The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-11-14
are shy bearers, and others prove quite barren.
 On Par With Fruit,

With the use of budded and grafted trees, the period of waiting for crops Is no longer than is required for the apple the pear or the orange. Then the quality and size of the nut desired, as well as the bearing habits of the variety, can all be definitely determined before perma- nently planting the tree. Thus we now plant. provided one Is familiar with the business. with confidence as to early and profitable results, while those who plant ed seedlings five yeaTs ago are sure to have their hopes long deferred and event. ually reap disappointment
 The extent to which commercial nut orchards have been planted in the states of Louisiana, Mississippi, Georgia, Flor Ida and South Carolina since this change has shown the way to proceed is one of the great southern movements which mas not yet reached public attention; and few people outside of those directly or in- directly interested know how rapidly the planting is going forward Besides this. there are comparatively few people who have seen much less eaten, any of these fine varieties.
 In 1903, 95 per cent of all pecan trees sold by southern nurserymen were seed lings. Five years later the budded and grafted trees sold amounted to 95 per cent of the stock produced and the sales had
 
 per cent each year.
 Orchards Increase Rapidly. Commercial orchard planting was be- gun during these years and Is increasing rapidly. In 1908 some statistics were as- sembled which showed that orchards had been planted in west Florida and south- west Georgia to the extent of 5000 acres A year later the same territory showed over 10000 acres, with prospect for still nnyf area is within SO miles of Thomasville. Ga. and every acre is planted with choice varieties of budded and grafted trees. Then some of the largest orchards are in Mississippi and Louisiana.
 With such results in so short a time, the question naturally arises as to the agency that could produce such invest- ments-as every acre, if properly planted and cared for, will represent an outlay of $100 by the end of the hfth year-when crops will be due.
 The National Nut Growers association, which held its eighth annual convention at Albany, Ga, on October 12-14 with it's official organ the Nut Grower Is the motive power which has slzilfully en- couraged the work along safe, sound and practical lines. It took up the work quietly: assembled and distributed re- liahle information: exposed the fraudu-
 
 mended the nuts which were regarded as worthy of planting for commercial pur- poses, published proceedings of conven- tions held in different parts of the coun- trv and has proved to be a well-managed clearing house for all matters pertaining to the business, which has many attrac- tions for many people.
 Future of Society Assured. With such a start, the future for the ls-A l. f.,I1 1A promise. but for the lay reader to appre- ciate it's importance as a commercial factor in the prosperity of the south, 1t is necessary to present few facts. fol- lowed by some figures, which will appeal to the most casual reader.
 Most people regard nuts as a luxury. They are more than luxury: they are food product of great importance when nroperIy used, being rich in those essen tials now so largely supplied by flesh foods. Their use as a food Is sure to in crease rapidly as soon as the production