38 Pecan-Growing 



the nuts are planted and well mixed with the soil by running 

 a plow through the furrows. 



If the young seedlings show a lack of thrift in the late 

 spring, one or two applications of a nitrogenous fertilizer 

 may be given. From 75 to 100 pounds to the acre of sulfate 

 of ammonia or nitrate of soda at each time will be sufficient. 

 When two applications are needed, the first should be given 

 about the middle of May, and the other about the middle of 

 June. If only one side application is required, it should be 

 given about the first of June. Early the second spring after 

 the nuts have been planted, that is in the early spring after 

 the young trees have had one season's growth and each spring 

 thereafter as long as they stand in the nursery, from 500 to 

 1,000 pounds to the acre of the same grade of fertilizer as was 

 used before the nuts were planted should be given the young 

 trees, applied between the rows and stirred into the soil with 

 any convenient cultivator. 



The pecan nuts may be planted in the fall soon after they 

 are harvested, or they may be stratified and held until late 

 winter or early spring. In stratifying nuts, they are packed 

 in sand and kept in a dark cool moist place, where they can 

 be protected against rodents and excessive moisture until time 

 to plant. On overflow lands or in the northern part of the 

 pecan belt it may be advisable to stratify the nuts and hold 

 them for spring planting. However, in the lower South it is 

 best to plant in the late fall or early winter so that the nuts 

 may have time to absorb moisture and be in readiness to 

 germinate in the early spring as soon as the soil becomes suffi- 

 ciently warm to start growth. "When plantings are made in 

 spring, weather conditions are likely to be unfavorable for 

 field work and delay plantings to such an extent that some of 



