1254 



PECAN 



common orchard trees were rarely ! 

 opinion became prevalent that this species eoulil not be 

 biuiiled or grafted. Various devices for propagating 

 by layers, by upturned roots and root-cuttings were 

 suggested and tested at different times, but none of 

 these proved of permanent value. 



The Brst really successful wurk in ltiTi pr"|.,.LMlion 

 seems to have been by crown-i^Tiil'iin _ ' r - nks. 



This is most commonly pructi.-. d n i i 'in 



stocks in place, having a cri-»\vH <li: i I in'-h 



t„ ■_>,„. :i inrl,,-. The stock should i" i : ..IiIn 

 ;it ii i,>vi. .mi i^rafted either b> -i ■ i'li 



L^r.. : ■ . '■ 'I 111 size of stock. < l- : ■ ■ i , m:!! 



1.11.: ...|.;.;.. III. •, andthey should ill i. ..iii 



iliiii I Mi! -I '11 1-1' exposes the pith. In ili i - nn i liml 11.1 



wax is used, but the grafted stump is carefully iii.iun.li-.l 

 up with moist earth to the top bud of the ciou, ti> 

 prevent drying out. In the humid and mild climate of 

 tlie Gulf states, this is probably the most promising 

 method for the inexperienced amateur. Bench-splice 

 root-grafting on G-inch top sections of one-year-old seed- 

 lings has been fairly successful in some cases, but 

 grafts set on lower sections of root are not considered 

 worthy of planting out. Annular budding on the new 

 wood of second-year seedlings yields a considerable 

 proportion of success when favorable climatic condi- 

 tions prevail, but in unfavorable seasons, as of extreme 

 <lrought or heavy rainfall, it results in almost total fail- 

 ure even with expert operators. 



Top-working of the Pecan is generally difficult, only 

 a small percentage of success usually being obtained 



importance have us )et res 

 methods of pro])agation. 



The most promising results in tli.- t.i[i-\\ mliiiii,' of 

 Pecan trees that have yet been obtain. -.1 ;ir.- pr.ibubly 

 those of E. E. Risien, San Sab.i, T.x^is, wiio finds annu- 

 lar budding in June or July ..f -itriiii^' shoots of the 

 growth of the current seas.m th.- l..st method. An 

 abundant emp of such sli.mts is secure.! by cutting 

 back the till -i-.ir.lv in M.-m-li, using a cross-cut saw 



if necess.i . i. n s llj.i case on large trees. 



If the tn-. 1 i .1 I . link li;n-.l, the pushing of buds 

 is stimul.-.i. i in inn kinu the b;.rk of the stubbed trunk 



PECAN 



ami branches with a hatchet. The budding is done 

 when the shoots attain the size of an ordinary lead pen- 

 cil. Budding done on dry days is found to yield much 

 the best results, especially if followeil by several days 

 of dry weather. The cions must be thoroughly pro- 

 tected against drying out between removal from the 

 tree and budding, however; and the "tying in," for 

 which strips of old cotton cloth are used in preference 

 to stronger material, must be thoroughly done, to insure 

 success. When all conditions are favorable, thrifty 

 sepflHnir trees are 'luiekly transformed to choice varie- 

 ties in tills way. iin.i b. ;,'iii to bear good crops within 

 ihr.-n lit- limr \i-ar-s al'lir the operation is performed. 

 I'Il,'. Kl'.M slmws smii a Ir. .■ during the fourth season 

 afi.r liu.i.liny. The tin guards about the trunks arc 

 f.iiinil n.'.Mssary in that section to protect both young 

 nuts ami tender shoots from destruction by squirrels 



Distil iin-, Method of Planting , and Cultivation. — From 

 its large size it is clear that the Pecan should not be 

 crowded. Most of the orchards planted have been at 

 distances of 40 or 50 feet, but experience would indicate 

 that GO feet is a safer distance. Where seedling trees 

 are depended upon it is probably advisable to plant 

 closer together on the start, with a view to cutting 

 out the trees bearing inferior nuts as soon as their true 

 character is discovered. As at least half of the seed- 

 lings of any given lot may be expected to yield nuts very 

 much inferior in size to the seed planted, it is probably 

 wise to plant about double the number that are desired 

 as permanent trees. The subsequent thinning out will 

 leave the trees irregularly placed, but until bud propa- 

 gation of the species, both in nursery and orchard, is 

 better understood and more successfully done than at 

 present this is probably the safest and most economi- 

 cal method for the orchard planter to adopt. In the 

 earlier days many planters advocated and practiced 

 planting the nuts where the trees were to remain in the 

 orchard, usually planting two or three in a place to in- 

 sure a "stand." The difficulty of protecting the young 

 trees from injury and the consequent uneven character 

 of the orchards have caused most of the later plantings 

 to be made from the nursery row at the age of one or 

 two years. If planted on strong and well-prepared soil 

 to insttre a vigorous growth the first season after re- 

 moval to the orchard, one-year-old trees are probably 

 preferable. The tap-root of the one-year-old Pecan tree 

 is usually two or three times as long as the top, and 

 more care in digging from the nursery rows is neces- 

 sary than with mo.st trees. No harm will result from 

 a moderate shortening-in of the tap-root, however. In 

 fact, the tree is probably benefited by the more spread- 

 ing root system that results from this practice. 



If the nuts are to be planted either in nursery row or 

 orchard they should, if of valuable varieties, be stratified 

 in sand during the winter and planted out as early in 

 spring as the ground can be worked. If of common 

 snrts ,>r in ^■L'i..ns wlii-n- mice and s,|nirr,-ls do not 

 alii.niiil. ll.nN iii:n. -all 1\ Im nianhil 111 v,i II ilrained soil 

 linl.ii.. , ini. I . : I in. ni 1. , . : . ., i. atinu wlll 



"-'111! . m:.. . n • ... ... .... :, strong 



an, I M.....r.i.n ..... . '1. ■' . ill ' ■ :. ..i. -Iimilil be left 



Un.lnnn. IliL-i: liniinii ... i. i n 1. ist Caslly dOUB 



w,-ll-rutted stable ni 

 aide nitrogen. Muel 

 iwth of both root am 



be thoroughly 

 il.l be well fer- 

 sniiii fertilizer 

 , ni on securing 

 li. ~i y.:ir after 

 n nuitivate and 

 ujured by crop- 

 " or five years, 

 s, like crimson 

 wed in. After 

 I, cultivation is 



piUg with oriln . . . 1 . . . .1 iiiin 



especially it" . ' i in[ 



clover, cow pna ■■<■ \<l\il In an. am pi. 



trees reach maturity in tlirifty conditioi 

 probably less important, though some of the most pro- 

 ductive trees reported are in fields regularly planted 

 with cultivated crops. 



ffarvesting and Marketing. — The common method of 

 harvesting is to gather the nuts at intervals of a few 

 days as they fall, sometimes hastening the dropping by 

 beating the bunches lightly with bamboo or other light 



