The sea coast echo. [volume] (Bay Saint Louis, Miss.) 1892-current, 1912-09-28
NUT GROWING IN MISSISSIPPI PROFITABLE
Theodoer BechteI Tells in Chicago Record
Herald About Peeans.


The ever-increasing interest in the
pecan industry among farmers of Mis-
sissippi is evidence OF the immense
popularity of this nut and of the good
| ly profits the growers are annually
receiving.
The pecan, like the hickory. thrives in
great variety of soils, but seems to do
best where the subs oil Is moderately
porous and is mixed with some sand
or gravel. Good drainage, either
natural or artificial, is very essential,
although after trees are we'll established
temporary overflow, even of several
weeks duration, will do no harm River
and creek bottom lands give splendid
results, but do not produce nuts so early
as the uplands. Nearly all of the cut
over pine lands of the South will pro-
duce very profitable early bearing
pecan orchards if well fertilized.
Just how far north the choice varie-
been proved, though experiments are
being made as far north as Illinois.
There is no doubt that they viii succeed
anywhere south of the Mason and Dixon
line where land is suitable.
SUGGESTIONS TO NOVICES.
In planting choose good-sized, soft
shelled, well-filled nuts, with rich
kernel, and do not forget that produc-
tiveness should be leading feature.
There are many good nuts, but when
planting an orchard as long-lived as
the pecan, too much care cannot be
exercised in the selection of varieties.
The mere fact that a nurseryman has
grated stock is no guarantee of quality,
as wood of the best varieties, either for
building or grating, remains high
priced. Thousands of trees are grated
to comparatively inferior varieties by
unscrupulous propagators and sold to
the inexperienced planter.
While small-sized pecan trees event.
ually will give as good results as large
ones, there is saving of time by plant
ing tress from three to six feet in height.
Very large tress receive a greater check
in transplantiag, and, therefore, do not
save as much time in proportion as a
medium -sized tree.
Make holes large enough to acconm-
modate roots spread out in natural po-
sitisn and be careful to cut off all those
broken or smashed, Plant trees the
same depth they stood in the nursery,
filling in among the foos5 with mellow
surface soil. Leave two inches of loose
soil on the surface. Fine ground bone
is one of the best and safest commercial
fertilizers 10 mix the soil for planting.
FERTILIZING IS NECESSARY.
Soil not naturally strong should be
fertilized with sufficient manure, or
some commercial fertilizer. Care should
be used never to allow any crude or
unrotted fertilizer of any kind to come
in contact with the roots. When trees
arrive at bearing age more potash
should be applied.
Sow cowpeas or velvet beans in all
orchards not used for some other cul-
tivated crop, but keep the vines off the
trees. Plow under while trees are
small, and Craze down with stock when
trees get large enough to be out of dan
ger.
Cultivation should be shallow and
frequent enough to keep surface very
finely pulverized in dry season, and
free from weeds or grass when rainy
1t is best to break the entire ground
before or soon after settiug trees, and
plant in some cultivated crop, such as
cotton, corn, potatoes, melons, peanuts
or other merchantable produce, being
careful not to plant anything within
six feet of the trees. Meyer put in oats
or other small grains.
Trees should be planted from forty to
seventy feet apart, according to the
character of soil, the former applying
to the poorer and sandy, piney wood
lands, on which pecan trees begin bear
ing quite young, the latter to alluvial
and bottom lands. When transplant ng
large pecan trees at least three-fourths
should be cut away, and of small
er trees about one-third. A six-feot
feet. 1t also is of the greatest imp ort-
ance that the young shoots on the stem
be allowed to remain for few seasons,