St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1916-02-26
THE PECAN INDUSTRY

come them0St important or all the
~nut-bearing trees in the United
States in the course of the next few
years, is rapidly manifesting itself
as a fact. In the South where it is
well adapted to practically
every State, it has been extensively
planted in the southern part of
Mississippi, in Alabama and Geor-
gia, and to a lesser extent IN LOU
isiana. Considering that the pecan
grows impartially we'll throughout
nearly all of the Pelican State, it is
a cause of regret that statistics do
not place Louisiana on a parity
with the other three States in e1-
tensive paintings.
The pecan has shown an almost
perfect a~daptability to the average
type soils found in the Gulf Coast
States, for good results seeming to
require little more than a fairly
fertile soil which is well drained.
The more fertile and deeper the
soil, though, the better the results.
Like any other plant or tree, how
ever, it yields in proportion to the
attention and are given it, and that
our growers are fast learning how
) get best results from their pecan
groves gives bright promise for the
future of the nut as an industry
In a farmers bulletin by G. A.
Reed, of the Department of Agri-
culture, the author, who has made
a special investigation of the pecan
business in the South, points to the
increased prices for the lower
quality nuts as indicative of the
stability Of the nut growing. He
calls attention to the fact that ten
years or SO ago wild pecan nuts
were seldom used except in the
holiday season, and then three
cents a pound was the average
price. Latterly, however, the de-
mand has raised the price to three
or more times that figure on the
wild varieties. By reason Of the
increased production, the superior
named varieties do not command as
nigh price as formerly, the added
competition of the wild nuts hay-
ing an influence as well. but still
taefe are numerous instances of
Well-known varieties selling at
wholesale in 1914 for from thirty Ia
forty-ffve cents per pound. In
mentioning the decrease in the price
OF the finer nuts, Mr.. Reed brings
out the point that with the changed
condition in the industry. the
grower will probably find the dis
position of his product through
express and mail order services is
hardly adequate in the future. n
TINS we believe he is correct, for il
IS becoming increasingly difficult to
lind a crop outlet through choice
channels for much of a nut suppIy
AS pecan tree owners are eduea-
ted to the advantage of attention tl
trees and the finer varieties, they
are top-Working inferior Seeding
or wild pecan trees to improve
yield and quality of nuts, also are
getting rid of the undesirable trees
, and carefully pruning the trees
worth saving. This means the rap
id increase in production of desir.
able quality nuts, and not having tt
wait five or years for a new
orchard Of grated or budded tree
to bear a worth while crop. Thos'
who have not the advantage of oil,
trees to work over, however, GER
tainly will be doing well by them
selves and their children, to set gu
a pecan orchard this spring. DON
put it off; do it now, for it mean
much to the grove in bearing on
: year sooner.
:, Every owner of even a few acre
! of Louisiana and Mississippi Ian
, that has its due share of fertilit,
. and is we'll drained should rails
some peeans. If by any chance tn
selling price should ever fall to I'm
profitable figures, which is very I'm
nheiy, what with the eonstan
widening of consumption channel
for pecan meat, the nut is NOR
nutritious and provides an extreme
~ valuable source Of food for tn
: family table. The pecan is wort
the effort of every Southern farme
If from no other angle than pro
viding for his family a delectabl
S and substantial food product. w
2 hope that within the next fey
weeks more pecan trees will be sc
O out in Louisiana and Mississippi
= than ever planted in the pas
e We'd like to see our two States sur
pass all other Southern States i
: pecan planting this season, and
may be DONE Modern Farming.
1915 PIG CLUB WORK
30 4bo Y.r xIY1h urar