SMITH BROS. NURSERY CO. 
Pecans 
Provide 
Profit 
and 
Pleasure 
N ut trees, especially Pecans, make good shade trees, and yield wholesome, delicious 
food. Everybody likes, wants, and plants shade trees. Usually oaks, maples, and the 
like are used, and are excellent for the purpose, but they provide nothing but leaves. 
The time is coming, some day, when people will plant shade trees with a view to something 
more than mere shade; instead of planting mere trees they will sense the wisdom of planting 
nut trees which yield both pleasure and profit. 
There are about 3,000,000 home-owners in the Pecan-growing area who do not have a 
single tree. There should be a few of these at every home, in the field, yard, garden, or waste 
places. They make fine shade trees, and bear fruit that is profitable and enjoyable to all. A 
few good Pecan trees in full bearing will pay taxes and insurance on an ordinary home. They 
supply delicious and wholesome food for the entire family, as well as cooling shade. 
Pecans should be set 60 by 60 to 80 by 80 
feet, depending on soil conditions. It is a 
mi.stake to plant Pecan or any other nut or 
fruit trees so they will be crowded in a few 
years. 
There are many methods of planting 
Pecan trees, but the one we consider the 
best, of moderate cost and for practical pur¬ 
poses, is as follows: Dig a hole 3 feet across 
and 10 inches deep; in the center of this dig 
or spade out to sufficient depth to accom¬ 
modate the tap-root; a post-hole digger will 
do for this. Set tree in this hole so that when 
planting is finished it will stand about same 
depth as in the nursery; fill in with fine soil 
and pour in water with it to settle well 
among the lateral roots. When the bottom 
of the 3-foot hole is reached, bring up soil 
over roots in a cone shape. Then put about 
two bushels of rotted stable manure in the 
3-foot opening around tree; cover all with 
soil, and bank up 6 inches high around tree, 
to counteract settling, prevent baking and to 
make culture easy. Planted this way there is 
no manure in contact with roots, but it will 
leach into the shallow opening. The tap¬ 
root of young Pecan trees is out of proportion 
to the top, but does not continue in that 
ratio, but becomes of less importance as the 
trees grow, and never goes deeper in the soil 
than do the oak, hickory, or other trees. 
Pecans have their main feeding roots near 
the surface, and are therefore easily fed by 
plowing in legume crops and broadcast 
fertilizers. 
It is not common to cut back Pecan trees 
in planting, but it helps them to live to do 
so, and the lower you cut the better they 
live. Rub off and keep off all sprouts except 
three or four at the top. When trees begin 
to grow, stir the ground around them with a 
hoe after every rain. After the first year, 
apply fertilizer liberally and plow in; don’t 
place it too close to tree, and get farther 
away each year. Clean culture is imperative. 
When trees come to bearing, clean culture in 
spring with legume crops in summer is correct. 
Pecan trees properly cared for will bear in 
three or four years, depending on variety. 
For bearing trees, 9-3-3 guano is excellent. 
STUART. Large to very large; shell of 
medium thickness and cracks well. A 
heavy bearer and good grower. 
SCHLEY. Medium to large; very thin shell 
with pointed ends; meat plump and of 
best flavor. 
WALNUTS 
JAPANESE. Juglans cordiformis. The 
best variety. Begins bearing in three to 
five years. It is a rank and vigorous grower, 
immensely productive, and makes an orna¬ 
mental as well as a good shade tree. Nuts 
are medium size, pointed, usually heart- 
shaped, and borne in clusters of ten or 
more; of excellent flavor and one of the 
most desirable of the entire nut family. 
Shells are rather hard, but by setting them 
on edge and not striking too hard they 
will break open in halves and the meat 
comes out whole. Perfectly hardy through 
the southern half of the United States. 
26 
