is not necessary in the pecan. All that is
needed is to cover the pistillate blossoms with a sack until they are
matured. At this time the inner or stigmatic surfaces of the pistils
will be exposed and ready for the pollen. The pollen, collected from
adjoining trees in bloom or brought from a distance, can then be placed
upon the stigmas and the sack replaced. When the fruit is set, the paper
sack should be replaced by one of mosquito netting. Some careful work
has already been done along this line, and it is hoped that many more
will take up the work. Much yet remains to be desired, and varieties may
be better adapted to different sections. The ideal, large, full-meated,
thin-shelled, prolific and precocious variety of pecan has not yet been
brought forward. It may be accidentally discovered; it may be produced
and can be produced by systematic, painstaking work in breeding. It is
hoped that the number of workers in this inviting field may be
increased. Some may be deterred by the fact that it will take the
seedlings so long to come into bearing. But scions may be taken from the
seedlings raised from cross-bred nuts, top-worked on large trees, and
fruit could be obtained in many cases in a period not exceeding five or
six years from the seed. Those which would not produce fruit in six
years in this way might perhaps as well be discarded.

PART II.

Varieties.

CHAPTER IV.

VARIETIES OF PECANS.

While the list of varieties of pecans is comparatively small, yet a
surprisingly large number of names has been used. The attempt has been
made to collect all the names which have appeared in different
publications. These have presumably all been applied to some pecan at
some time or other, but many of them have never been propagated by
budding or grafting and a very large proportion of them have been lost
track of entirely. In short, they are now represented by names only.
However, they are all given, for the reason that it would be well not to
apply any of these names to other varieties. It might be well to
emphasize the fact that many meritorious varieties would be the better
for re-naming.

In the original descriptions, it will be noted that the thickness of the
shell is given in millimeters. A piece of the shell about the center of
the side covering the back of the half kernels, was accurately measured.
These measurements must not be regarded as absolute, but they are
comparative. All nut illustrations