NUT CROPS 271 



commercial plantings are mostly confined to the 

 coast region. Few of the planted groves have yet 

 reached full bearing, and most of the commercial 

 supply still comes from wild trees. The pecan is 

 very variable and does not come true from seed. 

 Much disappointment has followed the planting of 

 even the finest selected seeds, since more than half of 

 the trees produced are likely, after years of waiting, to 

 produce only ordinary inferior nuts. Pecans are very 

 difficult to propagate by the ordinary methods of bud- 

 ding and grafting. A fairly successful method of patch 

 budding or inlaying has, however, been devised, and 

 budded trees of named varieties may now be secured 

 from the leading Southern nurseries. The price for 

 these budded trees' is quite high, owing to the diffi- 

 culty of production, but it is better to use them for 

 commercial planting rather than to risk the uncertain 

 quality of seedlings. Since the pecan groAvs into a 

 large forest tree, it is necessary to plant them at a 

 considerable distance ; forty to fifty feet is none too 

 much, but the space between may be utilized for 

 other crops or for planting peaches or other orchard 

 trees. Heavy applications of nitrogenous fertilizers 

 should be used in order to hasten growth and bring 

 the trees more quickly up to the bearing size. Tlie 

 worst drawback to the pecan industry is the length 

 of time that must elapse before returns can be 

 expected. Well-grown trees may produce a few 

 nuts when six or seven years planted, but profitable 

 crops cannot be expected for a much longer period. 

 A number of insect and fungous pests occur, but no 

 discussion of them can be attempted. 



