SOME QUESTIONS ANSW^.vuu IN REGARD TO PECAN TREES 
e with 
wo would be healthier and live longer. Under this 
ulus the demand for nuts is more than keeping- pace with 
the increasing supply. As prices diminish, which tl^ey 
wiil, nuts will gradually take their place as an article of 
diet as standard as potatoes or flour or beefsteak. The 
present price of nuts may be reduced one-half and still 
there will remain a good profit to the grower of pecans. 
ITS HARDINESS. 
I have never known a pecan tree to be blown down 
by storms, except in the sandy lands of the coast section 
where they are unusually severe. Its root system is 
strong and deep. Sometimes the limbs are broken off by 
winds ; but this does not occur more frequently than with 
tli« oak or the hickory. 
Near Cairo there is a pecan tree probably seventy-five 
years old, which has three times been struck by lighten- 
ing; but it still lives and bears its normal crops of nutg. 
During all my experience I have never had trees dam- 
aged to any extent by frosts. Beginning to grow late i,i 
the spring, they run little risk from tliis source. 
ENEMIES. 
The pecan has its enemies; else it would be an excep- 
tion to every other tree and plant in the world. But these 
eneipies are not more serious than those that confront the 
grower of the^ peach, the pear, the apple or the orange. 
ny.ixaii|*r^^o f^Ms attention; and with this intelligently 
applied, n?» great harm will result. 
The mole serious of these pests are here given. But 
first let it be said that no scale insects have seriously 
affeet-ed the pecan. 
THE FALL WEB WORM— Remove and destroy these 
webs as they appear. 
THE GIRDLER.— This insect cuts off the ends o? (he 
twigs in autumn. Gather up and burn the twigs, which 
contain the larvae of the girdler. 
THE BORER.— It occasionally gets into the body o( 
the tree. Cut out with knife; or inject a few drops of 
carbon bisulphide into its hole and stop up with wax. 
BUD WORMS., case bearers, and the like sometimes 
give trouble. These may be controlled by spraying with 
some arsenate. If left alone they will take moderate 
toll. Nature's checks may be depended upon to hold them 
in reasonable bounds. 
SQUIRRELS. — Use your gun, or surround the tree 
with a girdle of tin which prevents them from reaching 
the nuts. 
30SETTE. — This causes the twigs to die back in au- 
. Some varieties are quite subject to rosette, while 
others appear to be almost or quite immune. Set immune 
varieties. Limo and potash are to some extent specifics 
for this trouble. Keep soil well supplied witii humus and 
rosette will not bother much. 
SCAB. — A serious pest particularly on seedling trees, 
and on an occasional named variety. Top work or cut 
down seedlings which scab badly; and avoid setting nam- 
ed varieties which are seriously affected. Any honest 
nurseryman will advise you w\a.t varieties to avoid. Bet- 
ter still, observe those in your section which' are serious- 
■% Jyjaff ected with rosette or scab, and avoid these when 
'^fclfcg trees. 
REPRODUCING TBUE. 
Will the pecan reproduce true from seed? Captain 
S. H. Jam«s, of Louisiana, who has one of the oldest 
bearing pecan orchards in the world, in discussing this 
subject at the New Orleans convention of the National 
Nut Growers' Association, said: "Absolutely no per cent, 
will reproduce true from seed" ; and growers of wide ob- 
servation think he is about right. Here, too, the tree 
peddler dissents, and has wonderful stories to tell of how 
he makes his seedlings come true. Believe nim if you bke : 
but if you do, there are years of disappointment ahe^ 
of you. 
The only possible way to get trees that will produce a 
specified variety is to set budded or grafted trees of the 
desired kind. Setting these, you cau rest assui-ed of the. 
results. With seedlings you do not know what you 
will get, nor when you will get it. In rare cases a seedling 
tree will bear as good or even a better nut than the one 
from which it grew; but in almost every case it is in- 
ferior to the parent nut. 
SEEDLINGS VS. BUDS AND GRAFTS. 
It is better to set seedlings than no pecans at all; but 
from every standpoint, save that of first cost, the budded 
or grafted tree is preferable. The latter are as strong 
and healthy as the seedling and have shown no points of 
inferiority to it. In productiveness and quality, they far 
surpass the average seedling. No one thinks of putting 
out seedling apples or peaches in a commercial orchard ; 
and the same is now true in regard to pecans. 
INTER-CROPPING. 
All pecan groves should have some crop growin- 
among the trees. Among the best for this purpose are 
cotton, peas, velvet beans, soy beans, potatoes, and trucl: 
crops. Corn is not bad ; but small grain should be iiWid- '*^ 
ed. When trees are young no crop should be planted toc> 
near theui, but a space of from three to six feet, should 
be left around each tree, which space should We care- 
fully cultivated with plows or hoes. Wliea they are older 
they will take care of themselves so far as the distance 
of the crop is concerned. All crops growing among pecan 
trees should be highly fertilized. The trees will got their 
share of this. 
DISTANCE. 
On good land (and no other should be used for pe- 
canr-) the trees should be set no! nearer than 50 feet 
apart, and 60 feet will prove better. In the end even a 
greater distance than the latter may be better. 
VARIETIES." 
No one variety is best adapted to iiU sections; but 
among the multiplicity of varieties, a number will be found 
which will do well in any part of the pecan belt. A dis- 
cussion of the different varieties is not here attempted. 
The best criterion by which to go, is to note those which 
are doing well in your own or in a similar section, and 
then set these. Most pecan nurserymen are able and 
willing to give valuable information on this subject. In 
the absence of reliable information, write to your State 
Experiment Station for advice. 
THE PECAN AREA. 
In a general way pecans may be more or less success- 
