THE NATIQNAL NURSERYMAN 
47 
pecan trees from 20 to 40 years of age now bearing undesir¬ 
able nuts to continue in this unprofitable condition. 
On a recent visit to Georgia, I was much interested in 
examining the work of an expert in top-working a number 
of seedling trees. Some of them were top-budded by the 
annular or ring method, others saddle-grafted, others cleft- 
grafted, and others whip-grafted. The budding method 
seemed to work well on stocks an inch or two inches in 
diameter. The cleft-graft method was satisfactorily 
applied to stocks running up to 3 inches and greater in 
diameter, while the saddle and whip-graft methods were 
best adapted to the smaller stocks or branches. Success is 
largely in proportion to the care exercised in making the 
union, and also dependent upon the condition of the scion 
and stock. Both should be dormant. As in grafting 
stone fruits it is possible to have 
some growth on the stock, but it is 
absolutely essential that the scion 
be dormant. 
It is remarkable how quickly 
an entire top can be changed from 
one variety to another. In one 
case I had the opportunity of 
photographing a 15-year old tree 
after it was grafted in April, 1906. 
The following year just a few days 
past the anniversary of my first 
visit, I was again in this orchard 
and photographed the same tree. 
I was perfectly astonished at the 
extraordinary growth which had 
taken place in the interim. A 
growth of from 4 to 8 feet was not 
at all uncommon, and yet it did not 
appear sappy or unhealthy. I also 
was able to secure photographs of 
3-year old top-worked wood bear¬ 
ing catkins, suggesting the early 
development of fruit buds in the 
top-worked tree. 
Some of the principles involved in successful top-working 
are that the operator should leave a few of the old branches 
on the tree to carry off the excess sap and prevent a con¬ 
gested or dropsical condition. Leaving these original 
branches will also have the effect of checking a too vigorous 
growth.- In other words, they act in a general way as a 
regulator. The grafts inserted grow up, become established 
and the following year the nurse branches left on may be re¬ 
moved. It is very important in cutting these off to cut 
close to the main body or stem and also very important 
that the wound should be immediately protected with 
paint, grafting wax, or tar. I prefer the paint and grafting 
wax to the darker colored mixtures. 
Just as in the East many of our most productive apples 
in the older orcharding sections at the present day are 
those that were stock or top-grafted by the itinerant grafter 
a half a century or more ago, so I believe that many of these 
seedlings pecans around the homesteads of the South will 
be rendered profitable and desirable by the working into 
A well grown nursery tree in two years. 
them of some of the newer and more desirable thin shelled 
nuts of present day cultivation. J. C. 
SOME OBSERVATIONS BASED ON THIRTY YEARS’ 
EXPERIENCE IN PECAN GROWING. 
S. H. James, Mound, La. 
It has been just thirty years ago this coming February 
since I planted my first pecan trees.' I was the first person 
in the United States to plant a very large pecan grove, and I 
am now in a position to know a little bit about pecans. My 
grove consists of a little more than a hundred acres, and 
something over a thousand trees, many of which are budded 
and grafted. It is located in the Misissippi Valley,just twelve 
miles west of Vicksburg, Miss., near where President Roose¬ 
velt had his bear hunt last fall. After going over the whole 
South, Professor Van Deman chose 
this section as the finest to plant his 
large pecan grove some four years 
ago. 
I have been searching all my 
life for a variety of pecan that 
would ripen extra early, that would 
bear heavily on young trees, that 
would bear heavily nearly every 
year, that was a vigorous grower, 
that was large enough to sell well 
upon the market, the kernel of 
which would come out whole and 
that was rich enough in flavor to 
meet the popular fancy, and I have 
found just one variety that would 
fill the bill, and that is Money¬ 
maker. I learned how to bud and 
graft the pecan many years ago, 
and have tested nearly every varie¬ 
ty as it came out. Mr. Hugh 
Lacey of Vicksburg, Miss., one of 
the most expert pecan propagators 
in the South and who has a large 
budded pecan grove, writes me: “I 
have tested Moneymaker thoroughly for many years, and 
find it the heaviest bearer of all pecans. I had a five year 
old bud last fall that bore nearly half a bushel.” Professor 
Van Deman wrote of Moneymaker in R. N. Y. for April 8th, 
1905, ‘‘The Moneymaker began to bear at an early age, and 
has continued to bear heavy crops, almost every year since. 
I have seen it several times,and always well loaded with nuts 
excepting once, also younger trees. They are almost equal 
to the largest in size, roundish ovate in shape, thin shell, 
kernel plump, and comes out of shell easily. The quality is 
good, but not the best. The tree is spreading, the wood is 
tough, and is propagated more easily than other varieties. 
The nuts ripen very early, which is very important for 
Northern sections. For general market purposes Money¬ 
maker is one of the best nuts to plant. Mr. Ben Buckman 
of Farmingdale, Ill., writes me: ‘‘Moneymaker has stood 
25 degrees below zero here, with no more injury than a 
Keiffer pear.” 
After Moneymaker, Carman is my most prolific bearer. 
