The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1900-04-05
The PECAN NUT.
Texas Supplies Two.Thlrds OF Al
Grown In This Country.

Grown In This Country.
Texas Is the great pecan nut grow.
ing State In the Union 1t Is estimated
that two-thirds of the pecan nuts tina,
are marketed come from this State.
The valleys of all the rivers and
creeks of this part of the State are
covered with pecan groves, and Aus
tin is said to be the largest pecan mar
ket in the United States. 1t is here
that the commission men and regular
pecan nut buyers from the East make
their headquarters during the harvest
ing season and direct the shipments
of the delicious nuts to the Northern
and Eastern markets, where they
command good prices at all times.
When the yield is good the ship
ments amount to hundreds of carloads
but this season but very few cars are
being shipped, for the reason that the
Texas crop of pecans is almost a COM
plete failure. The prices for the nuts
are high, and the owners of pecan
groves who are so fortunate as to
have a good crop are getting big in
come from the nuts. 1t was not until
few years ago that Texas came to
be known to any great extent in the
pecan markets of the country. This
fact was due principally to the lack
of railway communication with the
outside markets and the inability to
get the nuts to market. The nuts had
but little value at that time, and no
effort was made to preserve the forest
of pecan trees that covered parts of
years ago. Now that it is known that
there are big profits in marketing the
nuts the owners of producing trees
are careful to have them spared tie
woodman's axe, and much attention !
being paid the industry. In some 10 al
tiles orchards of young pecan trees
embracing thousands of acres have
been planted within the last few
years. They require but little at en-
tion and seem to thrive without irri
cation. They begin bearing whei
about nine years old, and continue to
produce for an indefinite period 1t is
known that some pecan trees whici
are still yielding several bushels each
good crop season were full grown and
bearing not less than fifty years ago
Another industry that has gr, atty
increased the demand for pecan nut.
has been developed during the ST
few years. 1t is that of using the ker
nels of the nuts in the manufacture
of confectionery of various kinds. The
extraction and shipment of kernels
which was begun in a small way on'y
six years ago has grown to mammotl
proportions, and many people are en-
gagged in the business. Machinery fo,
the extraction of the kernels has been
invented and placed in successful oper
alton at San Antonio, and large ship
ments are made each season to con-
fcetioners and others in New Yorl
City, st. Louis, Chicago and other cit.
les of the country. The kernels com.
mand a high price, and good profits
are derived by those employed in that
branch of the pecan business.
The Mexicans on the Rio Grande
border store large quantities of pee
nuts for winter use. They make fine
flour out of the kernels, md this i
used to make the most delicious
bread, which is only eaten on festival
occasions. The nut enters into their
Christmas enjoyments to large ex
tent, being used in the preparation of
various kinds of choice dishes.-Cor.
Chicago Times Herald.