The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1909-11-27
!. MAKING MUCH MONEY
FROM HIS THRIVING PECAN
w GROVE AT CAMERON.
Dr.. g.. ..J.1 sumr,crs Takes Things
Easy While the Trees on His Farm
Yield an Income.

4kClO 1ACOulCs
The State says at a rough esti-
mate DR.. S. J. Summers Of Cameron
will this year make from $4,000 to
$4,000 on his pecan grove. In this
connection make" is about equiva-
lent to met" for there is little ex7
pense connected with the care Of a
pecan orchard, and that expense is
more than Offset by the profits made
on the small crops harvested under
the trees.
When I first began housekeep-
Ing" said DR.. Summers, II decided
to plant some pecan trees with the
hope that, should they survive and
thrive. l would be able to enjoy
their fruits. 1 ain now planning to
give all my children collegiate edu-
cation from the proceeds, and I have
four boys for the dear old univer-
sity.
81 have 345 trees, all seedlings.
I bought the nuts in Mississippi 16
years ago at 81 per pound. l plant
ed the seed in my vegetable garden
and transplanted them the second
year. Experience has taught me that
l was right. Budded trees are more
difficult to get to grow but are not
likely to revert to type as a seed
ling. However, have been singular
ly fortunate with my seedling ngs.
None seem to have departed from the
type OF the trees from which I got
seed and none have reverted to- a
type from which the superior vari-
ETY. was bred. Some of my neighbors
who planted budded trees have had
poorer luck"
" The States goes on to say: DR..
Summers. who Is the first State SEN
ator from the new county of CAL
houn, Is one Of the men most promi-
nent In the affairs of the State fair.
This year be exhibited hoars, cattle,
chickens and fancy stock, winring
many premiums. He has always TAX
en- great pride in his swine, but this
year his hobby is pecans. Last year,
1t will be recalled, he had at the
fair remarkable boar which was so
heavy that it was smothered in and
by its own fat when attacked by
another boar from another exhibit.
And no one can blame Or. Sum-
mers for making q specially Of his
pecans at the fair this year. The
nuts he had on exhibition would
rival the best that can be found any
where. There are several varieties,
showing different flavo7s and diff
ferent hardness Of shells. But all
are large and beautiful.
The variety upon which Dr.. Sum-
mers sets the greatest store he has
called the Summers Soft Shell.
The shells of these are as paper
and q woman or q child can crush
the shells of two nuts by pressing
them together in her hand. The
meat may then be extracted whole.
as IN the case Of an English walnut,
and makes a beautiful dressing for
cakes, etc. There. is. another variety,
a larger nut which has a richer Aa-
vor, but the soft shell Is regarded
as the real prize In the. lot.
DR.. Summers explained the meth
DDS Of cultivating pecans. His home
is or was In an open place in sandy
loan. His father gave him the idea.
and a few trees when DR.. Summers
first started housekeeping. These
were planted around the house as
and shade trees. They
have luxuriant growth and are very
pleasing and symmetrical in form.
The bole Of the average tree raised
from seeds planted 16 years ago Is
II inches. The trees are hardy and
require little attention.
Some were planted on the poorest
kind Of sand land, and they have
grown splendidly by sending tap
roots deep down into the soil. They
have also reclaimed the soil by aid
ing to put humus therein. DR.. Sum-
mers has every year raised q crop
Of cotton or some other staple pro-
duct under and between these trees.
He keeps the lateral limbs trimmed
from the ground higher than mans
head.
The crops have aided rather than
taken from the development Of the
trees. He tried to be judicious In
the use of fertilizer, both manure
and artificial, so that the trees would
be benefited thereby and he also
placed manure around the trees once
each year. He thinks it inexcusable
to let weeds grow up in fruit or
nut bearing orchard, for the weeds
inlpoverish the soil and communi-
cate parasites to the trees.
While a tree will bear earlier in
life if the tap root is cut, yet Dr..
Summers thinks that such treat
ment is foolish. Nature provided
that tap root for more tnan cIe pur-
pose. and while temporary favora-
BILE result might be obtained by cut
ting the root and causing the lateral
roots to grow more rapidly, yet the
ultimate sturdiness of the tree
will be impaired and the knife will
destroy the defences provided against