The Pecan and its Culture :: CHAPTER IV. VARIETIES OF PECANS.

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 are natural size.

For the origin and synonomy of many varieties credit must be given to the excellent work of Mr. William A. Taylor, of the United States Department of Agriculture, who has probably done more than any one else to straighten out the tangled nomenclature of the pecan.

Classification of Varieties.

Heretofore, no attempt has been made to group or classify the different varieties of pecans. Classification does not become necessary until the number of varieties has increased sufficiently. The following classification of the varieties with which the author is acquainted, is based entirely upon the shape of the nuts. No classification of those varieties of which descriptions are copied has been attempted, as the descriptions are frequently so meagre as to render it impossible:

1. Varieties: Hound or roundish oblong. Types—Post, Hollis, Money-maker.

Bacon, Bolton, Extra Early, Georgia, Hollis, Money-maker, Post, Randall, San Saba, Thomas.

2. Varieties: Oblong, rounded at the base, blunt and quadrangular at the apex. Types—Pabst, Success.

Frotscher, Pabst, Pegram, Perfection, Success, Sweetmeat.

3. Varieties: Oblong in general outline, rounded, blunt and abruptly tipped at the base, and abruptly short-pointed at the apex. Types—Russell, Stuart.

Alley, Carman, Capital, Franklin, Havens, Jacocks, James No. 1, Kincaid, Lewis, Moore, Morris, Russell, Stuart.

4. Varieties: Oblong cylindrical to almost conical, rounded at the base, sloping from the middle or above to the sharp-pointed apex. Types—Jewett, Curtis, Schley.

Clarke, Curtis, Daisy, Dalzell, Dewey, Hume, James' Giant, Jewett, Kennedy, Mammoth, Rome, Schley, Young.

5. Varieties: Usually long in proportion to thickness, more or less pointed at both base and apex. Types—Atlanta, Ideal, Schaifer.

Atlanta, Centennial, Delmas, Domestic, Ideal, James' Paper-shell, Ladyfinger, Longfellow, Louisiana, Monarch, Money, Schaifer, Van Deman.

6. Hybrid Varieties: Nussbaumer, McCallister, Schneck, Pooshee, Westbrook.

Alba. Size below medium, cylindrical, with pointed apex; cracking quality good; shell of medium thickness; corky shell lining thick, adhering to the kernel; kernel plump, light colored; quality good. (Report Sec. Agr., 1893: 295, 1894).

Alley. Size medium, 1-5/8x7/8; form ovate; color grayish-brown with a few purplish-black markings about the apex; base rounded, tipped; apex abruptly short-pointed, slightly four-angled; shell brittle, thin, .8 mm.; partitions thin; cracking quality excellent; kernel full, plump, bright straw-colored, sutures narrow, moderately deep, secondary sutures slightly marked; texture firm, compact fine grained; flavor sweet, delicate, pleasant; quality very good and a good keeper.

Described from specimens received from Mr. Theo. Bechtel, Ocean Springs, Miss.

Atlanta. Size medium, 1-7/8x7/8x11/16 inches; ovate, compressed; color dull gray liberally specked with small, dark dots, splashed with purplish markings from middle to apex; base sloping, blunt-pointed; apex sloping, short-pointed; shell brittle, moderately thin; partitions rather thick, corky; cracking quality quite good; kernel full, plump, sutures narrow of medium depth, secondary sutures lacking; color light yellowish-brown, bright; texture solid, compact; flavor sweet, good; quality very good.

Originated by G. M. Bacon, DeWitt, Ga., and first catalogued about 1900.

Bacon. (Syn.: Bacon's Choice.) Size small, 1-1/4x7/8 inches; rounded, compressed toward the apex; color dull brownish-gray, thickly dotted with dark specks, liberally splashed with purplish-brown markings toward the apex; base rounded; apex abruptly blunt-pointed; shell thin, .85 mm.; cracking quality excellent; partitions thin, papery; kernel roundish, bright, light brownish-yellow, plump, full, smooth, sutures broad, of medium depth; flavor sweet, nutty, good; quality very good.

A small pecan of good quality, originated by G. M. Bacon, DeWitt, Ga., and introduced by him in 1900.

Bartow. Medium size, thin shell and fine flavor. (Bacon's Cat., page 29, 1904.)

Beauty. Illustrated in "The Pecan and How to Grow It." (Stuart Pecan Co., 1893, p. 59, fig. 5.)

Belle. Medium, ovate, quality very good. (J. V. Munson, Farm and Ranch, Dec. 3, 1904, p. 2.)

Biediger. Listed in "Nut Culture in the United States," U. S. Dept. Agr., Div. Pomology, 64, 1896.

Biloxi. (W. R. Stuart, Ocean Springs, Miss.) Medium size, cylindrical, pointed at each end; surface quite regular, light brown; shell thin; cracking quality medium; kernel plump, with yellowish-brown surface; free from astringency, of good quality, and keeps well without becoming rancid. Introduced several years ago by W. R. Stuart as Mexican Paper-shell, but the name has since been changed to Biloxi. (Report Sec. Agr., 1893. 295, 1894).

Black Jack. Listed in "Nut Culture in the United States," U. S. Dept. Agr., Div. Pomology, 64, 1896.

Bolton. Size medium, 1-3/8x1 inches; ovate conical; color dull gray marked with purplish-brown blotches about the apex; base rounded; apex angled, blunt, sloping gradually from the center; shell thick, 1.9 mm.; partitions thick; cracking quality medium; kernel brownish-yellow, somewhat wrinkled; sutures broad, deep, inner surface wrinkled, broadly oval in outline, texture rather open; flavor sweet, nutty; quality good.

Originated in Jefferson county, Florida. Described from specimens received from J. H. Girardeau, Monticello, Fla.

Brackett. Named for our U. S. Pomologist. It is a very fine market pecan, unexcelled in richness of flavor, and has a thin shell. Trees are fine growers, heavy bearers, and with proper care and attention come into bearing at six years old. (Bacon's Cat., 1900).

Bradley. Large, oblong, ovoid, shell thin, kernel plump, best. (J. V. Munson, Farm and Ranch, Dec. 3, 1904, p. 2.)

Bridex. Listed in "Nut Culture in the United States," U. S. Dept. Agr., Div. Pomology, 64, 1896.

Bullets. A decided novelty in pecans. As its name indicates, it is of bullet shape, being almost perfectly round. It has a fine flavor, shell is very thin. (Bacon's Cat., 1900).

Capital. Size medium to large, 1-7/8x7/8x3/4 inches; ovate oblong, compressed with well-marked sutures; color light-brown streaked and splashed with purplish-brown markings from center to apex; base rounded, blunt-tipped; apex abruptly short-pointed, nippled; shell brittle, of medium thickness, 1.3 mm.; partitions of medium thickness; cracking quality very good; kernel plump, filling the shell, brownish-yellow in color, primary sutures broad and fairly deep, secondary ones well defined, running almost the length of the kernel; texture rather open; flavor good; quality good.

Described from specimens received from Mr. Theo. Bechtel, Ocean Springs, Miss.

Carman. Size medium, 1-7/8x3/4 inches; oblong, compressed; color light yellowish-brown marked with splashes and blotches of brownish-black about the apex; base rounded, blunt-tipped; apex abruptly-pointed, shouldered and four-angled; shell brittle of medium thickness, 1.2 mm.; partitions thin; cracking quality very good; kernel long, slender, plump, straw-colored, sutures straight, narrow, shallow; texture firm, compact; flavor sweet, pleasant; quality very good.

Described from specimens received from Prof. F. H. Burnette, Baton Rouge, La. Originated and introduced by Mr. S. H. James, Mound, La.

Centennial. Size large, 2x7/8x3/4 inches; oblong, compressed, constricted in the middle, with well marked sutures; color grayish-brown, bright, marked with a few purplish markings in the grooves at the apex; base tapering to a blunt point; apex tapering, pointed, wedge-shaped, sometimes curved; shell medium thick, 1.5 mm.; partitions thin; cracking quality medium; kernel plump, full, brownish-yellow, bright, sutures rather small, straight, secondary ones marked by a line, surface rather wrinkled; flavor sweet, delicate; quality very good.

Described from specimens received from Mr. J. F. Jones, Monticello, Fla. "The original tree stood on the Anita plantation of Mr. Amant Bourgeois, on the east bank of the Mississippi river in St. James Parish, La."[C] It was destroyed March 14, 1890, by the Anita Crevasse. Sixteen trees were grafted in 1846 and 1847 by the slave gardener, Antoine, of Mr. Telesphore J. Roman, owner of Oak Alley plantation. Two of these earlier trees are still standing. Nuts were exhibited at the Centennial Exposition, Philadelphia, in 1876, by Hubert Bonzano. Under the name Centennial, it was probably first catalogued by the late Richard Frotscher, of New Orleans, in 1885.

Chiquita. Small, ovate, shell medium, best, long keeper. (T. V. Munson, Farm and Ranch, December 3, 1904, p. 2.)

Clark. Size medium to large, 1-3/4x7/8 inches; ovate oblong; color dull gray, with a few purplish spots about the apex; base rounded; apex blunt; shell brittle of medium thickness, 1.3 mm.; cracking quality medium; partitions thick, corky; kernel full and plump with narrow sutures of medium depth, light yellow in color and marked here and there with black dots; texture rather open; flavor good; quality good.

Obtained of J. H. Girardeau, Monticello, Fla.

Colorado. Mentioned by Andrew Fuller in "The Nut-Culturist," 1896, p. 169.

Curtis. (Syn.: Curtis No. 2). Medium, 1-5/8x7/8 inches; ovate, conical, compressed; color brownish-gray, marked throughout with dark specks and a few purplish specks about the apex; base rounded; apex sloping, pointed; shell thin, .7 mm.; cracking quality excellent; partitions thin, smooth; kernel bright straw-colored, plump, full, with narrow sutures of medium depth; texture compact, firm; flavor sweet, rich, nutty; quality excellent.

Fig. 3. Curtis Pecan. Fig. 3. Curtis Pecan.

The original tree of this variety is to be found in the grove of Dr. J. B. Curtis, Orange Heights, Fla. It was raised from seed secured from Arthur Brown, Bagdad, Fla., and planted in 1886. It is a meritorious variety, being prolific, of good appearance and excellent quality.

Daisy. Medium to large, 1-7/8x13/16x3/4 inches; oblong cylindrical; color reddish-brown marked with a few purplish-brown spots about the apex; base rounded; apex abruptly tapering, rather short; shell brittle, thin .93 mm.; cracking quality fairly good; partitions thick; kernel light brownish-yellow, full, plump, with broad and very shallow sutures; texture firm and compact; flavor sweet, good; quality good.

Obtained of S. W. Peek, Hartwell, Ga.

Dalzell. Large, 2x7/8x3/4 inches; cylindrical flattened; dull grayish-brown, pebbled, marked with narrow splashes of purplish-brown from center to apex; base rounded; apex abruptly sharp-pointed, four-angled and shouldered; shell rather thick, brittle, 1.4 mm.; cracking quality medium; partitions thin; kernel long, narrow with deep sutures, yellowish-brown in color, texture firm and compact; flavor sweet, good; quality good.

Obtained of S. H. Graves, Gainesville, Fla. The original tree[D] stands in a 14-acre grove, four miles south of Gainesville. The grove was planted in 1888, by Mr. J. R. Zetrour, now of Rochelle, Fla.

Delmas. Size large, 1-7/8x1 inches; ovate, marked with four distinct ridges; color dull dark gray marked with dark specks and blotches with purplish-black from center to apex; base sloping, rounded, blunt; apex abruptly short-pointed, four-angled; shell thick, brittle, 1.4 mm.; partitions thick, corky; cracking quality good; kernel bright light yellow, sutures broad, open, shallow, secondary ones almost lacking, sometimes slack at bottom end; texture rather open; flavor sweet; quality good.

Fig. 4. Mammoth. Dalzell. Kennedy. Fig. 4. Mammoth. Dalzell. Kennedy.

Described from specimens received from Mr. Theo. Bechtel, Ocean Springs, Miss. A large nut of fairly good quality, said in some cases to have been substituted for Schley, from which it is very distinct.

Dewey. Medium to large, 1-7/8x3/4 inches; ovate pointed; color dull gray, marked with splashes of purplish-brown; base rounded; apex sharp; shell brittle and thin, .88 mm.; cracking quality very good; partitions thin; kernel full, plump, smooth, bright light straw-colored, with narrow sutures of medium depth; texture firm and solid; flavor sweet, rich, good; quality very good.

Specimens for description obtained of H. K. Miller, Monticello, Fla. Originated in Jefferson county, Fla.

DeWitt. An oddity, having the shape of a spinning top. Shell is thin, and its rich meat is easily extracted on account of its peculiar shape. (Bacon's Cat. 1900.)

Domestic. Large, 2x3/4 inches; oblong ovate, compressed toward the base; color light reddish-brown, with splotches of purplish-brown throughout; base sloping, pointed; apex four-angled, abruptly blunt-pointed; shell brittle, thin, .95 mm.; cracking quality good; partitions thick, red, corky; kernel brownish-yellow, plump, full, wrinkled on the sides with straight, narrow, deep sutures and secondary ones fairly well developed; texture compact and fine grained; flavor sweet, good; quality very good.

Specimens for description obtained from Frank H. Lewis, Scranton, Miss.

Early Texan. (Louis Biediger, Idlewild, Tex.) Size above medium, short, cylindrical, with rounded base and blunt conical crown; shell quite thick, shell lining thick, astringent; cracking quality medium; kernel not very plump, of mild nutty flavor; quality good. (Report Sec'y Agr., 1893: 295, 1894.)

Egg. (Syn.: Eggshell.) Medium; ovate; shell thin; partitions thin; kernel plump; quality good. D. L. Pierson, Monticello, Fla. Grown from seed procured from Louisiana in 1889. (Hume, Bul. 54, Florida Exp. Station, 203, 1900.)

Excelsior. A variety reported by Ladd Bros., Stonewall, Miss. (Listed in "Nut Culture in the United States," U. S. Dept. Agr., Div. Pomology, 64, 1896.)

Extra Early. Size medium to large, 1-3/8x1 inch; oblong ovoid abruptly-pointed; color grayish-yellow with small purplish blotches more or less over the whole surface; base rounded; apex abruptly-pointed, blunt; shell of medium thickness, 1.15 mm.; partitions of medium thickness; cracking quality good; kernel filling the shell, plump, smooth, sutures broad, open, deep, not clasping the shell, color brownish-yellow, texture open; flavor very good, quality fair.

Described from specimens received from E. E. Risien, San Saba, Texas; not catalogued, so far as we are aware.

Faust. (O. D. Faust, Bamberg, S. C.) A pecan of large size; very long in shape; quite thin shell; kernel separating readily from shell; quality best. (Report Sec'y Agr., 1891, p. 395: 1892.)

Favorita. A variety named and grown at one time by Arthur Brown, Bagdad, Fla. (Listed in "Nut Culture in the United States," U. S. Dept, Agr., Div. Pomology, 64, 1896.)

Fig. 5. Frotscher Pecan. Fig. 5. Frotscher Pecan.

Franklin. Size medium large, 1-5/8x7/8 inches; ovate; color dull grayish-brown splashed about the apex with purplish-black; base rounded, blunt-tipped; apex blunt-pointed, four-angled; shell brittle, of medium thickness, 1.32 mm.; partitions thick; cracking quality good; kernel full, plump, bright brownish-yellow, primary sutures of medium width, deep, secondary ones almost lacking; texture rather coarse, fairly firm and compact; flavor sweet, good; quality very good.

Described from specimens received from S. W. Peek, Hartwell, Ga.

Frotscher. (Syn.: Frotscher's Eggshell, Eggshell, Olivier, Majestic.) Large, 1-5/8x1-7/8 inches; cylindrical, ovate; color bright yellowish-brown, with a few black splashes about the apex; base broad, rounded; .9 mm.; partitions thin; cracking quality excellent; kernel brownish-yellow, dark veined, frequently slack at one end; sutures of medium depth, rather narrow, secondary sutures well marked; texture dry, rather coarse; flavor good; quality fair to medium.

The above description was made from specimens received from the J. Steckler Seed Co., New Orleans, La. The original tree stands in the garden of H. J. Pharr, Olivier, La.; the place was formerly owned by Oscar Olivier. The variety was first propagated by William Nelson, and catalogued as Frotscher's Eggshell, by Richard Frotscher, in 1885. The variety is precocious, productive, and succeeds over a wide range of country.

Fig. 6. Georgia Pecan. Fig. 6. Georgia Pecan.

Georgia. (Syn.: Georgia Giant.) Size large, 1-1/2x1/8x1 inches; rounded ovate; color brownish-gray marked with splashes and dots of dark brown covering a good part of the surface; base rounded; apex tapering, blunt; shell brittle, medium in thickness, 1.3 mm.; cracking quality medium; partitions thick, corky, red; kernel bright reddish-brown, plump, full, rather deeply sutured, two secondary sutures fairly well developed; texture compact, fine grained; flavor sweet, good; quality very good.

Originated and introduced by G. M. Bacon, DeWitt, Ga. Said to be a precocious and prolific bearer.

Georgia Melon. Size above medium, short, rather blunt at apex; cracking quality medium, shell thick; kernel plump, brown; meat yellow, moderately tender, pleasant, good. (Report Sec. Agr., 1893, 295: 1894.)

Giant. Named, and at cue time propagated, by Louis Biediger, Idlewild, Tex. (Listed in "Nut Culture in the United States," 64, 1896.)

Gonzales. (T. V. Munson, Denison, Tex.) Above medium size, with firm, clean shell; quality excellent. Originated in Gonzales county, Tex. (Report Sec. Agr. 1893, 295: 1894.)

Graff. Named, and at one time propagated, by Louis Biediger, Idlewild, Tex. (Listed in "Nut Culture in the United States," 64, 1896.)

Halbert. Very large, oval, shell thick, fair quality. (T. V. Munson, Farm and Ranch, p. 2, Dec. 3rd, 1904.)

Hamilton. (Syn.: R. Hamilton.) Illustrated in Farm and Ranch, Vol. 23, No. 49, p. 1, Dec. 3rd, 1904.

Harcourt. (Syn.: Helen Harcourt?) Size medium, short, slightly acorn-shaped; cracking qualities medium; Shell rather thick, but very smooth inside; kernel short, very plump; meat yellow; very tender; rich; very good. (Report Sec. Agr., 1893, 295: 1894.)

Havens. Large. 1-7/8x1x7/8 inches; ovate, compressed; color dull gray specked and splashed with purplish-brown; base rounded, blunt-tipped; apex abruptly short-pointed, four-angled; shell brittle, thin, .85 mm.; partitions of medium thickness; cracking quality excellent; kernel very plump, full, brownish-yellow marked with dark specks, primary sutures narrow, deep, secondary ones very slightly marked, bottom ends of halves of kernel divided; texture solid, compact, fine grained; flavor sweet, good; quality very good.

Described from specimens received from Frank H. Lewis, Scranton, Miss.

Hollis. (Syn.: Post's Select in part.) Size medium, 1-3/8x1 inches; form roundish ovate, marked with four more or less prominent longitudinal ridges; color dull brownish-yellow, slightly splashed with purplish-brown about the apex; base rounded; apex roundish, blunt; shell thick, 1.6 mm.; partitions thick; cracking quality medium; kernel plump, filling the shell, quite smooth, broadly and deeply grooved, oval in outline, light brownish-yellow in color; texture fine grained; flavor delicate, good; quality good.

Described from specimens received from Herbert Post, Fort Worth, Tex. The seed nuts of this variety have been sold under the name, "Post's Select." It originated at Bend, San Saba county, Texas.

Hume. (Syn.: Curtis No. 5.) Size medium, 1-1/2x7/8 inches; short, oblong cylindrical, marked with two longitudinal ridges; color grayish-brown marked with a number of short, narrow purplish-brown splashes; base rounded, very blunt-tipped; apex abruptly-pointed, flattened on two sides; shell thin, .8 mm.; partitions medium, corky; cracking quality very good; kernel full, plump, light yellowish-brown, marked and dotted with dark spots, sutures straight, narrow, of medium depth; texture firm, compact; flavor sweet, pleasant, quality very good.

The original tree of this variety stands in the grove of Dr. J. B. Curtis, Orange Heights, Fla. It was grown from seed secured from Arthur Brown, Bagdad, Fla., in 1886. It is a shy bearer.

Ideal. Medium, 1-7/8x3/4x5/8 inches; oblong, somewhat compressed, slightly constricted in the middle; color bright grayish-brown marked with narrow strips of purplish-brown at the apex; base sloping, pointed; apex sloping, pointed; shell thin, brittle, .9 mm.; partitions medium thick; cracking quality good; kernel full, plump, smooth, bright straw-colored, sutures very narrow, shallow; texture compact, firm; flavor sweet, good; quality very good.

Described from specimens received from S. W. Peek, Hartwell, Ga.

Idlewild. Medium size, thick shell, kernel good. Louis Biediger, Idlewild, Tex. (Thomas' American Fruit Culturist, 21st ed. 452, 1903.)

Jacocks. (Syn.: Jacocks' Mammoth.) Size large or very large, 1-7/8x1 inches; ovate, long; color bright yellowish-brown; base rounded, abruptly blunt-pointed; apex blunt, four-angled, slightly wedged; shell brittle, of medium thickness, 1.3 mm.; partitions very thick, corky, red; cracking quality medium; kernel light yellowish-brown, full or sometimes shrunken, sutures broad, of medium depth, secondary sutures well developed and fairly deep; texture open, rather coarse; flavor sweet, rather dry; quality fairly good.

Introduced by Mrs. C. W. Jacocks, Formosa, Fla., from whom specimens were received.

James Giant. Medium to large, 2x7/8 inches; ovate cylindrical; color brownish-gray, marked with a few purplish splashes about the apex; base rounded; apex abruptly sharp-pointed with four rather prominent ridges; shell thin, 1. mm.; cracking quality good; partitions medium thickness; kernel bright light yellow, with narrow deep sutures and well defined secondary sutures; texture firm, compact; flavor sweet, good; quality very good.

Obtained of Prof. F. H. Burnette, Baton Rouge, La.

James No. 1. Size large, 2x13/16x3/4 inches; oblong, ovate, compressed; brownish-yellow in color with a few brownish streaks about the apex; base rounded, blunt-tipped; apex abruptly blunt-pointed, four-angled, nippled; shell thin, .8 mm.; partitions thin; cracking quality very good; kernel straw-colored, usually full and plump, though sometimes shrunken at one end, primary sutures broad, shallow, secondary ones well defined; texture solid, fine grained; flavor very good, sweet; quality very good.

Described from specimens received from Prof. F. H. Burnette, Baton Rouge, La. Originated and introduced by S. H. James, Mound, La.

James Paper-shell. Medium to large, 1-7/8x3/4 inches; cylindrical or slightly quadrangular, slender; color yellowish-brown marked with purplish splashes from center to apex; base rounded; apex abruptly-pointed, four-angled; shell thin, .96 mm.; partitions thin; cracking quality very good; kernel sometimes slack at one end, usually plump, smooth, bright brownish-yellow; sutures narrow, shallow; texture firm, compact; flavor very good, sweet; quality very good.

Originated by S. H. James, Mound, La., and described from specimens received from Prof. F. H. Burnette, Baton Rouge, La.

Jewett. Large, 1-7/8x7/8 inches; obovate, flattened, angular, frequently constricted at the middle; color dull reddish-brown, marked with large purplish splashes; base rounded; apex blunt four-angled, frequently curved; shell brittle, thick; cracking quality very good; partitions of medium thickness; kernel bright straw-colored, plump, smooth, somewhat triangular, with broad, open, shallow sutures; texture firm, compact; flavor fair; quality medium.

Obtained of Chas. E. Pabst, Ocean Springs, Miss.

Jumbo. Size large, 1-5/8x7/8 inches; ovate, slightly tapering; color grayish-brown marked with a few narrow streaks about the apex; base rounded; apex four-angled, wedged, blunt-pointed; shell brittle, of medium thickness, 1.3 mm.; partitions thick, corky; cracking quality medium; kernel full, plump, straw-yellow in color, primary sutures broad, deep, secondary sutures almost lacking; texture fairly solid, fine grained; flavor sweet, good; quality very good.

Described from specimens received from Summit Nurseries, Monticello, Fla.

Kennedy. Large, 1-3/4x7/8 inches; ovate-conical, flattened; color dull brownish-gray, marked with a few narrow streaks of purplish-black about the apex; base rounded; apex sharp-pointed, flattened on two sides; shell of medium thickness, .98 mm.; cracking quality very good; partitions thin; kernel bright, plump, full, smooth with narrow sutures of medium depth and secondary ones marked by a line; texture firm and compact, flavor rich, sweet; quality excellent.

Described from specimens received from Dr. J. B. Curtis, Orange Heights, Fla. Origin similar to Curtis.

Kentucky Gem. Listed. (Burnette, F. H., Bul. La. Exp. Station, sec. ser. No. 69, 1902, p. 875.)

Kidd. Illustrated in Farm and Ranch, Vol. 23, No. 49, Dec. 3, 1904, p. 1.

Kincaid. Size medium to large, 1-5/8x1 inches; ovate compressed with well defined sutures; color light brownish-yellow, bright, marked with narrow splashes of purplish-black at the apex; base almost flattened, blunt-tipped; apex blunt-pointed, slightly wedged, four-angled; shell brittle, compact, thin, .98 mm.; partitions thick, corky; cracking quality very good; kernel very full and plump, smooth, bright, light straw-colored, primary sutures broad and deep, secondary sutures creased and very shallow; texture fine grained, solid, compact; flavor sweet, rich, good; quality excellent; a good keeper.

Described from specimens received from E. E. Rislen, San Saba, Texas. This apparently is a very good variety of pecan.

Fig. 7. Shaifer. Ideal. Ladyfinger. Kernel of Atlanta. Fig. 7. Shaifer. Ideal. Ladyfinger. Kernel of Atlanta.

Krack-Ezy. Medium, ovoid, very thin shell, full of meat, best (T. V. Munson, Farm and Ranch, Dec. 3, 1904, p. 2.)

Ladyfinger. Size small, 1-1/2x5/8 inches; ovate pointed at both ends; color grayish-brown marked with a very few small narrow streaks about the apex; base pointed; apex pointed; shell thin, 1. mm.; partitions of medium thickness; cracking quality excellent; kernel small and narrow, plump full, smooth, sutures narrow and shallow; flavor sweet, good; quality very good.

Described from specimens received from the Summit Nurseries, Monticello, Fla. Originated on the grounds of this nursery company in Jackson county, Fla. A small nut of very fine quality, but too small to be recommended for extensive planting.

Lamar. Large, oblong, pointed, medium shell, full, best. (T. V. Munson, Farm and Ranch, Dec. 8, 1904, p. 2).

Lewis. Large, 1-5/8x7/8 inches; ovate, compressed; color bright yellowish-brown marked with purplish-brown blotches three-quarters of the distance back from apex; base rounded, blunt-tipped; apex blunt-pointed, slightly wedged; shell thin, .98 mm.; cracking quality good; partitions thick; kernel plump or sometimes shrunken at lower end, wrinkled on the sides, bright, light yellow in color, primary sutures broad, of medium depth, secondary ones very shallow, wrinkled; texture fine grained, solid; flavor sweet, pleasant; quality very good.

Described from specimens received from Frank H. Lewis, Scranton, Miss.

Longfellow. Large, 1-7/8x7/8 inches; obovate, angular, sutured; color light yellowish-brown strongly marked with purplish-black splashes throughout; base sloping, rounded; apex shouldered, abruptly-pointed, flattened and quadrangular; shell of medium thickness, 1.15 mm.; partitions very thin; cracking quality good; kernel full, plump, somewhat wrinkled; light straw-colored, sutures narrow of medium depth; texture fine grained, compact; flavor sweet, rich, nutty; quality excellent.

Described from specimens received from E. E. Risien, San Saba, Texas. A pecan of good quality and an excellent keeper.

Louisiana. Size medium, 1-7/8x7/8x3/4 inches; oblong cylindrical; color grayish-brown, marked with splashes of purplish-black towards the apex; base rounded, sloping; apex sloping, pointed; shell rather thick, 1.4 mm.; partitions of medium thickness; cracking quality very good; kernel full, plump, dark yellow, sutures broad, shallow; texture firm, compact; flavor sweet, good; quality very good.

Described from specimens received from Summit Nurseries, Monticello, Fla.

Magnum Bonum. Medium, ovate; shell thin; partitions thin; kernel plump, sweet; quality very good. (Hume, Bul. 54, Fla. Exp. Station, 1900, 207).

Mammoth. (Syn.: Steckler's Mammoth.) Large to very large, 2 x 1 inches; form ovate; color dull gray, pebbled, with a very few dark lines at the apex; base rounded; apex flattened, four-angled, blunt; shell thick, 1.4 mm.; cracking quality very poor; partitions corky, very thick; kernel bright yellowish-brown with broad, deep sutures and fuzzy lining adhering to kernel; texture coarse; flavor sweet and good; quality quite good.

Obtained of J. Steckler Seed Company.

Fig. 7a. The Mantura Pecan. Fig. 7a. The Mantura Pecan.

Mantura. Size large, 2x13/16, 1-7/8x7/8 inches; oblong, oval; color dull reddish-brown liberally marked with large, irregular black splashes; base taper-pointed, blunt; apex sharp-pointed, nippled; shell very thin, .78 mm.; brittle, dense; cracking quality very good; partitions thin; kernel dark straw-colored, plump, smooth, oval, with open sutures of medium depth; texture firm, solid; flavor sweet, nutty; quality very good indeed.

Described from specimens received from Wm. N. Roper, Petersburg, Va., by whom it was named and introduced in 1906.

The original tree of this variety stands on the Mantura homestead, in Surry county, Va., two miles south of the James river, now owned by W. P. Wilson. Mr. Wilson's mother planted four trees from nuts secured from a tree at Surry Courthouse, Va., the Mantura being one of the four, The parent tree measures about fourteen feet around the body, and bears crops of good sized nuts. It stands about ten miles from the site of the Mantura tree.

The Mantura tree is a large, symmetrical specimen with wide-spreading branches. It is about eighty feet high and measures about eleven feet around the trunk. It has been bearing for the past fifteen years, and in 1905 yielded 275 pounds of nuts.

This variety will doubtless prove a valuable acquisition for planters on the northern limits of the pecan area, as the particular strain from which it comes has been growing in Virginia for more than sixty years.

Mexican Paper-shell. Reported by Ladd Bros., Stonewall, Miss. Listed in "Nut Culture in the United States," 1906, p. 64. (See Biloxi.)

Meyers. The fruit of a variety of this name was distributed by Judge Samuel Miller, Bluffton, Mo. (Andrew Fuller, in The Nut Culturist, p. 170, 1896.)

Monarch. (Syn.: De Witt Mammoth.) Large, 2x7/8 inches; ovate, sloping to base and apex; color dull gray strongly marked with purplish-black splashes; base pointed; apex pointed, wedged; shell medium thick, 1.1 mm.; partitions thick, corky; cracking quality poor; kernel frequently badly filled at base, sutures of medium width and depth, color yellowish-brown; texture firm; flavor good, rather dry; quality good.

Originated by G. M. Bacon, DeWitt, Ga. (of the G. M. Bacon Pecan Co.), and introduced about the year 1900. Owing to the preemption of the name Mammoth, by another variety introduced by the late Richard Frotscher, of New Orleans, La., the name DeWitt Mammoth was changed to Monarch.[E]

Money. (Syn.: Senator Money.) Size large, 1x7/8x7/8 inches; ovate, somewhat four-angled, color light brown marked with blotches of purplish-brown sometimes throughout; base abruptly blunt-pointed; apex wedged, pointed; shell brittle, medium to thick, 1.3 mm.; partitions medium; kernel plump, full, bright light yellow, sutures broad, shallow, secondary ones indistinct; texture rather open, of medium grain; flavor sweet, good; quality very good.

A large, plump-meated pecan of very good quality, described from specimens received from Frank H. Lewis, Scranton, Miss.

Money-maker. Size medium, 1-5/16x1 inches; ovate, oblong; color light yellowish-brown with a few purplish-brown marks about the apex; base rounded; apex abruptly rounded, slightly wedged; small nipples; shell of medium thickness, 1.1 mm.; partitions medium thick, corky; cracking quality very good; kernel full, plump, broadly oval, sutures straight, broad, shallow, secondary ones small; texture firm, solid; flavor sweet, good; quality very good.

Described from specimens received from Prof. F. H. Burnette, Baton Rouge, La. This pecan was originated and introduced by S. H. James, Mound, La.; the quality is very good and the variety is precocious, prolific and hardy.

Moore. Size small, 1-3/8x3/4 inches; ovate; color light yellowish-brown marked with a few small purplish spots about the apex; base rounded; apex abruptly nippled, short; shell brittle, thin, 1.1 mm.; partitions rather thin; cracking quality very good; kernel dark yellow, plump, full, sutures narrow, shallow; texture firm, compact, solid; flavor sweet and good; quality very good.

Described from specimens received from J. H. Girardeau, Monticello, Fla. The variety is so small that we deem it scarcely worthy of propagation.

Morris. Size medium, 1-5/8x3/4 inches; ovate; color light brown, bright, clean, base sloping, rounded; apex tapering abruptly to a blunt point; shell brittle, of medium thickness, 1.45 mm.; partitions thick; cracking quality very good; kernel plump, filling the shell, straw-colored, primary sutures broad and deep, secondary ones shallow; texture firm, compact; flavor sweet, good; quality very good.

Described from specimens received from Summit Nurseries, Monticello, Fla.

Nelson. Nut the largest of all known; some specimens weighing nearly one ounce; elliptical-oblong in shape; medium thin shell, clean, bright in color; kernel plump, sweet and rich; quality very best, a quick grower; early bearer, very prolific; habit of growth like the Frotscher, forming a round-headed tree. (Catalogue J. Steckler Seed Co., 1905, p. 172.)

Nigger. Medium, short oval, thin shell, full, excellent. (T. V. Munson, Farm and Ranch, Dec. 3, 1904, p. 2.)

Fig. 8. Pabst Pecan. Fig. 8. Pabst Pecan.

Pabst. Size large, 1-5/8x7/8 inches; oblong cylindrical; color dull gray marked with broad splashes of purplish-black; base rounded; apex blunt, four-angled, grooved; shell of medium thickness, 1.22 mm.; partitions rather thick; cracking quality fair; kernel plump, large, thick with broad, shallow sutures, secondary sutures short, shallow, bright yellow in color; texture fine; flavor good; quality very good.

Described from specimens received from Wm. A. Taylor, United States Department of Agriculture. The original tree, according to Mr. Taylor, is one of a number of seedlings on the grounds of the late William E. Schmidt at Ocean Springs, Miss. The original tree is now about thirty years old. Quite productive and recommended for planting by those who know it.

Pan-American. Large, oblong, thick shell, full, best. (T. V. Munson, Farm and Ranch, Dec. 3, 1904, p. 2.)

Pearl. (E. E. Risien, San Saba, Tex.) Medium size, thin shell, sweet kernel; no corky growth inside. A choice nut for family use, but said to be too small for market. (Thomas' Am. Fruit Culturist, 21st Ed., 1903.)

Pearl. This is a very productive pecan, originated by Mr. James. It is distinct from the Pearl which originated in Texas. (Burnette, Bul. Sec. Series, 69, La. Exp. Station, 874, 1902.)

Pegram. Size medium, 1-1/2x7/8 inches; oblong; color light grayish-brown marked with a few purplish-brown markings at the apex; base rounded; apex blunt, quadrangular; shell creased, roughened, brittle, of medium thickness, 1.15 mm.; partitions medium thick, corky; cracking quality medium; kernel plump, full, quite smooth, sutures narrow and of medium depth; texture firm, compact, solid; flavor sweet and good; quality good.

Described from specimens received from Prof. F. H. Burnette, Baton Rouge, La. Originated by S. H. James, Mound, La.

Perfection. (Syn.: James' Perfection.) Size medium, 1-3/8 x 7/8 inches; oblong; color grayish-brown marked well down the sides from the apex with purplish-black splashes; base flattened, rounded; apex abrupt, blunt; shell slightly ridged, of medium thickness, 1.3 mm.; partitions rather thick, corky; cracking quality medium; kernel full, plump, brownish-yellow, narrow and moderately deep, sutures narrow, of moderate depth, secondary ones well defined; texture fairly solid; flavor sweet, good; quality very good.

Originated by S. H. James, Mound, La.

Petite. Small and plump; white hull; very desirable. (Helen Harcourt, Florida.)

President. Large, oblong, pointed, thin shell, full, best. (T. V. Munson, Farm and Ranch, Dec. 3, 1904, p. 2).

Primate. (W. R. Stuart, Ocean Springs, Miss.) Of medium size, slender, rather long; shell thin; quality good; ripens in September, thirty days before the other nuts. (Report Sec. Agr., 1893, 295: 1894.)

Post. (Syn.: Port's Select in part.) Size medium, 1-3/4x1 inches; short, obovate, compressed on the upper half color light brownish-yellow, marked with a few purplish splashes about the apex; base rounded; apex blunt, abruptly shouldered; shell of medium thickness, 1.35 mm.; partitions thick; cracking quality medium; kernel plump, bright straw-colored, deeply grooved and wrinkled, texture firm, solid; flavor sweet, delicate; quality good.

Described from specimens from the original tree, received from Wm. A. Taylor, U. S. Department of Agriculture. The original seedling tree stands on H. B. Freeman's farm on the Colorado river bottom, San Saba county, Texas. It took its name from Mr. Post, a former owner of the place.[F]

Randall. (Syn.: Curtis No. 3.) Small, 1-3/8x1 inches; ovate-oblong; color grayish-brown splashed with broad marks of purplish-brown, and covered with small dots throughout; base rounded; apex abruptly blunt-pointed; shell rough, of medium thickness; cracking quality very good; partitions corky, of medium thickness, 1.25 mm.; kernel medium size, smooth, roundish sutures, reddish-yellow in color; texture firm and compact; flavor sweet and good; quality very good.

Specimens for description obtained of Dr. J. B. Curtis, Orange Heights, Fla. Origin similar to Curtis.

Repton. Large, shell rather whitish one end round, the other decidedly pointed; black points; meat sweet and tender; tree remarkably beautiful. From one Repton tree, said to be forty years old, over five hundred pounds of nuts were gathered the season of 1904. (Helen Harcourt, "Florida Fruits and How to Grow Them," 1886, p. 212.)

Ribera. Size above medium; oblong-ovate; cracking quality good; shell thin; kernel plump, light brown, free from the bitter, red, corky growth which adheres to the shell; meat yellow; tender, with rich, delicate, pleasant flavor, (Report Sec. Agr., 1893, 295: 1894.)

Risien. Large ovate; quality excellent. E. K. Risien, San Saba, Texas. (Thomas' American Fruit Culturist, 21st Ed., 453, 1903.)

Robson. A medium-sized, very thin-shelled nut, oblong ovoid in shape. A comparatively new variety, but of considerable merit. (Bacon's Cat., 1904, p. 28.)

Rome. (Syn.: Century, Columbia, Columbian, Mammoth, Pride of the Coast, Southern Giant, Twentieth Century.) Size large to very large, 1-7/8x1 to 2x1 inches; oblong cylindrical or cylindrical ovate; color grayish, dirty, much splashed and spotted with dirty, black marks sometimes throughout; base rounded; apex abruptly-pointed, flattened on two sides; shell hard, brittle, thick, 1.6 mm.; cracking quality poor; partitions thick, corky; kernel frequently shrunken, bright yellowish in color, sutures of medium depth, secondary ones well marked, fuzzy material often adhering to lower end; texture coarse, rather dry; flavor dry, lacking in character; quality fair.

Fig. 9 Russell. Franklin. Kincaid. Fig. 9 Russell. Franklin. Kincaid.

Described from specimens received from J. Steckler Seed Co., New Orleans, La. This much-named variety, according to Taylor, was originated by the late Sebastian Rome, at Convent, St. James Parish, La., about 1840. Catalogued by the late Richard Frotscher, under the name "Rome," in 1885. It cannot be recommended for planting.

Russell. Size medium to large, 1-5/8x7/8 inches; form ovate, slightly compressed; color grayish-brown with small specks and splashes of purplish-black; base rounded, blunt-pointed; apex abruptly sloping; shell very thin, brittle, .74 mm.; partitions very thin: cracking quality excellent; kernel usually plump though sometimes shrunken at the base, sutures broad and shallow; texture fairly compact; flavor dry, sweet; quality good.

Described from specimens received from Chas. E. Pabst, Ocean Springs, Miss. The original tree stands in the yard of Mrs. H. F. Russell, at Ocean Springs, and is one of a lot of seedlings raised by the late Col. W. R. Stuart, about 1875. The tree was planted where it now stands by Peter Madsen. It was named by Mr. Pabst, and propagated by him in 1894.

Russell No. 1. Large, long-ovoid, shell thin, plump, good. (T. V. Munson, Farm and Ranch, Dec. 3, 1904, p. 2.)

Russell No. 2. Very large, ovoid, shell rather thick, very good. (T. V. Munson, Farm and Ranch, Dec. 3rd, 1904, p. 2.)

San Saba. Size small, 1-3/8x7/8 inches; ovate, slightly compressed toward the apex; color bright reddish-yellow, marked with purplish-brown splashes extending from about the middle of the apex; shell very thin and brittle; partitions thin; cracking quality excellent; kernel very plump, smooth, deeply and broadly grooved, bright straw-colored, oval in outline; texture solid, fine grained; flavor rich, sweet, delicate; quality excellent.

The San Saba may be regarded as a standard of quality among pecans, as the Seckel is among pears. Described from specimens received from E. E. Risien, San Saba, Texas. The variety was introduced by Mr. Risien about 1893. The original tree stands on the San Saba river near its intersection with the Colorado river in Texas.

Schaifer. (Syn.: Kate Schaifer.) Size medium, 1-3/4x3/4 inches; cylindrical, slender; color light yellowish-brown, marked with a few narrow, purplish splashes at the apex; base sloping, pointed; apex sloping, sharp-pointed; shell rather thick, 1.35 mm.; partitions thick, corky; cracking quality quite good; kernel bright yellowish, plump, filling the shell, smooth, sutures shallow of medium width; texture fine grained; flavor sweet, good; quality very good.

Described from specimens received from Prof. F. H. Burnette, Baton Rouge, La. Originated by S. H. James, Mound, La. Said to be prolific.

Fig. 10. The Schley Pecan. Fig. 10. The Schley Pecan.

Schley. Size large, 1-7/8x7/8x3/8 inches; oblong, oval, flattened; color light reddish-brown, marked with small specks about the base and small splashes of purplish-brown about the apex; base rounded, abruptly short nippled; apex abrupt, flattened on two sides and rather sharp pointed; shell brittle, dense, thin, .75 mm.; cracking quality excellent, shell breaking easily and readily separating from the kernel; kernel very full and plump, smooth, with shallow sutures and almost entirely free from wrinkles, bright light yellowish-brown in color; texture very firm; flavor rich, sweet, nutty; quality best; season early.

Obtained from Summit Nurseries, Monticello, Fla. Not as prolific as some varieties, but, in point of quality, unsurpassed.

Senator. Medium; ovate; shell and partitions thin; kernel full and plump; quality excellent. G. M. Bacon, DeWitt, Ga. (Hume, Bul. 54, Fla. Exp. Station, 204, 1900.)

Sovereign. Origin, San Saba, Texas. A seedling of San Saba, grown and introduced by E. E. Risien, of San Saba, Tex. Cylindrical, medium to large, with very thin shell and full kernel of fine quality. A new variety of very much promise. (Taylor, Wm. A., Cyclopedia Am. Hort., 1256, 1901.)

Stevens. Named for Hon. O. B. Stevens. Commissioner of Agriculture. Not very Large, but bright, pretty and neatly shaped. Very thin shell and always full of nice, rich meat, whether the seasons are wet or dry. Trees medium bloomers, and full bearers of nuts uniform in shape and size. (Bacon's Cat., 1900.)

Fig. 11. The Stuart Pecan. Fig. 11. The Stuart Pecan.

Stuart. (Syn.: Castanera.) Size large to very large, 1-7/8 x 1 inches; ovate cylindrical; color grayish-brown splashed and dotted with purplish-black; base rounded, tipped; apex blunt, abrupt, somewhat four-angled; shell medium in thickness, 1.1 mm.; partitions thin; cracking quality very good; kernel plump, full, bright straw-colored, sutures moderately broad and deep, secondary sutures not well defined; texture solid, fine grained; flavor rich, sweet; quality very good.

Described from specimens received from the Stuart Pecan Co., Ocean Springs, Miss. This variety has been tested and found to succeed over a wide range of country. The original tree,[G] grown from a nut planted by John R. Lassabe, about 1874, stood in the garden now owned by Capt. E. Castanera, Pascagoula, Miss. It was blown down in October, 1893, but a new shoot, now in bearing, has sprung up from the roots.

Fig. 12. Success Pecan. Fig. 12. Success Pecan.

Success. Size large, 1-9/16x1 inches; oblong-ovate tapering from near base to apex; color light yellowish-brown strongly marked with purplish-brown splashes about the apex; base flattened, roundish; apex blunt, four-angled; shell thin, .93 mm.; cracking quality very good; partitions thin; kernel large, full, plump, filling the shell, light yellow in color, sutures broad of medium depth, inner surface wrinkled, oval in outline; texture firm, solid, compact; flavor sweet, rich; quality very good.

The original tree was found "growing in a crowded row of seedlings planted at Ocean Springs, Miss., by the late W. B. Schmidt, about ten years previously. The original Success tree first attracted attention in the fall of 1901." Described from specimens received from Theo. Bechtel, Ocean Springs, Miss.

Sweetmeat. Size medium, 1-1/4x7/8 inches; color bright grayish-brown marked with small streaks of purplish-brown about the apex; abruptly blunt; shell thin, .8 mm.; partitions of medium thickness, corky; cracking quality good; kernel plump, full, light yellow, sutures broad, shallow; texture fine grained, compact; flavor sweet; quality good.

Described from specimens received from Summit Nurseries, Monticello, Fla.

Texas. Quite large, some very long; white hull; black points. (Helen Harcourt, "Florida Fruits and How to Grow Them," 1886, p. 212.)

Texas Prolific. Large, oblong, shell thin, cream, clean, plump, best. (T. V. Munson, Farm and Ranch, Dec. 3rd, 1904, p. 2.)

Thomas. Size small, 1-1/8x1 inches; short, roundish oblong; color brownish-gray dotted with small specks throughout, marked with dark purplish splashes from middle to apex; base rounded; apex abruptly short, pointed, nippled; shell of medium thickness, 1.2 mm.; partitions thick, corky, reddish; cracking quality quite good; kernel plump, filling the shell, sutures of medium depth, narrow, texture compact, fine grained, solid; flavor good; quality good.

Described from specimens received from Walter Thomas, Palatka, Fla.

Turkey Egg, Jr. Smaller and shorter than the above; cracking quality medium; shell of medium thickness; kernel plump, light colored; tender, oily, rich; good. (Report Sec. Agr., 1893, 296: 1894.)

Turkey Egg, Sr. Large, long, pointed; cracking quality very good; shell of medium thickness; kernel long, plump; brownish-yellow; separates readily from the shell; meat yellow, a little tough; not of highest quality. (Report Sec. Agr., 1893, 296: 1894.)

Turner. Medium; elliptical oblong; shell thin; partitions slightly corky; kernel plump, sweet; quality excellent. G. L. Taber, Glen St. Mary, Fla. (Hume, Bul. 54, Fla. Exp. Station, 203, 1900.)

Van Deman. (Syn.: Bourgeois, Duminie Mire, Southern Beauty, Paragon in part.) Large to very large, 2-1/8x1x7/8 inches; oblong cylindrical; color reddish-brown with splashes and streaks of purplish-brown; base sloping, blunt-pointed; apex tapering, sharp-pointed; shell of medium thickness; cracking quality fine; partitions thick; kernel light brownish-yellow, sutures rather deeply and narrowly grooved with secondary sutures forming a mere line; kernel fine grained and compact, sometimes slack at the end; flavor sweet and delicate; quality very good.

Specimens for description obtained of Dr. J. B. Curtis, Orange Heights, Fla. The original tree of this variety was grown from a nut planted by the late Duminie Mire, of Union, St. James Parish, La., in 1836. The tree still stands, thrifty and vigorous, bearing 200 to 300 pounds of nuts yearly. It was first widely distributed by the late Col. W. R. Stuart, Ocean Springs, Miss., who gave it the name Van Deman. Previously, it had been propagated and distributed locally by the late Emil Bourgeois.[H]

Valsies. Reported by Ladd Bros., Stonewall, Miss., and listed in "Nut Culture in the United States," U. S. Dept. Agr., Div. Pomology, 1896, 64.

Willingham. Illustrated in Farm and Ranch, Vol. 23, No. 49, Dec. 3rd, 1904, p. 1.

Young. Medium to large, 1-5/8x1 inches; ovate cylindrical, rounded at the base; color grayish-brown, splashed with purplish-brown markings from center to apex; base rounded; apex sloping rather abruptly, nippled; shell brittle, thin, .76 mm.; cracking quality very good; partitions thin; kernel full, plump, slightly wrinkled with broad and shallow sutures; texture fairly solid; flavor sweet, rich, nutty; quality very good.

Obtained from Chas. E. Pabst, Ocean Springs, Miss. Originated by and named for B. M. Young, Morgan City, Louisiana.

HYBRID PECANS.

The pecan appears to inter-pollinate freely with some of the other species of hickory, particularly H. minima, H. laciniosa and H. alba. A number of what are believed to be well-marked hybrids of the pecan with these different species have been found, the most noteworthy of which, perhaps, are given below:

McCallister. (Syn.: Floyd.) Received from O. L. McCallister, Mount Vernon, Ind. This is probably a hybrid. It is the largest nut among all the hickories received at this office. The hull is about one-fourth of an inch thick when dry, and opens readily to the base with four valves. Nut 2-1/8 inches long, 1-5/16 inches wide, and 1-1/16 inches thick; base broad, rounded; apex broad, blunt, angular. In compressed form, in color of nut, also in the angularity and thickness of shell, it is quite similar to shellbark hickory. The kernel of a well-filled specimen is in color, consistency and flavor more like a shellbark of high quality than a pecan. The tree is reported to be "so similar to pecan in bark and leaf that it would be impossible to detect the difference," yet the buds and young wood more closely resemble shellbark. The tree was found many years ago on a farm now owned by Mr. McCallister. The nuts have little pomological value, as grown on the original tree some years, the kernel being shriveled and not filling more than one-third of the space within the shell; yet nuts from the crop of 1893 have been received at the Division of Pomology which were well filled with a kernel of very pleasant flavor. Possibly it may become more uniform in maturing fruit in Mississippi or Texas, where the season is longer than in Indiana. It is well worth a trial by experimenters in those States. Sargent gives a short description of this nut under the name Floyd, and accredits the points of his description to A. S. Fuller in New York Tribune, weekly edition, July 9th, 1892, and says it is perhaps a hybrid. (Nut Culture in the United States, 1896, p. 63-4.)

(Photo by Dr. Wm. Trelease.) (Photo by Dr. Wm. Trelease.)
Fig. 14.
The Nussbaumer Hybrid.

Nussbaumer. In the American Agriculturist for 1884, p. 546, fol., A. S. Fuller published an account of a supposed hybrid between this species and the pecan, which has been called the Nussbaumer hybrid, after J. J. Nussbaumer, of Okawville, Ill., who first brought it to the attention of Judge Samuel Miller, of Bluffton, Mo. Mr. Nussbaumer writes me that the original tree, which stands in the bottom between Mascoutah and Fayetteville, Ill., in general appearance resembles laciniosa, though the bark is intermediate between that of the Pecan and Mockernut. Prof. Sargent states (Silva, vii, 158) that a small tree grown from this in New Jersey, by Mr. Fuller, cannot be distinguished from laciniosa of the same age; and I should hardly be able to distinguish an imperfect twig from a small tree, cultivated by Judge Miller, from laciniosa. The nut, however, is very peculiar, being more elongated than is usual in that species, and widened upwardly, less acutely angled "as if the ridges had been sandpapered down," and so thin-shelled that it can be crushed easily by pressing two together in the palm of the hand. A somewhat similar nut, originally from Indiana, was described by Mr. Fuller In the New York Weekly Tribune, July 9, 1892 (Sargent's Silva, l.c.), as cultivated by R. M. Floyd, of Cedar Rapids, Iowa. And in the autumn of 1895, Dr. J. Schneck sent me ample fruit, twig and leaf specimens of a similar hickory from Posey county, Indiana. The nut of this last is almost identical with a specimen of the Nussbaumer nut in the Englemann herbarium, while its twigs closely resemble those of laciniosa, and the leaves are decidedly of the pecan type. I am led to the conclusion, therefore, that these several forms really represent hybrids between H. pecan and H. laciniosa. In size, quality, and thinness of shell they appear to be the most valuable of American nuts. (Trelease, Wm., 7th Report Mo. Bot. Garden, 1896, pp. 40-41.)

Pooshee. Size small, 1-1/4x7/8x3/4 inches; ovate, flattened wedged, sutures prominent; color dull brown with a very few dark lines at the apex; base rounded; apex flattened abruptly, short pointed; shell medium in thickness, 1.5 mm.; partitions thin, 4-celled at base; kernel rounded in outline, light yellow in color, sutures broad, shallow, halves indented at base; surface much wrinkled and corrugated; flavor sweetish.

Fig. 15. H. Minima and two of its hybrids, Westbrook and Pooshee. Fig. 15. H. Minima and two of its hybrids, Westbrook and Pooshee.

Specimens of this nut were secured from Dr. J. F. Wilson, Poulan, Ga., who received them from Prof. Burgess, Clemson College, S. C. The nut presents exactly the same characteristics as the Westbrook, except in flavor and color of kernel. It, too, is doubtless a hybrid, H. minimaxH. pecan. The original tree of this variety stands by or in the old Ravenel cemetery, near Pinopolis, Berkely county, S. C.

Photo by Dr. Wm. Trelease. Fig. 16. The Schneck Hybrid. Photo by Dr. Wm. Trelease.
Fig. 16.
The Schneck Hybrid.

Schneck. In the autumn of 1894, Dr. J. Schneck, of Mt. Carmel, Ill., and F. Reppert, of Muscatine, Iowa, sent to the herbarium twigs and fruit of bottom-land trees that appear to be hybrids of this species with the pecan. The bark of the Iowa tree is described as being much like that of the Mockernut, while the tree of Dr. Schneck is smooth-barked, resembling the pecan. So far as I have seen them, the twigs of both might pass for those of alba, except that the outer scales of the terminal buds are persistent, while the foliage, though intermediate, is strongly suggestive of that of the pecan. The fruit is oblong, almost 2 inches long, the husk 6 mm. thick, parted nearly to the base, with strongly elevated margins to the segments, and rather persistent on the tree. The nuts are nearly as pale as in the Shagbark, conspicuously brown striped, slightly 4-celled at the very base, and with a wall only 1 mm. thick. As is usual in ALBA, they are upwardly attenuate, and frequently the kernel is abortive. (Trelease, Wm., 7th Report Mo. Bot. Garden, 1896, pp. 44-45.)

Westbrook. Size small, 1-3/8x7/8 inches; ovate, flattened, prominently sutured; color brown with a few indistinct brownish streaks close to the apex; base rounded; apex wedge-shaped, ridge, abruptly-pointed; shell rough and irregular, thin, 8.5 mm.; partitions rather thin, 4-celled at base; kernel reddish-brown, much wrinkled, sutures of moderate width and depth, halves divided at the base, much corrugated in cross section; flavor decidedly bitter and puckery.

The parent tree is one standing in the yard of J. H. Westbrook, Mt. Olive, N. C., and grew from what, to all appearances, was a pecan nut. The foliage and general aspect of the tree closely resembles the pecan, though the serrations on the leaves are coarser and larger. The fruit resembles, in many respects, that of Hicoria minima, and, in short, it appears to be a well-marked hybrid between that species and Hicoria pecan.

FOOTNOTES:

[C] Taylor, Wm. A., Yearbook, 1904.

[D] Letter from Mr. S. H. Graves, dated June 19th, 1903.

[E] The Nut Grower, p. 119, March, 1904.

[F] Taylor, Wm. A., Yearbook, U. S. Dept. Agriculture, 1904.

[G] Taylor, Wm. A., Yearbook, 1904.

[H] Wm. A. Taylor, Yearbook, 1904.

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