Summer Meeting. 77 



so to find quotation in the market reports. But there are other 

 considerations that enter largely into the "profits" of nuts, and 

 not the least is a generous supply of this toothsome fruit of the 

 forest at our homes, to be enjoyed by our families. Another item 

 of profit consists of the timber value inherent to most of our nut- 

 bearing trees, which is undoubtedly, under present conditions, of 

 importance commercially. 



The pecan is the most valuable in commerce, as also in do- 

 mestic use, of all nuts indigenous to Missouri, and holds undisputed 

 rank as such. There are natural groves of pecans in St. Charles 

 county, which yield handsome returns and are highly valued by 

 the owners. 



These groves occur in both the Mississippi and Missouri river 

 bottoms, while none are found upland, unless planted. 



While the Missouri pecan is smaller and somewhat harder 

 in shell than those grown in Texas or Louisiana, its flavor and 

 general quality are very acceptable. There are many evidences 

 that both defects may be remedied to a great extent by careful 

 selection of seed from trees bearing fruit showing notable im- 

 provements. An instance occurs to me where our so highly es- 

 teemed farmer co-worker, Hon. Samuel Miller, noted a tree in 

 Montgomery county, Missouri, which bore very abundantly, and 

 the fruit was much superior in size, etc., and other character- 

 istics to the common one. He propagated it from seed and it was 

 distributed by the Department of Agriculture. As to what the 

 result has been I have no knowledge; probably some members of 

 your society are in a position to give information. I think Mr. 

 Miller named the variety "Meyer's Mammoth," or something 

 like it. 



I have observed and noted several trees bearing nuts superior 

 to the ordinary, one extra large, the other unusually long, with 

 thin shell. This latter tree has long been highly prized for these 

 qualities by the owner. These instances, I think, demonstrate 

 that by careful "selection" of seed the Missouri pecan can be 

 greatly improved. I trust some of the members will take up these 

 experiments — my own age, "three score and ten," forbids. 



While the pecan is found here in the soils and surroundings 

 indicated, it will also grow and flourish in many of our uplands, 

 and should find a place on every farm where the soil is composed 

 of a sandy clay loam of considerable depth, such as are found 

 along the bluffs of the streams snd in creek bottoms. I have an 

 "object lesson" which demonstrates the correctness of the asser- 



