The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1914-11-03

BelleyieW, at the meeting of the
Southern Nut Growers Associa-
ton at Thomasv4lle. Ga.
It is agreed that no state in the
Union Is at the present time receiy-
ing such an influx OF homeseekers as
Florida. Most OF the newcomers
are making their homes on the land,
and from all sections OF the state
come calls for help. They are thrifty
and energetic people who are com
ing to Florida AMI fully capable of
subduing the forest and building
bones with no assistance from any
one. but when it comes to the cues
tfon of what crops, what fruits, and
what nuts TO plant they need an the
help that agricultural associations
can give them. It follows that no
inquiry by the National Nut Grow
ers' Association could be more time
~ than the question, rs Marion
county the southern limit of profit
able pecan growing in Filorida?" 1t
Is especially Timely when new peo-
pie are coming into the state. as It's
discussion may be of great help to a
large number of worthy settlers.
Under the circumstances no one
can answer this question in an on
hand way with a simple. YES or
no. The answer must of neces-
sity be long drawn out, in fact, some
years must elapse before a positive
answer can he given Still what we
know of the subject will / belive, be
of value to the people who are open
ing up farms in central and southern
FLORIDA. What we do not know may
be OF still greater help to some
'would-be pecan orchardist in the
way OF protecting them against fail
ure and unnecessary loss.
In one sense of the word Marion
county at the present time is the
southern limit of pecan culture in
Florida, no commercial groves, at
least none of any consequence har-
ing been planted south OF that To-
cality for a sufficient length of time
to make test. We know that Pc
cans have done exceedingly well in
Marion county. The county now
claims over 900 acres planted to
budded varieties and wherever the
trees have had anything like a fair
chance have done remarkably well
The high well drained rolling pine
and hammock lands of that county
have proven especially we'll adapted
ito the pecan. The rich sandy loan
surface underlaid with clay seems to
ibe ideal for the formation of
strong root system. Thus the trees
put on fine stocky growth. Or
chards that will not be seven years
old until january, planted to Van
Deman, STUART and Teche, have ma
tured good crops this year in spite of
very dry spring and summer fol-
lowed by a too wet fall. Some of the
Teche trees had already borne the
1.-TWO previous years, in other words,
began showing few nuts when they
were still less than five years old
Great numbers of Seeding trees
are to be found in Marion county
scattered about in fields and door
yards, receiving no attention what
ever and yet most of them bearing
fair crops. Some of these trees
originated from varieties purchas-
ed at county fairs and were planted
with the idea that like would pro-
duce like. The result is that a num-
der of seedlings are to he found in
the county producing nuts not like
the original, but as good as many of
the recognized varieties.
1t would hardly seem possible that
Marion county where the pecan
tree grows and bears so we'll could
be the southern limit of profitable
pecan culture. We would on the
contrary expect to find either the
tree, or the crop or both, less salts
factory as the southern limit was
reached. 1t would be most unrea-
sonable to expect the pecan to grow
to pjerfection up to certain definite
line and then break short of and be-
come a failure ON the other side Of
that line.
Thus while admitting that Marion
county is in fact the southern limit
of profitable pecan culture at the
present time, l believe that it is
ONLY 60 ,Fouoo,1co tho onI1fa1ro Of the
nut has not been attempted south of
that point on any adequate scale.
We know that Seeding trees are
to be found in various sections of
Florida south of Marion county.
There are bearing trees in Sumter,