94 THE ALABAMA OPFORTUXITV. 



One of these trees which stands in the suburbs of West 

 Point, is a remarkable specimen. It was' planted forty-eight 

 years ago and to-day it measures from furtherest bough to 

 furtherest bough, eighty feet. The trunk of this tree is said 

 to be eight feet in circumference. This tree is an enormous 

 bearer. From its branches last fall no less than $65 worth of 

 pecans were sold, to say nothing of quantities of them being 

 given away. This tree had an important bearing upon Mr. 

 Reed's determination to go into pecan culture as an investment. 



BIRTH OF the; idea. 



"Twelve years ago," said Mr. Reed . "this tree was a giant 

 bearer. Its nuts were of a peculiar rich flavor. The strength, 

 age and productiveness of this tree convinced me that the soil 

 and climate about here were adapted to the culture of pecans. 

 1 didn't want to go into the business, however, before I learned 

 something about it. So I took a trip to Louisiana and Texas' 

 where I visited some of the largest pecan orchards in the coun- 

 try. When I had gotten all the information I could get without 

 experience I came back to Lanett and pitched my orchard." 



Mr. Reed's orchard is on Alabama soil, but it is just right 

 up against the Georgia line. The orchard lies along the 

 Chattahoochee river on an angle formed by the river and the 

 line of the Western Railroad. One gets a good view of it in 

 going to Atlanta just before the train reaches West Point. 

 At the orchard the Chattahoochee River is' well within the 

 State of Georgia. The Georgia line runs down from the north, 

 skirts the Reed pecan orchard and strikes the Chattahoochee 

 River a little below. This same line divides the two towns of 

 West Point and Lanett, there being perhaps as many people 

 on the Alabama side of the line as on the Georgia side. Some 

 of the suburbs of West Point are well within the State of Ala- 

 bama. 



The land on which Mr. Reed planted his orchard is' of sandy 

 loam. The trees were put down in 1893. 



- "I planted the trees in check rows forty feet apart," said 

 •Mr. Reed. "This had been done at the orchards I visited in 

 Louisiana and Texas and -corresjiondents in various parts of 

 the country had advised me to plant the trees at that distance, 

 I'his proved to be a mistake, a small one. however. Fortv feet 



