The Pecan 
A Paper Read Belore Ihe Georgia State Agricultural Society 
Statesboro, Aug. 8tb, 1917, 
BY J. B. WIGHT 
>-«^»( 
The last ten years hav seen stress laid on two things that mean 
probably more for the material prosperity of our farmers tlian any simi 
lar introductions made to the agricultural world during the last half 
century. One of these is the velvet bean; the other the pecan. As a 
leguminous crop which is easily grown, and the yielder of a feed for 
farm animals of almost incalculable value, the velvet bean easily 
ranks in value with the cowpea; and in some sections is even superior 
1o it. On many farms it is proving to l)e the deciding factor betweec 
profitable and unprofitable agriculture. Suffice it to say t!ie velvet 
bean will not in the future play second fiddle in the farming operations 
of Georgia. 
The pecan is also coming to the front. A forest tree, attractive 
as a shade tree, easily grown, subject to few diseases, and the yielder 
of a nut which ranks above all others in food value, it easily 
stands at the head of the list, in the quality and value of its product. 
A thousand pounds uf pork properly cured would be a modest es- 
timate of the" requirements of the average family for a year. A thous- 
and pounds of pecan nuts will furnish fully as much nourishment as 
the same quantity of pork, and in a form much more healthful, cleanly 
and easily digested. And I know whcicof I speak when I say that for 
the average home where there is ro )m to set a dozen or two doztm trees 
about the premises, a thousand pounds of pecans are more easily pro- 
duced than a thoussind pounds of poi-k. Furthermore the farm that 
grows the nuts has its actual as well as aesthetic value enhanced there- 
by; while the hog at best is a necessary eye-sore that must be endured. 
We arc a meat eating people. The flesh pols appeal to us. But 
sometime we will learn that there is too much high blood pressure and 
arterio sclerosis and rlKHimatism and the like, all of which are charge- 
