Geography and Commercial Importance of the Pecan 7 



A comparison of the eighty-one counties in the western 

 belt with eighty-one pecan-prodncing counties east of the line 

 will give some idea of the great adaptability of the former 

 to pecan-growing. The altitude in the main producing area 

 east of the line ranges from about 50 feet to near 800, and the 

 rainfall from 35 to 50 inches. (1) There are no counties east 

 of the line that produce over 200,000 pounds. (2) There are 

 twenty-six counties west of the line that show a production 

 of over 200,000 pounds, one of which yielded 1,290,000 pounds. 

 (3) The total output of the eastern counties was 3,359,729 

 pounds, while that of the counties west of the line was 13,432,^ 

 714 pounds. The census report gives considerably more native 

 trees west of the line than east. Undoubtedly this apparent 

 difference is greatly exaggerated, because many persons in 

 eastern Texas fail to report their native trees as they do not 

 consider them of any commercial value. There is little doubt 

 also that the total of native trees given in the census report is 

 far below the actual number to be found in the state. For 

 example, the census report gives only 1,412 trees for Brazos 

 County, though 14,000 would be more nearly correct. Even 

 the total yield of nuts as sho^m by the census report is far 

 below the actual production because of the very crude way 

 of gathering the pecans. 



In Texas, the type of the native pecan seedling varies with 

 the altitude and rainfall. Along the streams near the coast 

 where the altitude is low, only a few feet above the sea level, 

 and where the rainfall is hea^y, often exceeding 50 inches, 

 the tree is tall and slender in comparison with the spread of 

 its top. The bark is smooth and light in color. The branches 

 are few, strong, and straight, and the foliage thick and heavy. 

 Crop failures are frequent and the nuts are small. In regions 



