ENCYCLOPEDIA OF PRACTICAL HORTICULTURE 



the demand as well as allow other states 

 to do it. 



Strawberries 



Strawberries are unlimited as to ter- 

 ritory and variety of soil. If the soil is 

 well drained and contains some humus 

 strawberries grow well and are very 

 profitable, and come at a season when a 

 farmer has no other crop to put on the 

 market. They will produce about 100 

 crates per acre, and net $1.95 per crate, 

 which makes a net profit of $195 per 

 acre. Twenty to thirty cents per quart 

 can be realized for the first berries, if 

 first-class. A large number of farmers 

 have already engaged in growing straw- 

 berries and find it very profitable. The 

 crop comes in several weeks earlier in 

 this state than it does in the northern 

 states; consequently there is less com- 

 petition. In 1908 and 1909 over 5,000 

 crates were shipped out of Cullman; 1910, 

 100 carloads. 



Oranges 



The Satsuma orange does well in the 

 southern part of the state. Considerable 

 territory is well adapted to orange cul- 

 ture in Mobile and Baldwin counties. 

 About 134 trees can be grown per acre, 

 18x18 feet. In Mobile county two-year 

 trees produced from 100 to 200 fruits and 

 four-year trees produced from 400 to 

 500 fruits. A grower in Baldwin county 

 in 1909 gathered 90 dozen fruits from 

 one tree. The same grower sold $1,400 

 worth of fruit from two and one-half 

 acres. His fruit averaged $18 per bar- 

 rel. The trees are hardy in the above 

 section and have withstood cold as low 

 as 18 degrees above zero. There is such 

 a demand for Satsuma oranges that very 

 few of them are shipped any distance, 

 being consumed near the place where 

 grown. A grower in Mobile county net- 

 ted $700 per acre the 1912 season. 



recalls 



The pecan is another fruit that is un- 

 limited in this state as far as climate 

 is concerned, and bears a fair crop, while 

 in the southern half of the state it is 

 very profitable as a commercial crop. 

 If furnished with a good soil and proper 

 culture the pecan will do the rest. Some 



growers near Selma state that their pecan 

 grove yielded the first commercial crop 

 at the age of 10 years, and they har- 

 vested one bushel of nuts per tree. A 

 bushel of pecans weighs 40 pounds, and 

 as low as 25 cents per pound would bring 

 $10 per bushel or tree. This is a very 

 low price for pecans, as grafted and 

 budded nuts never sell for less than 50 

 cents per pound and as high as $1.25 

 per pound. The choice nuts are con- 

 sumed locally, leaving none for export. 

 The yield will increase as the trees 

 grow older, and the grove will prove a 

 big money-making crop for a number of 

 years to come. Trees in full bearing 

 yield from 100 to 200 pounds of nuts. 

 Selling at 50 cents per pound would be 

 from $50 to $100 per tree, and at $1 per 

 pound would be from $100 to $200 per 

 tree. A large number of people have en- 

 gaged in the industry. One company has 

 2,400 acres in pecans. 



Persimiiions 



Japanese persimmons can be grown in 

 nearly all parts of the state. About 150 

 trees can be grown on an acre, and the 

 trees will produce from 200 to 500 fruits 

 per tree. The fruits sell for 2 cents 

 a piece, and find ready sale on the local 

 markets, as the production is not suf- 

 ficient to require shipment except at a 

 few points. The trees are hardy and re- 

 quire but little care. An acre will net 

 from $200 to $500. 



Ponieerranates 



Pomegranates grow well in all parts 

 of the state and require but little atten- 

 tion. The trees bear heavily, and the 

 fruits sell for $2 per 100, finding a grow- 

 ing demand on the market. 



Figs 



The figs thrive on a great variety of 

 soils, and can be grown in the greater 

 part of Alabama. The trees are quite 

 hardy in the southern half of the state 

 and very productive. A tree in full bear- 

 ing will produce from two to six bushels 

 of fruit. The fruit sells readily, bring- 

 ing from SO cents to $1 per bushel. The 

 trees will stand more ueglect than any 

 other class of fruit and will respond to 

 good culture just as quickly. From 150 



