THE ALABAMA OPPORTUNITY. 95 



might do in other sections of the country, but with our cHmatc 

 and with our soil the trees grow bigger and more room is de- 

 manded. The trees I have planted since then I have planted 

 fifty feet apart." 



THE OLD ORCHARD. 



The fifty acres which comprise the old orchard were all 

 planted in 1893. ^o^ seven years I cultivated the ground by 

 the side of the young trees. The cultivation of the ground 1 

 found was of material benefit to the young trees. I looked, 

 too, after the fertilization of the trees. The best fertilizer is' 

 undoubtedly dried blood placed at the roots of the trees. 

 This is difficult to obtain, however, and I was able to get some 

 for only a few years. I have since used as tree fertilizers 

 bone dust and cotton seed meal and from these I have g-otten 

 good results. 



"The trees' demand no care. Any growing thing, does better 

 for a little attention. I give the water oaks on my lawn some 

 care and attendance and they are all the better for it. This is 

 true of the pecan trees." 



"The chief thing demanded by pecan culture is patience. 

 My trees were eight years of age before they began bearing. 

 A man has to be well supplied with patience to wait 

 eight years for the first crop. Still it is to be remembered that 

 the ground underneath can be cultivated until the trees begin 

 bearing, and even later to the advantage of the trees, if their 

 foliage did not so shade the ground that a full crop cannot be 

 grown. 



"There are many advantages to the growing of pecans. In 

 the first place the trees are not tender and sickly like the average 

 fruit tree. They are so hardy and vigorous that the death of 

 one of them is rare enough to be remarkable. The tree is 

 sometimes troubled by the insect known as the "sawbug," an 

 insect that goes industriously to work Sawing off some of the 

 limbs. The "sawbug" at his worst, however, is never a serious 

 menace to the life of the tree and in a small wav only does it 

 affect the tree's yield. 



THE HARDY TREE. 



"Last year when my trees were eleven years old some of the 

 best trees bore each a bushel. This year I expect the vield to 



