The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1906-04-04
ME PECAN

Bringing before our people the
possibility of making the cultivation
OF different nut trees a success, may
ct the present time seem hard mat
ter and some may laugh at the idea
Of making this industry profitable.
However, l am going to prove that
nut trees can be raised and the in
dustry can be made to pay, and that
the soil and climatic conditions are
suoh that nut trees of various kinds
will yield handsomely to the man
that dares to be the pioneer
The Inauguration of any great,
permanent and far reaching indus
try like the raising of pecans has al
ways been attended with much pa
TENT pioneering and experimental
work, with the concommittant losses
and disappointments incident to and
prior to it's establishment upon q
safe and profitable basis. This is
the history of all the great CONNER
cial (including agriculture and hor-
ticulture) successes of today, and it
is only as result of the faithful,
intelligent and we'll directed efforts
Of comparatively few Investigators
that experimental stages with the
pecan have been passed and that it is
today a full-fedged industry, estab-
dshed upon a firm, sure and safe
basis.
Descriptive:
The pecan is one of, and by far
the most valuable and important
species of the genius Hicoria, the
shagbark Oh. Ovata,) the shellbark
III. Laciniosa) and one or two sweet
msated and thin-shelled very rare)
varieties of the pig nut Oh. Glabra)
following in chronological import
ance. There are, however, two or
three most promising large thin
shelled hybrids, supposedly cross
species of the pecan and shagbark,)
now beng tested by the G. NJ. Bacon
Pecan Co., which will probably be of
great utility and value for planting
tn the extreme north and northwest
The pecan grows to be one of the
largest and most majestic of trees.
It lives to an indefinite age, trees
having been cut down in Texas plain
ly indicating a 500-year growth.
Range of Culture:
The twelfth census reported bear
ing pecan trees in twenty-five states,
as follows: Alabama, Arizona, Ar
kansas, California, Florida, Georgia,
Illinois. Indiana. Kansas, Kentucky,
Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi.
Missouri. New Mexico, North Caro-
ina, South Carolina, Oklahoma, Ten
nessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington.
also in Indian territory. The next
census will doubtless report bearing
pecan trees in many more states.
The pecan is the only nut capable of
successful culture over such a vast
y
son that in a bulletin published by
the government in 1896 it is said the
pecan is probably destined to become
the leading nut of the American
market, and that, if its culture is
pushed with the usual skill and en-
ergy of the American enterprise,
there is every reason to believe that
1t will not be many years before the
pecan will become not only an
abundant nut in our markets, but al
so an important article of export.
Reference was no doubt made to the
large, thin-shelled nut. Increasing
and more intelligent attention is be
Ing given each year to the planting
and cultivation of the Pecan. The
permanent and increasing annual
value Of the tree is realized. Expert
mental stages have been passed and
the outlook Tor the industry is
brighter than ever. The demand for
line nuts for table and confection-
airy is constant, and the supply of
fine nuts Is entirely inadequate.
There is annually increasing demand
for the pecan nuts, none that we
know of being produced in the east
ern hemisphere. Pecan nuts do not
have to be forced upon the markets.
They can he held for a considerable
time, the market watched and the
nuts placed on sale when the best
price can be commanded. They may
be kept in cold storage in perfect
condition from one season to an
other.
Soils:
Pecan trees can be planted on rich
river bottoms, on red stiff clay, Of
deep soil sand hills, on pebbly soil,
ON sandy loan underlaid with clay,
as well as on stiff. hard soil, largely
fire and pipe clay (Which cracks and
bakes in dry weather., but the pecan