1S4 



J. STECKLER SEED CO., LTD., AT.MANC AND 



Christmas Tt*e@s 



AND 



ORNAMENTS. 



We beg to notify our many patrons that 

 we carry the largest stock of Christmas 

 Trees of any house in the South. Prices 

 ranging from 50 cents to $10.00. Trees 

 averaging from 4 to 25 feet, of the finest 

 Spruce Pine. Also Holders for same, as 

 well as all the necessary ornaments, gold 

 and silver Tinsel, Candles, etc. Send in 

 your orders early next season. Trees on 

 hand from December 15th. 



Upland and l/owland Seed Rice.— 

 These are the only varieties for our South- 

 ern soil. Genuine Imported Honduras 

 Seed Rice, 75c. per peck; $2.50 per bushel 

 $6.00 per barrel. 



Imported Choice Carolina Seed Rice, 

 73c. per peck; $2.50 per bushel; $13.00 per 

 barrel. 



Galbreath's Pecan Tree Budder. 



Price, $3.75. 



!Letter on Pecan Culture. 



The tree3, as far as my observation goes, are 

 subject to no disease, and have but few insect 

 pests to contend with. They will' grow in almost 

 any soil, on high or low land, no cultivation, no 

 draining, no pruning required. The reverse of all 

 this is true of the orange; yet how many have 

 spent much money in trying to establish orange 

 groves, and so few to pfant pecan trees. The re- 

 turns from the first so uncertain, from the last 

 absolutely sure. 



The pecan nut tree, "Yuglans Carya Olivrefor- 

 mis," grows wild in many of the Southern States, 

 and is said "to be indigenous along the Missis- 

 sippi river as far north as Southern Iowa." 



The bulk of the nuts on the market are from 

 wild self-sown trees. Prices vary from 5c. to 50c. 

 per pound, showing conclusively there is a great 

 difference in quality. The rich, sweet, oily nuts of 

 thin shell and large size are the best. I have some 

 now before me, some small ones, X of an inch 

 loner by % of an inch in diameter, and others 1}£ 

 ittch in diameter by 2% inches long. These last 

 are ten times the value of the first, because of 

 superior quality, thin shell and large size. These 

 nuts are all from self-sown trees. The yield from 

 full grown trees varies from one to seven barrels, 

 weighing 100 peunds per barrel. 



In no other class of wild fruit or nut trees is 

 there a greater chance for improvement, or rather 

 so great an improvement so easily effected. "We 

 have only to select the best sorts nature has pro- 

 vided, and bud or graft them on the common kinds. 



The most successful method is by "annular bud- 

 ding." It may be done any time from the end of 

 May up to the first part of August, varying as sea- 

 sons and the localities differ, the earlier it can be 

 done the better. 



With a sharp budding knife make two cuts com- 

 pletely around the stock about one inch apart, cut 

 only through the bark, cut from the top circle to 

 the lower one a straight cut down, now slip off 

 from the stock this piece of bark which is to be 

 used as a pattern, that is, place it around the scion 

 (or piece of branch on which are the buds you 

 wish to use,) covering a well developed eye; make 

 the same cut as before on the scion, throw the first 

 piece of bark away, fit the last piece from the 

 scion to its place on the stock, wrap firmly (leav- 

 ing the eye uncovered) with was cotton, bass, or 

 like soft material. To have the buds fit well the 

 scion should be as large or larger than the stock. 

 If the operation is well done the buds will start in 

 about fifteen days ; when the buds have taken well 

 take off the ties and cut back the stock to within 

 six inches of the bud. When they have grown out 

 a foot or more, cut back again to within a half inch 

 of the bud. Thereafter allow nothing but the bud 

 to grow. Pecan trees may be grafted in the ordi- 

 nary way, bat I have never succeeded in budding 

 them by the common method. 



Budding or grafting will cause the trees to come 

 into bearing much earlier than from seed to pro- 

 duce more regular and more abundant crops, be- 

 sides perpetuating the improved kinds, which is 

 the most important, as as they do not always come 

 true from seed. 



Pecan seedlings Cshould be transplanted soon 

 after the leaves fall; it must be done before they 

 start growing in the spring. As they grow to be 

 large trees, they must be planted from fifty to sev- 

 enty feet apart. Though on sandy poor land they 

 may be planted closer. Keep down the weeds 

 from aiound the young trees for the first year or 

 two; afterwards they will take care of them- 

 selves. 



I wish to impress the farmers with the im- 

 portance of planting only the very best and finest 

 nuts obtainable. To bear in mind the fact that the 

 tendency of such seedling is not toward an im- 

 provement on, but towards a kind inferior to the 

 parent tree. That some only, even of the best 

 selected nuts, reproduce their kind. (It is said 

 about sixty per cent, of the seedlings from good 

 nuts produce good fruit.) That there is no way to 

 select the best of such seedlings but by waiting 

 until they fruit, which may be eight to fifteen 

 years 



Now, as there are many advertisements of 

 "Large Soft Shelled Pecans" for sale for seed. I 

 would advise all buyers to be very particular as to 

 the source from whence they get their nuts or 

 planting, otherwise they will certainly be disap- 

 pointed in results, and incur an irreparable loss 

 of years of time. 



It is best to raise trees in nursery before plant- 

 ing in orchard. Plant the nuts in rows three or 

 four feet apart, drop the nuts in the row, sow four 

 inches from each other, cover two inches deep, 

 and keep the ground clear of grass and weeds. 

 The seed may be planted any time after the nuts 

 ripen until growth starts in the spring. When 

 two years old the seedlings may be easily and 

 safely transplanted to the orchard. 



In my opinion the transplanting of the trees 

 while young is advantageous, inasmuch as it causes 

 them to make a more spreading head, and to come 

 earlier into bearing. 



In adopting for propagation the three kinds 

 which, on our joint investigation, we concluded to 

 be the best, I have named them the "Frotscher,'' 

 "Rome" and "Centennial." As you know, they 

 are phenomenal in size, thin shell, of rich, sweet 

 quality and finest flavor. 



That you have made a long step toward improve- 

 ment by selecting only such nuts as these for 

 seed, cannot be disputed; but as they do not al- 

 wavs come true from seed, perpetuating the good 

 kinds can best be done by budding or grafting 

 Yours respectfully, WM. NELSON. 



