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NUT GROWING IN SOUTHERN INDIANA 



By J. F. JViUdnifOn, Rockport, Indiana 



In early days tliere were thousands of acres of native pecan groves 

 ill tiiis section of Indiana. Today tliere are few large groves left. In 

 early days tlie pecan nut was not considered valuable. I can re- 

 member when I sold nuts at 6 cents a pound, that were sold in 1924-25 

 at 35 to M) cents from the same trees. 



The majority of the trees are found growing in the river bottoms, 

 in overflow lands. There are many individual trees doing well on 

 clay and sand land. As to latitude, Evansville is about 38 degrees. 

 The pecan is found growing native north to 39 degrees, and a few 

 even at iO. It is found as far north as Davenport, Iowa, but in small 

 numbers. Some of these treet. are from 125 to 150 feet hig-li with a 

 circumference measurement up to seventeen feet. As to their bearing 

 records, one tree produced 240 pounds two years ago and for several 

 years paid the taxes on forty acres of land. There are several trees 

 with equal or perhaps better records than that. I have gathered as 

 much as 600 pounds from one tree at one crop. There is one grove 

 of sixteen acres, 35 to 40 seedling trees, from which the owner re- 

 ceived $400.00 several years ago and three times in seven years has 

 sold more than the cost of the land. Similar figures might be given 

 from several other groves that yield equally well. 



The seedlhig trees as a rule do not bear as well. Only about 

 50% of the native seedling trees have good bearing records and a 

 considerable per cent of that 50% does not bear a good quality of nut. 

 There are now in bearing in southern Indiana quite a few of the 

 budded varieties. Interest in budding and grafting the better varie- 

 ties has been increasing in Indiana for several years but few trees 

 are yet in bearing. One of the first to become interested was H. M. 

 Roper. Twenty-five years ago he became interested in nut culture 

 and gave a few pecan shows at his own expense. Mr. Littlepa.ge be- 

 fore that had planted a lot of seedling nuts. I suppose the first bud 



