452 CALIFORNIA FRUITS: HOW TO GROW THEM 



crops without irrigation. If irrigation is necessary, it must be by 

 the furrow method, and no flooding must be permitted. 



THE PECAN 



The pecan, by rapid growth, early fruiting, and general thrift, 

 seems to be the member of the hickory family best fitted for Cali- 

 fornia conditions. A tree grown from a nut planted by J. R. Wolf- 

 skill, on Putah Creek, in 1878, was, when twenty-five years old, 

 over fifty feet high, with a trunk twelve inches in diameter, grow- 

 ing luxuriantly and bearing freely. Still older trees, also very satis- 

 factory in growth and bearing, are to be seen at Chico and Visalia. 

 The pecan, though grown for thirty years by different parties 

 around the Bay of San Francisco, either does not bear or keeps the 

 nuts hanging on until sometimes they sprout on the tree. The 

 wider extremes in temperature or in humidity in the interior seem 

 to teach the trees better habits of growth and rest, and moist low- 

 lands in the great valleys seem best for pecan planting. 



Pecan trees grow readily from the nuts if these are fresh. Plant- 

 ers should secure nuts of selected varieties (for there is a great 

 difference in size and quality) direct from growers in the Southern 

 States, and plant as soon as received, in the early winter, or if con- 

 ditions are not favorable for planting, the nuts should be stored as 

 described in Chapter VIII. Nuts planted in good nursery ground 

 in rows as there suggested, and covered about two inches or a little 

 deeper in dry, loose soil, and then mulched to retain moisture, will 

 germinate freely. The trees should be transplanted to permanent 

 place at the end of the first year and then usually the tap-root can 

 be retained, as some growers deem very desirable ; if the trees are 

 to be put in permanent place later they should be transplanted in 

 the nursery and the tap-root cut off. The nuts can, of course, be 

 planted at once in permanent place. 



THE PISTACHIO 



The pistachio nut (Pistachia vera) was introduced many years 

 ago, but commercial results are only just beginning to be attained. 

 The species upon its own root makes a low shrub and is slow of 

 growth. The Pistachia terebinthus, from which is derived the "chio 

 turpentine," the stock the true pistachio is grafted upon in Europe, 

 is growing thriftily at several points in the State. Several amateurs 

 and nurserymen have given enthusiastic effort to the establishment 

 of the nut in this State. The United States Department of Agri- 

 oc e *J aS als worke( ! lar gely with it and has distributed about 

 f the trees during recent years. The largest plantations 

 are in the interior valleys and the product is now being attained 

 in that region. Tribble Bros, at Elk Grove had 250 trees, five-year- 

 old grafts in bearing in 1918. C. J. Forbes has 150 trees the same 

 age and there are about five acres on the Mills orchard at Hamilton 

 Aty. Ine fruiting of the pistachio depends upon pollination, and 

 one male tree is necessary to six or seven bearing trees. 



