Saint Mary Nurseries 
Nut Trees 
autumn. December and January are good months, though the planting season may be continued 
through February or even March if there is good moisture in the soil. In planting, it will always be 
found best to set trees of good size, provided they are vigorous and thrifty. Preference should be 
given to trees of 4 to 5 and 5 to 7 feet grades, as they will give better satisfaction than smaller sizes. 
The ground should be carefully staked out, a stake being set for each tree. The holes should 
be dug wide and deep. In planting the trees, set them at the same depth as they stood in the nursery 
rows. Pack the earth close and tight around the roots with the hands. The roots must be well covered 
with damp sacks or burlap to keep them from the sun and wind. Any broken roots should be cut 
back or cut off before planting. The tops of young trees need not be cut back, but trees grading 
4 to 5 feet and up should have the tops cut. 
Cultivation 
The best cultivation for a Pecan tree does 
not differ materially from that given other kinds 
of fruit trees. The orchard should be plowed 
during winter. Cultivation should begin early 
in spring before growth starts and should con¬ 
tinue at intervals of a week or ten days until 
about the first of July, when cultivation may¬ 
be discontinued. If the land is planted in truck 
or farm crops there should be a strip of 5 or 
6 feet on each side of the tree rows left unplanted. 
This strip should be cultivated regularly, to 
conserve moisture and keep the trees in good 
growing condition. In six to eight years after 
planting, the trees will begin to bear light crops, 
and by ten years they should be yielding fairly 
well. After this, it is doubtful whether it is good 
practice to continue cropping the land, both 
because the trees need the land and because the 
shade cast by them will interfere with the 
crops. Indeed, cropping may have to cease 
earlier, particularly if the trees are closely 
planted. Crops of cowpeas, beggarweed or other 
legumes should be grown from time to time and 
turned into the land. A good fertilizer for young 
trees is one containing about 4 per cent nitrogen 
and 6 or 7 per cent each of phosphoric acid and 
potash. For bearing trees increase the potash 
to about 10 percent. Stable manure and wood- 
ashes can also be used to advantage. 
Marketing Pecans 
The Pecan crop should be harvested as soon as a majority of the burs are open, showing the 
nuts. The trees should be stripped of their crop at one picking. After gathering, remove the husks 
and spread out in shallow trays in the sun to dry'. They should be removed to a well-ventilated 
storage room at night. It will take several day's of drying, out-of-doors and in the house, before they 
are ready to pack. The variety should form the basis of the grade. If irregular in size, they should be 
screened and divided into different sizes. 
At the present time practically all the Pecans of improved varieties are sold to a private trade. 
Hardly any of them as yet find their way into the general market, as the supply' is so far short of the 
demand. For quantity shipments, good clean barrels are best; for smaller packages, neat wooden or 
corrugated paper boxes are most satisfactory. 
PRICES ON BUDDED PECANS. Each Per 10 100 1,000 
2 to 3 feet.$0 80 57 50 $70 00 $650 00 
3 to 4 feet. 90 8 50 80 00 700 00 
4 to 5 feet. 1 10 10 00 90 00 850 00 
5 to 7 feet. . 1 50 12 50 120 00 
Four-year Schley Pecan Tree 
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