Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1910-09-23
SUMTER IDEAL FOR
PECAN CULTURE.
SO Says Sec. Wilson About
Local Conditions.
Believes South Georgia
Will Become World
Renowned as a Nut
Growing Section.

Mr.. j. F. Wilson, of Poulan, secrc-
tary of the Nut Growers Association
and a recognized authority on Pc
can culture in the South, spent yes
terday in Americus.
Whlle here Mr., Wilson was taken in
charge by H. w. Smithwick, one of the
local enthusiasts in the pecan line
and was given a good insight into the
conditions surrounding the cultivation
Of the nut in Sumter county.
Il was highly pleased with what l
saw of nut growing in the section ad-
jacent to Americus," said Secretary
Wilson to a representative of the
Times-Recorder. 4 have visited al.
the nut growing sections of Florida
and Georgia and, speaking candidly,
regard Sumter county as equal to, ii
not better than, the best of the other
territory where pecan culture Laa
made such great strides. l should say
that the conditions here were more
favorable than in either the Albany
Waycross or Monticello districts
Were the increase in the nut orchards
has been rapid and the outlook is that
the cultivation of the pecan will be-
come an extensive industry
There are two ways in which pecan
growing con be developed in a
county sid Secretary Wilson. One
is by individual effort, that is, by par
ties with land setting out a few acres
in trees on their own account and
making tie orchard a part of thei;
regular farming operations. The other
way is for a large land owner, or a
syndicate, to go into the nut plant
ing business on an extensive scale,
with the purpose Of selling off or
chards to investors who later on
may become permanent settlers. Tie
latter plan is the one being followed
in various localities Between Way
cross and Blackshear, for instance, Il
concern for WhicE l am horticultural
list, has bought 1000 acres of land,
offers it for sale for pecan culture
in blocks of five acres, and contracts
to put out trees of a good quality,
attend to them for five or six years
until they come into bearing in a
commercial way, at a certain stipulat-
ed amount per acre The price paid by
TIE investor, covering the land thc
planting of twenty or twenty-five
trees to the acre, and the care of the
same for five years is generally $3.50
to $500 an acre. This is paid in ir-
stillments yearly. At the expiration
Of the contract period the nut or
chard is in fine shape for the investor
TO settle upon, taking care of it him
self, and harvesting tie crop. Down
near Mobile a Chicago concern has
sold 120 five-acre tracts on this plan
in Dougherty county tht same method
is being operated, also in Ware, and
there is every reason why it should
in Sumter county. This means
steady income to the county from
outside sources devoted to the build
ing up of the nut industry, ana at the
end of that time probably a number
Of settlers coming in. OF course 2
man need not confne himself to five
acres, but the land is generally sold
in multiples of that figure, that fe
five, ten, fifteen or more acres.
Those contracting to do this work
put out a two-year-old graft on a
Jhree-year-o.d root, tle typical idea
tree. 1t bears in three years after
planting and begins to have pro-
nounced commercial value with the
seventh year. Then the investment be
gins to yield a sure and increasing
annual revenue. The pecan tree lives
to an extreme old age, and serves sew
eral generations A -year-oId
tree in good condition should yield
say twenty pounds, increasing up to
$50 to 200 lbs at Is to 20 years of
age. There have been exceptional in
stances where the crop from a single
tree has been enormous One a.
Thomasyille, one season yielded over
500 pounds, and the best authenticate
ed record is Of 1000 pounds, but tina,
tree then ceased bearing for two or
three years.
While the trees are young in a pecan
orchard, Secretary Wilson stated
othe rpaying crops could be raised on
the same ground. When they are old
er the ground can be used as a pasture
or even for crops of COW peas. TIE
trees, Of course, require attention bur
they are not subject to the same insecr
attacks and other diseases that worry
the fruit grower.
Secretary Wilson did not believe
there was any possibility of there be-
ing an overriding of pecan culture The
market will expand as the nut crop
increases and men turn more and