afest advice is to use
pecan stock only.

Too little attention on the part of propagators has been given to the
kind, source and quality of the seed used to raise stocks for
propagation work. The main object held in view in making a selection for
seed purposes is to get just as many nuts as possible in the pound. The
result of this policy is, that, without question, inferior seedlings are
often used for stock; they lack stamina and vigor. Frequently in a
nursery of budded or grafted stocks, or in a young pecan orchard, a wide
variation in the size and vigor of the trees can be noticed. No
satisfactory explanation has ever been offered, but there seems little
reason to doubt that it is due to the use of heterogenous lots of seed
for stock purposes. _The point must be emphasized, that greater care
should be exercised in the selection of the seed used in nursery work._
Nuts from rapid-growing, vigorous, healthy trees only should be used. It
is best to plant in spring only nuts which matured the previous autumn.
Preferably these nuts should be of fair or medium size for the variety
to give the young seedling a fair start in life.

As already pointed out in regard to pecan shade trees for more
northerly regions, so in the case of pecan nuts for use in raising
stocks in northern sections. It is best to secure nuts from trees near
the northern limits of nut production.

STORING AND PLANTING SEED NUTS.

If pecan nuts, intended for seed purposes, are stored and kept as nuts
ordinarily are kept, they become dried out. Before they will germinate
the following spring they must absorb all the moisture lost and
considerably more; in consequence of which they are slow in starting. If
too thoroughly dried out, many may fail to germinate.

To obviate this, and to insure better and more prompt germination, it is
best to keep the seed nuts in moist sand or clay during the winter
months. Procure a sufficient number of shallow boxes or trays; three
feet by one and a half feet by six or eight inches will answer nicely.
These are to be used in stratifying the nuts. The earth to be used
should preferably be good clean sand, free from organic matter, or, if
this cannot be secured, clay will answer. Place a layer of the earth
about one inch deep in the bottom of the boxes, then a single layer of
nuts, then a two-inch layer of earth, and so on in alternating layers
until the boxes are filled. These should then be slightly moistened and
se