THE PECAN. 



ATTRIBUTES, CULTURE, VARIETIES, POSSIBILITIES. 



HE PECAN {Hicoria Peca?t ; bet- 

 ter known as Carya olivcefor- 

 mis) is a tall, symmetrical tree 

 closely resembling the true 

 hickories. It grows to a height 

 of seventy-five to one hundred 

 and fifty feet, and has a beau- 

 tiful, rather slender form. 

 The trunk is straight, and 

 the lower branches are from 



ten to forty feet from the ground, depending upon 

 the surroundings, or the manner in which the 

 tree is trimmed. The foliage is rich, dark green in 

 color, while the bark of the stem and the older 

 branches is brownish black. The nuts, which are 

 produced in large quantities, are borne at the ex- 

 tremities of the new shoots ; the staminate flowers, 

 however, appear at the ends of the shoots produced 

 the preceding year. The foliage and a cluster of 

 pistillate or fertile flowers are seen in Fig. i. 



In some respects the pecan occupies an intermediate 

 position between the hickories and the walnuts, since 

 some of its characteristics are similar to those peculiar 

 to the latter. For instance, its leaves are composed 

 of thirteen or fifteen leaflets, the native walnuts 

 having fifteen to twenty-three, and the true hickories 

 from five to eleven only. Again, its sterile catkins are 

 not at all united, or only slightly at the base, as in the 

 walnuts. But it plainly resembles the hickories in hav- 

 ing four divisions of the exocarp or husk of the fruit, 

 and by having three catkins instead of one. Another 

 interesting feature of the pecan is found in the fact that 

 the partition which divides the nut into two principal 

 cells has a bitter and astringent taste, as in the pig-nut, 

 while the large and sweet kernel is very much like that 

 found in the shell-bark hickory. The differences be- 

 tween these two genera, hicorya and juglans, are but 

 slight, and geological records indicate their common 

 origin. 



The pecan is native to the southern states and to 

 Mexico, being particularly abundant in Texas. But it 

 is found growing wild as far north as southern Iowa, 

 Illinois and Indiana. Many years ago some nuts were 

 planted in Maryland, and now some of the finest trees in 

 the Union may be found growing in that state. Florida 

 also is producing pecans that have gained an enviable 

 reputation. In fact, this tree will grow readily in all the 

 southern states, provided it is grown under proper condi- 

 tions. Many young groves testify to its adaptability to 

 the eastern as well as the western sections of the south. 



California now has its thriving groves, and by careful 

 selection of seed the northern limit could undoubtedly 

 be extended. 



The tree grows to perfection along the bottom lands. 

 Here all the requirements for a luxuriant and healthy 

 growth are present. The soil is sufficiently deep for the 

 full development of the large tap-root, and also rich 

 enough to furnish plenty of food. Moisture is con- 

 tinually present, and thus there is no check to a steady 

 growth. These three conditions are essential, and no 

 one can expect success in pecan culture when any one of 

 them is absent. Land that naturally has a good growth 

 of oak or hickory will produce good pecans, for the 

 needs of these trees are about the same. Although the 

 pecan is not injured if the land is occasionally flooded 

 for a short period, still this is by no means necessary. 

 This tree can be drowned as well as many other kinds, 

 and drainage has proved to be decidedly beneficial. 

 But it is quickly affected by drought, and in making a 

 plantation a subsoil of coarse sand or gravel which is apt 

 to dry out should be avoided, as well as one of stiff clay 

 or hard-pan, since it is difficult for the tap-root to pene- 

 trate the latter, and a slow and unsatisfactory growth 

 will be made. A rather loose, moist subsoil must be 

 present. 



The character of the soil at the surface is not so im- 

 portant. Although the pecan is a ravenous feeder, any 

 defect in the food supply may usually be remedied by 

 proper cultivation and fertilizing. Sufficient humus 

 can be supplied by turning under some green manure 

 as cow-peas ; and commercial fertilizers will supply any 

 mineral elements that may be lacking. 



The pecan is generally propagated by seeds. Too 

 much care cannot be exercised in their selection, for 

 upon them depends the value of the grove. Unfortu- 

 nately this tree does not always come true from seed, 

 and this makes the selection difficult. The character of 

 the plant has a stronger tendency to reproduce itself than 

 the character of the individual nut, and this law should 

 be a guide in seed selection. In other words, an inferior 

 nut obtained from a tree that yields a high percentage of 

 good fruit is more valuable than a superior nut grown 

 upon a tree bearing mostly inferior fruit. Of course 

 there are exceptions to the rule, but nevertheless it is a 

 good one to follow. Again, the varieties of this tree 

 cross freely, so that a valuable tree from which nuts are 

 gathered for planting should be isolated from all inferior 

 trees if possible. If this is done and good, average nuts 

 are chosen, there is little danger that like will not pro- 

 duce like. The larger nuts, produced by a tree cannot be 

 so certainly depended upon for perpetuating the type. 



It is probable that before long, grafting will be largely 



