The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-04-22

taken. There were some pecan trees scattered here and there, but they were there more as curiosities or acct- dents than anything else.
 One of these trees which stands in the suburbs of West Point, is a re- markable specimen. It was planted forty-eight years ago and today 1t measures from furtherest bough to furtherest bough, eighty feet. The trunk of this tree is said to be eight feet in circumference. This tree is an enormous bearer. From Its branches last fall no less than $65 worth of pe- cans were sold, to say nothing of quantities of them being given away. This tree had an important bearing upon Mir. Reeds determination to go into pecan culture as an investment.
 Birth of An Idea.
 Twelve years ago." said MT. Reed, "this tree was a great bearer. Its nuts were of a peculiar rich flavor. The strength. age and producrivepess of this tree convinced me that the soil and climate about here were adapted to the culture of oceans didn't want to go into the business, however, be- fore I learned something about it. So took a trip to Louisiana and Texas where I visited some of the largest pe- can orchards in the country When had gotten all the information I could get without experience I came back to Lanette and pitched my orchard
 Mir. Reeds orchard is on Alabama soil, but it juts right up against the Georgia line. The orchard lies along the Chattahooche river on m angle formed by the river and the line of the Western Railroad. One gets a good view of 1t fin going to Atlanta just before the train reaches West Point. At the orchard the Chattahoochee Riv- CT is we'll within the State of Georgia. The Georgia line runs down from the north, skirts the Reed pecan orchard and strikes the Chattahoochee River little below. This same line divides the two towns of West Point ani la nett, there being perhaps as many peo- pie on the Alabama side of the line as on the Georgia side. Some of the su- burbs of West Point are well within the State of Alabama
 The land on which MT. Reed planted his orchard Is of sandy loam. The trees were put down in 1893.
 "I planted the trees in check rows forty feet apart said Mir Reed. This had been done at the orchards l V's- ited in Louisiana and Texas and cor respondents in various parts of the country had advised me to plant the trees at that distance. This proved to be a mistake, a small one, however Forty feet might do in other sections of the country, but with our climate and with our soil the trees grow big ger and more room is demanded. The trees I have planted since then l have planted fifty feet apart"
 The Old Orchard.
 The fifty acres which comprise the old orchard were all planted in 1928 For seven years I cultivated the ground by the side of the young trees. The cultivation of the ground 1 found was of material benefit to the young trt es. looked too. after the fertilization of the trees. The best fertilizer IS In- doubtedly dried blood placed at the roots of the trees. This Is ilhicult to obtain. however, and I was able to get some for only few years. I have since used as tree fertilizers bone cu st and cotton seed meal and from these have gotten good results.
 "The trees demand TO care. Any growing thing, however, does bc,;eT for a little at@ntion. I give the wa ter oaks on my lawn some care and dt- tendance and they are all the better for it. This Is true of the pecan trees"
 The chief thing demanded by pecan culture is patience. My trees were eight years of age before they began bearing A man has to 6e well supple l with patience to wait eight years for his first crop stin it is to be remem- bered that the ground underneath can be cultivated until the trees begin bearing, and even later to the advant- age of the trees. if their foliage did not so shade the ground that a full crop cannot be grown.
 There are many advantages to the growing of oceans. Tn the first place the trees are not tender and sickly like the average fruit tree. They arc SO hardy and vigorous that the death of one of them is rare enough to be remarkable. The tree is sometime s troubled by the insect known as the 'sawbug" an insect that goes industri- ously to work saving off some Of the limbs. The "sawbug" af his worst however, is never serious menace ta the life of the tree and in q small way only does it affect the trees yield.
 The Hardy Frees.
 ''The trees ape sometimes troubled with caterpiflaTt but the trouble is never serious. The eaterpiliars spin webs on the pecan trees even as you have seen their webs on the persim- mon trees.
 Last year when my trees were e.ev-