Report of Standing Committee on Pecans 
W. W. Carroll. 
Mr. President f Ladies and Gentlemen : 
Owing to the fact that the prepon¬ 
derance of interests connected with the 
Florida State Horticultural Society are 
engaged in producing or planting out 
•citrus and other semi-tropical fruits, 
very few suggestions have come to 
your committee whose task it is to 
make a showing for the rapidly devel¬ 
oping and important pecan industry. 
Since no particular features have 
been urged for this committee’s consid¬ 
eration, a general report is offered, 
covering some of the points that may 
be of interest or use to those whom 
this report will reach. 
About 1,500 acres were set out last 
season in Jefferson county. Orchard 
planting is taking hold in Leon county 
and the northern tier of counties show 
an awakening of interest in pecan 
planting. 
The enemies of the pecan have not 
increased and those already known to 
us appear less formidable than they 
once did. Many now agree that “Ro¬ 
sette” is due to local conditions, such 
as soil-acidity, frost injury, soil pov¬ 
erty. The remedy for scab cannot as 
yet be definitely prescribed, but it is 
known that Bordeaux spray is to a con¬ 
siderable extent a preventive. Biting 
insects yield to arsenical sprays, and 
the twig-girdlers and husk worms are 
easily held in check by burning twigs, 
dead husks and trash accumulating un¬ 
der the trees. 
It is suggested that, while many 
plantings of pecan orchards on a large 
scale by promoting concerns give 
promise of successful issue, when prop¬ 
erly fortified with means and capable 
labor to carry out contracts, a very 
solid though different sort of develop¬ 
ment will result from arousing the in¬ 
terest of farmers to the point of setting 
out small pecan orchards as a part of 
a general scheme of diversification. 
The following suggestions are of¬ 
fered as rules for planting pecan trees: 
1. Select non-acid soil or correct 
acidity before, or soon after, planting. 
2. Prepare land thoroughly and 
keep in condition by growing farm 
crops or legumes between the rows. 
3. Dig holes of ample width and 
depth, and use two to three feet of tap¬ 
root. 
4. Use good trees bought of relia¬ 
ble nurserymen. 
5. Do not cut back trees unless six 
feet or more above ground. 
6. Puddle trees in clay mud and 
keep moist until set. 
7. Tamp earth well with rammer 
while filling holes, using top-soil to fill. 
