The Savannah morning news., 1904-02-15
Pecan Growing.

In your issue of Dec. II I read an
article headed Planting Pecan Or
chards." in which the writer. Mr.. For
kert. discourages planting the nut to
grow a pecan orchard, says a practical
pecan grower in Farm and Ranch.
This is too often done-not that l object
to anyone buying the highest priced
article in every line, if he can afford
it-but many a man might make be-
ginning if the first outlay did not come
too high. If you are able and your
land is suitable and climatic conditions
are such as insure success with young
budded trees at 81 and more each, buy
them and start an orchard. Then If
you can not do this then buy a pound
of fine pecans for 81 or more and plant
two or three acres instead of one tree.
If you cannot afford 81 per pound then
buy the cheaper ones and plant some
pecans along your fence rows, on the
banks of creeks and raVineS, in your
yard, etc Plant them right now, be-
fore winter is gone, so they will be up
in spring and get a good start before
hot summer comes. Mr.. Forkerts chief
reason for not planting the nut is that
you viii never get, when the trees
come to bearing, the same kind planted.
Well, you may get some that are bet
ter. Even one tree may be of a new
and superior variety that may be a
bonanza. ! have one tree, a chance
Seeding, planted by nature, that |
would not sell for 81 900 / sell S100
worth of nuts from it annually. and at
the same time secure buds to top work
other trees that bear inferior varieties.
This you can do when your seeding
orchard begins to bear.
l doubt if there is much, if any, diff
ference in time of bearing between a
budded and Seeding tree on the same
soil and with the same attention. 1t
depends altogether upon the size you
can grow tree within a certain time
whether it win bear or not At least
this is my experience and observation
for the last twenty-five to thirty years.
or course if you take better care, cul-
tivate, fertilize and water abundantly
your high-priced, budded tree. as one
not really will do, it will outgrow and
bear before the neglected Seeding. In
that humid climate and shallow sur
face water around Ocean Springs, there
is no danger of losing a transplanted
tree. But take the greater portion of
the South, where the pecan is indigo
nous and ii is risky business to trans
plant pecan tree. If it lives through
hot, dry summer it is so dwarfed
that Seeding planted by the side Of it
Will soon overtake it and bear as soon.
ii is true, as Mr. Forkert says, it takes
a neglected Seeding from seven to
twelve years to bear, but it is possible
TO grow them to the bearing size in
i've years. 1t is true, also. that some
varieties will come into bearing earlier
than others. l wish to encourage every
land owner to plant a few pecan trees
If you can afford it buy the high-priced
budded trees from Mr.. Forkert whom
" personally know to be reliable, or
from some other nurseryman whom
you know to be honest, for there is
more fraud practiced i'm selling fruit
trees, especially pecans than anything
| know of. The same can not be prac-
tlced when you buy the nuts to plant
You may be inexperienced and get the
wrong kind for your section, yet at
least you with have the satisfaction of
seeing what you are planting. Buy the
very best nuts possible adapted to your
section. They will give you best re-
suits. If you cannot do this, plant any
old variety in waste places. Any kind
is better than none, and will bring good
prices, besides the pleasure of eating
them. The trees are valuable for shade
and ornaments and the wood for many
things.
| cannot cover all the ground favor
able to growing pecans in a newspaper
article. Those interested and desiring
further information, are invited to
write and / will promptly answer in
private or through the press.