Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1909-12-29
GROWING OF PECANS.
How They Grow I'm Georgia and What
An Oconcc Man Says About Them.
(Atlanta ,!Ournal.)

NN'ioh'u Jouiihi'b
Once upon a time, runs the old
nursery tale, a boy found three nuts
lying at the foot Of a hill They were
brown, ugly things, seemingly use
less, but when, after season they
burst, one brought forth a coach and
six horses. one castle and one a bag
OF gold
The story has come true in Geor-
Sta. Not many years ago, the pecan
nut was considered as something fit
to crack at Christmas time, but not
more seriously than that. To-day, it
is one Of the States IN, profitable
orchards have grown up until in
Southwest Georgia they cover more
than ten thousand acres Of land and
contribute annually something like
two million dollars Of wealth.
In the current issue Of progress, :"
that always vital and interesting
monthly OF the Atlanta Chamber of
Commerce, Is told the history of our
pecan industry. 1t reads like fairy
legend itself. Twen,y-Seven years
ago G.. NJ. Bacon, who lives at the lit
tie village OF Dewitt. twelve miles
cut from Albany, received from a
Texas kinSman a sack of pecan nuts
for the children. Most of them were
eaten. but four Of chem were planted
along with collardS and marigolds in
the garden. They lay there forgot
ten through shifting Aprils and Octo
harS, until one day il was observed
that four babyish green shoots had
climbed into the sunlight. These
seedlings. Mr.. Bacon dug up and
tranSplanted. lie is now the preSi-
dent of company owning fourteen
thousand trees upon seven hundred
acres. each a ycrtablc bag Of gold
One Of the four Sturdy pioneers still
stands and each autumn filings down
It's ruSset treasure with the careless
freedom of youth.
1t Is estimated that the pecan yields
two hundred dollars an acre, net
Without the slightest crowding 20
trees may be planted to the acre
with ample room and soil SuStenance
between the rows for cotton, corn
peas or other crops. Each tree bears
twenty pounds OF nuts. The marke
price of paper-shcll pccans through
out the United States is one dollar
n pound. Every acre thus has a gross
value TO its owner OF four hundred
dollars, so that the estimate of two
hundred dollars an acre is severely
conservative.
Many men have grown rich through
utilizing apparent triiles. Here is an
opportunity for Georgia.
Over ten thousand acres OF pecan
trees are already under cultivation
near Albany and i'm various other
quarters they are coming to receive
practical attention. Indeed. investors
from the East and the West are buy
ing Georgia land specifically for this
purpose. The tree is an caSy-gOing
sort. able to shift for itself i'm almost
any soil. frugal in its demands, long
lived and prolific. It's adaptability to
climate is shown by the fact that
several beautiful specimens are now
flouriShing on Atlanta lawns where
they have been set primarily for the
charm Of their form and foliage.
Col. Philip Cook. state TreaSu rr.
has planted n pecan nut few PAGES
from his Office window at the CAPITOL
declaring that he intends it as his
monument. It will be that and more.
for when visitor" look upon it. they
will behold q living symbol Of great
Georgia industry.