The Atlanta constitution., 1901-10-14

the culture Of pecan groves: that the
greatest success comes from close plant
ing, heading i'm and cultivation. In fact
to treat the pecan tree as you would
fruit tree and cultivate as thoroughly as
corn crop. We know that some say
~ by % feet apart is too close; that 40 by
40 is better Wen. it was once thought
to he the best way. taking for example.
the widespread old trees of the forest.
Forty bv for feet apart gives only
twenty-Scven trees to the acre. while
% by % gives nearly 100 more or l25. The
success in culture Of the greatest num-
bor is attained by heading the trees in
when two or three years old. which has
the effect of the inturning of the limbs.
the effect Of which is similar to the
growth of the pear tree The time was
in the days of our fathers when In plant
ing apple orchards the trees must have
a high trunk 50 the limbs would be out
of the way of cattle which were often
pastured in the orchard.
An this has changed because orchards
or groves are now planted for man and
not for cattle. Low heading of trees Is
now the rule of our most advanced hor-
uculturists. and especially desirable In
the south to protect the tree trunk from
sun scald.
Also. trees trained with low trunks are
not $50 liable to injury by high winds,
the roots becoming better seated and the
branches less liable to sag to the ground
when loaded with fruit Where the trees
are low-headcd. tho limbs start nearer
the eround. only on the upUer side are
the limbs affected bv the SUM- the under
side being shaded. grows the fastest,
causing the branches to grow more up
right II amy one is skcptical regarding
the reasons given why branches of low
headed trees are more likely TO grow up-
right. me cam be convinced by saving off
such "a branch and see how much nearer
the heart is % tine upper side. He Will
nnd DE growth twice as thick on the
under side as 10 is upon the upper. Hence
the more upright the growth of limbs.
the nearer tho trees can be set together.
the larger ana better the fruit when
cultivated. The trees will not as soon
come i'm contact with each other. nor
make as dense shade as 90 taller trees.
In using II long cane pole FOR gathering
tho fruit bruiSiug the limbs can be pre-
vented. Everything seems In favor Of
close planting as we recommend. The
pollen carried by the wind is better dis
tributod resulting I'm better crops, as
poilcuiZdtion Is more perfect.
As tu earnings when pecan tree IS
large enough To earn so 1t will occupy no
more land than required 10 grow q dol
lars worth of wheat Basing the aver
age earnings mt 50 a tree. We have the
earnings of twenty seven trees To Inc
acre 10 De- $l35 while of l33 trees the
earnings are $G25 pcr acre. This differ
cnce iu earnings would hc in any event
until the trees got their fan growth.
when thirty or forty years old. or Il
tie limbs should reach other trees no
harm is done. II amy one should decide
to cut some Of the trees away. DE Will
have had thc earnings for years 1i The
greater number tSOmc here SAY III would
never become necessary To cut amy
awaY1 - fortune in itself As an invest
meut. the cost uf q. J0-acr1 grove of the
choice ueuaus being no more than that
Of I acre tu oranges. li is Stlt. inc NJ
come OF which is fortune for the grow
err his ,nildrcn and descendants for gen
crltiouS.
somr ask The question, viii not TOO
MANY pecan trees Dee ul-gtcd ana tllt
market become 0rcrstoekod2 We reply
mo-. mot within this generation or Ihc
urXt. only grown IN tn" United states,
W, have the world for our market. Ihr
demand of pccans for meats. for con
fcctionerv is large and growing. one
concern i'm chicago iu 1873 consumed
tveutN-NVe carloads Tor mis- purpose,
while I'm 81 Louis three thousand tons or
NUT meats were sold last season There
are mot enough pecan trees bearing the
choice varieties needed for planting now
nor are there enough trees now row
ing tu meet IN" RAPIDLY sfowing demand
for the near 1uturc; hence the necessity
of UI4utfuts largely i'm every county uI
tho southern states. and we can reason
auIv. EXPECT that large quantities OF their
product Will bee wanted Ior planting.
Here is an industry thau earns lptS "i
money Whue it needs blit NtLle care. and
does not Interfere with other oecupa-
tiuus.
THE pecan cror wlli not be as larE
rs was expected earlier. ass We have not
had the usual rains this season.
There cam hc no Jess i'm planting pecan
groves for. saying nothing ah"ib th'lf
fruit the shade Of the trees ana value
az the timber viii DE worth ah they