The Washington herald., 1909-04-17
NUT GROWING IN AMERICA
By FREDERIC ]. HASKIN.
By FREDERIC ]. HASKIN.

Among the many neglected industries
OF the United states IS nut growing The
S0.0O0o0 people who constitute the popu-
lation Of this country are becoming
greater nut consumers every year, and
the importation OF foreign products in
ereases proportlonately. Every year we
import over 100000 pounds OF almonds
at value OF over Sl.500,0O0; nearly %.
100000 pounds of walnuts at a cost Of
over S2.090O00. and other nuts to the value
Of over S2.OO0.OOO. The majority Of these
nuts could be grown in the United States
and over &.O0O,o0O diverted 10 American,
instead Of foreign pockets.
Every year some 100000 pounds Of al
monds, or more. are consumed in the
United States. either direct from the shell
or in candies. creams. soaps, and toilet
goods. OF this amount California is pro
ducing a large percentage. but in con
junction with other Western and Southern
States might easily produce all. At the
last cersus OF her nut trees California
reported upward of 1.150.e00 almond trees
and nearly half as many walnut trees
4 California nut grower created By care
ful work lg2 varieties Of almonds, and
from these chose four that proved best
adapted to the climate and to the com
mercial demands. Great portions of Ari-
zona and New Mexico have been found
highly suited to the cultivation OF al
mOnds. For a while the opinion was
held that the almond could grow wher-
ever .he peach could. but that has been
dlsproyed Settlers in the South Atlantic
states tried n and failed
Pistachio nuts could be grown in
Southern California Florida, and portions
OF other Southern States. only six or
seven years being required TO bring the
nuts 70 maturity IL this climate. Italy.
however is apt TO prove a strong rival
in the field. for a recent Italian govern
ment report shows that the output in
that country can easily be increased LOCO
per cent. The present Importation IS
chiefly from Syria and the Isle Of Chios
The cashew nut OF the West Indies has
been found in Florida and that State
raises annually over 100000 pounds Of
cocoanuts. valued at S3elO0 Argument
has been offered more than once before
the National Nut Growers Association
for the announcement Of chinkapin
EIOMAAA. WNA AAttr ntduMhN llac Dttll
made. II is asserted that the cut-over
pine lands of the South could be used
To great advantage in the cultivation Of
this nut
1t is the pecan that has given the
United States any prominence that 1t
may have as a nut-grOWing country.
Native to Texas and the Southern States
and adaptable 10 many others farther
north, it has already proved a remunera-
tive product. At first Texas and Louis
lana sold the nuts from the forests and
wood lots, and then, seeing the value of
such an enterprise proceeded TO set out
trees in quantities They don't do things
by halfway methods in Texas a St
Louis man is putting out 1850 acres in
Greene County alone While the LOGIisi-
ana pecan is favored for its softer shell;
it is the Texas pecan chiefly that has
kept the market supplied. From 200 TO
500 carloads now go cGt daily from such
shipping points as San Antonio and
Brownwood.
The cultivated pecans on the Gulf
coast VIII bear IN four or five years. and
those further inland in seven or eight.
Between the trees alfalfa, Bermuda, and
Johnson grass can be grown with profit
One Texas pecan tree of local Importance
yields twenty-five bushels a year. A
small tree I'm Albany, Greg. sixteen years
old. gives its owner $50 worth OF nuts
year. and a nineteen-year-old one in
Brownsville, Greg. $40 a year. whim
OF the late Gov. HOgg. Of Texas. IS said
10 have given great impetus to the nut
industry Of that State His dying re-
quest was that a pecan tree be planted
at the head OF his grave and a walnut
tree at the foot. This LOYALTY TO the nat
ural resources Of the State has borne
fruit in the shape of vast nut ranches
Of from a few to !, 600 acres each
Georgia and Alabama are among the
most recent OF the successful pecan
growing States. A nursery at De Witt.
Ca. covers "a acres with its young
trees, following the example OF the far
seeing man who four years ago set out
200 acres OF trees, the yield therefrom
TO be used largely in the manufacture of
oil. Pecans are rich in oil. five pounds
Of nut meats yielding q gallon Of oil.
valued at so. Seventy-five per cent OF
the total output Of pecans in this country
IS used by confectioners and bakers. ana
the demand is ever increasing 4 Moul-
trie. Ga. man last year sold pecans from
his 200-acre tract at % cents a pound.
An Austin, Tex. man started snelling
pecans for the market In 1851 Three
years later the city was sending out
20000 pounds a year Now, so great has
the industry grown. 15.00 pounds are
handled da1y by San Antonio alone.
Electric machines do most Of the hulling
and are supersedng hand-work They
furnish millions Of pounds Of perfect I
kernels demanded by the trade OF New
York. Philadelphia. and Boston. espe-
clally- The broken kernels are made
into OIL and the shells furnish the fuel
for the plants, so there is little waste in
the work
ST Louis was pioneer in the prepara-
tion of nuts for market. At the beginning
Of the present century there were three
plants in operation there. machines witt,
apparent intelligence feeding the nuts 4
lengthwise into the machines that crack /
them. Other machines operate fans that
winnow away the fine particles from the
shells and then trundle the travs before |
girls who pick ont the kernels. Some /
thing ike 1509 pounds OF nuts 2 dav I
or 125 carloads. are handled annually bv I
these establishments. Only the domestic /
nuts such as pec2ns, walnuts butternuts
and hazlenuts, are cracked in the local I
packing houses. the foreign nuts are
usually cracked oversee and only the
kernel shipped in TO save freight The
electric machines are closely guarded
and protected by patents Each machine