
can be no doubt bus thatthe best pecan
groves Of the future viii be on well
drained tilla5lo land, though it. may nc
a thrifty use TO make Of some less fav-
nrable tucn.Ion. | would piunt Clo.u
trg' ther. or ut least only II medium
distance apart, and prunu back Id pol.
larus, and get tiio large>t prnporLlon
Of new wool to Il given arca Of grOunt
because the . C;tn tree can b. SCI
c.ooor to- Shcr as The fruit is oQIy pro-
| uuCcd on nc" wUnd
! such experiments rs | have hncn
able 10 mako ApnH.r - show .h;.t Ire
| ocean t, &c can be pruncd or ira ned 70
| Any shape ur.irrd, W nctn0r 10" eDr ID
'nG, pollard or even iiaL c~Dalicr. | do
nni kno" hu" it can be Qwarfcd, but
| nopc to lcarn."
| or late Nri.N3 Cur hOrticulturalis; :;
h"vc been giving E,Oru attention ~ the
d"nrhng OF lrult and nut trees ana
hnd great gain IN 50 doug, us many adj
vantugGS A"u 2aiucu tluruDy. Ia II tnt.
ing thc pHc;.n, after they arc = or :,
years o'U, tipy ci,u by hua!iu& in hr
t"Ainud to auy :,hdph desired, anu 81
pruncd that il viii M % or 30 years be.
fUrG IL VIII CrcNme NECESSARY TO cRi