2522 



PECAN 



PECAN 



to Centennial, Rome, Frotscher, Stuart, Russell, 

 Pabst, Jewett, Van Deman, Post, and Hollis, thousands 

 of seedlings of which in dooryards and orchards are 

 now found throughout the South. These seedlings, 

 while frequently bearing a general resemblance to the 

 parent, usually vary widely in important features and, 

 as might be expected, in a large proportion of in- 

 stances are inferior to the parent variety. Names have 

 in many cases been applied to the nuts of wild trees 

 sold for planting, with the result that much confusion 

 has existed in the varietal nomenclature. The adoption 

 of a code of nomenclature by the National Nut- 

 Growers' Association in 1903, and its systematic 

 application by a standing committee of that organi- 

 zation, has to a large extent clarified the situation in 

 recent years. 



The adaptability of varieties to sections, including 

 the important feature of relative resistance to such dis- 

 eases as scab under varying climatic conditions, is 

 gradually being worked out and is essential to the 

 establishment of commercial pecan-growing on an 

 economically sound basis. At the present time there is 

 much working over of trees of bearing age in progress, 

 with the end in view of replacing the varieties originally 

 planted by those found better adapted to the regional 

 or local conditions. 



Out of several hundred named trees, somewhat more 

 than one hundred varieties have been propagated by 

 nurserymen. Of these, many are as yet untested out- 

 side of the localities of their origin. Some twenty to 

 thirty sorts have been sufficiently distributed for a 

 long enough time to afford indication of their proba- 

 ble cultural range and value, with the result that a 

 number of the earlier distributed varieties, including 

 Centennial, Jewett, and Rome, and a number of sorts 

 of local repute, have been practically discarded by 

 planters. 



The varietal adaptability of the pecan so far as pos- 

 sible to summarize as the result of several years of 

 systematic study in the field was outlined by Reed in 

 1915 (Farmers' Bulletin No. 700, "Pecan Culture," 

 with special reference to varieties and propagation) as 

 follows: 



Varieties now considered best for planting in the 

 plains section of southeastern Virginia and eastern 

 North Carolina are the Stuart, Mantura, Van Deman, 

 Moneymaker, Schley, Pabst, and James. 



Varieties which may be recommended for eastern 

 South Carolina, eastern and central Georgia, central 

 Alabama, and central Mississippi are the Schley, 

 Stuart, Van Deman, Moneymaker, James, and Carman. 



Varieties for planting in south Georgia and north 

 Florida are the Schley, Curtis, Bradley, Alley, Van 

 Deman, Stuart, Moneymaker, President, Pabst, and 

 Russell. 



Varieties for central and north Florida: Curtis, 

 Bradley, Kennedy, President, Schley, Van Deman, 

 and Moneymaker. 



Varieties for the coastal section of Alabama, Missis- 

 sippi, and Louisiana: Schley, Curtis, Alley, Van 

 Deman, Russell, Stuart, Pabst, Success, and Havens. 



Varieties for east Texas: Very few sorts have been 

 given a fair trial in this section. The varieties here 

 mentioned are recommended very largely because of 

 their performance farther east. They are the Stuart, 

 Moneymaker, Schley, Curtis, Van Deman, Bradley, 

 Carman, and James. 



Varieties for west Texas: Sovereign (syn. Texas 

 Prolific), Kincaid, Colorado, San Saba, Halbert, and 

 Burkett. 



Varieties for northern Louisiana, southern Arkansas, 

 and northern Mississippi: Very few sorts have been 

 given a fair trial in this section. The following varie- 

 ties are mentioned because of certain evidence of supe- 

 rior hardiness which they have shown and the general 

 merit of the nuts themselves, but they are recommended 



for conservative planting only: Moneymaker, Carman, 

 Stuart, Van Deman, Schley, Pabst, and Success. 



Varieties for the section including central and western 

 Tennessee, central and western Kentucky, southern 

 Indiana, southern and southwestern Illinois, eastern 

 and southern Missouri, southeastern Kansas, Okla- 

 homa, and northern Arkansas: Only varieties of north- 

 ern or local origin should be considered for planting in 

 this general area, as none of the southern sorts is 

 sufficiently hardy to justify their recommendation. 

 The best of these are the Major, Niblack, Indiana, 

 Busseron, and Posey. 



Some of the best known sorts now in the trade, with 

 locality of origin indicated, are the following: 



2833. Varieties of the pecan: 1, Moneymaker; 2, Russell; 

 3, Frotscher; 4, Rome; 5, Alley; 6, Success; 7, Curtis. ( X%) 



Alley (Fig. 2833). Pascagoula, Mississippi. A thin-shelled nut 

 of medium size, with plump kernel of good flavor. Tree a vigorous 

 grower and heavy bearer, though subject to scab in some locations. 



Busseron. Knox County, Indiana. Recently disseminated and 

 considered promising for Indiana and other northern sections. 



Centennial (Fig. 2834). St. James Parish, Louisiana. The first 

 variety propagated by grafting. Exhibited at Philadelphia in 1876. 

 A large long nut, with rather thick shell and slender kernel. Tree a 

 symmetrical, vigorous grower but very tardy in bearing. Practi- 

 cally discarded in favor of better varieties. 



Curtis (Fig. 2833). Orange Heights, Florida. Though rather 

 small in size, a thin-shelled nut with plump kernel of fine quality. 

 Very productive and popular in Florida. 



Delmas (Fig. 2834). Pascagoula, Mississippi. A large, rather 

 thick-shelled productive variety of very sturdy growth, but rather 

 subject to scab. Kernel plump and of high quality. 



Frotscher (syns., Eggshell, Frotscher's Eggshell, Olivier, Majes- 

 tic) (Fig. 2833). Olivier, Louisiana. One of the most widely dis- 

 seminated and distinct of the older varieties. Very large and thin- 

 shelled but with kernel rather dark and unattractive in appear- 

 ance, frequently not filling well. Rapidly giving way to more 

 reliable sorts. 



Hollis (syns., Hollis's Jumbo, Jumbo, Risien, Georgia Belle, 

 Post's Select, in part). Bend, Texas. A medium to large, roundish 



