THE HICKORIES PECAN. 61 



for seed are in good demand at the present time, owing to the general interest felt 

 by planters within the probable area of its successful culture. With a confidence 

 that amounts to enthusiasm on the part of propagators, it is a matter of no 

 surprise that the price of choice pecans has been materially enhanced by the 

 increased demands. For planting, the more popular-named varieties readily sold 

 in the fall of 1891 and 1892 at from 50 cents to $1.50 per pound. The trade in 

 these nuts is mainly done by orders through the mails, much the same as the 

 retail trade in seeds and nursery business is carried on, and to a great extent by 

 the same persons. 



DESSERT PECANS. 



As a nut the pecan has for about a century been deservedly popular because of 

 the thinness of its shell, from which the large, full kernel is easily removed, and 

 because of the agreeable flavor and wholesome quality of its meat. A Frenchman 

 named De Courset, who served with Washington in 1782, left the record that "that 

 celebrated general always had his pockets full of these nuts, and that he was con- 

 tinually eating them." 



For dessert and confectionery purposes the nuts commonly found in the markets 

 are much smaller than those selected for seed. It is doubtful if many pecans of named 

 varieties have yet been sold for other than seed purposes, owing to the scarcity of 

 the choice varieties and the demand for them at high prices for planting. Of the 

 proportion of pecans that are consumed for dessert purposes as compared with other 

 nuts we have not been able to secure satisfactory data. The demand is believed to 

 be steadily increasing, and the pecan seems to be supplanting other nuts for many 

 uses. 



PECAN MEATS. 



The industry of preparing the kernels, or meats, of pecans for market, though 

 yet in its infancy, has assumed large proportions. It was begun by Mr. Koerber in 

 1884, and his books show that in 1887 he prepared 20,000 pounds, and in 1890 more 

 than 100,000 pounds. Formerly very few confectioners used pecan meats, being 

 unwilling to take the trouble to crack the nuts and pick them out. With a machine 

 especially constructed for cracking these nuts Mr. Koerber finds that pecan meats are 

 coming into general use. He thinks it will be but a short time before nut meats 

 will replace the whole nuts on hotel tables. Three pounds of nuts contain about 1 

 pound of meats. Pecan meats in halves sell at 45 to 50 cents per pound. Smaller 

 pieces of pecan meat sell at a lower price. 



NUT OIL. 



Louis Biediger writes: "As far as I know the small pecans have been sold every 

 year at from 2 to 3 cents per pound and sometimes as low as three-fourths to 1 cent 

 per pound. They are used for oil. I do not know the methods or the machinery used, 

 but I believe the process is much the same as that used for peanuts. I think it 

 would pay to establish mills to use up small pecans. I do not know the uses to 

 which it could be put, but I believe it would be first-class oil for table use. It would 

 probably be too expensive for illuminating, although for the latter purpose anyone 

 can satisfy himself of its superior quality.. A kernel when lighted will burn for some 

 time and make a clear, brilliant light. Crushed with the shells on the mast will make 

 acceptable hog feed, but the shells would be objectionable in the feed of neat cattle. 

 If some means could be devised for removing the shells before expressing the oil, the 

 mast would surpass either linseed or cotton-seed meal for feeding all animals. It 

 would be more healthful to milch cows and its flavor would materially improve the 

 butter." 



