VOL. XI. NO. q
GROWING PECAN
TREES FOR PROFIT
In the South Should be
Largely Increased—
Roanoke Lowlands Will
Produce Fine Nuts---
Fortunes in the Nuts if
Properly Cultivated.
The pecan tree is not a native of
North Caroliui, though, like many
other introduced specits, it shows
itself to be very much at home in
the eastern part of our State. It is
a native of the Southern Mississ
ippi Valley; just across the Blue
Ridge Mountains from us. In geo
graphical distribution the pecan
seems to thrive wherever cotton
does. More recent observation and
experience show that the pecan is
more hardy than cotton and thrives
considerably north of what is com
mouly considered the cotton coun
try. The pecau is found growing
wild in lowa and Illinois, and re
cent reports have been made of
large trees found growing along the
Wabash River as north as Vin
cenues, ludiaua. Last year, at the
meetiug of the National Nut
Growers' Association, a fine collec
tion of native nuts was exhibited
from this region. In Virgiuia pe
can trees are found growing all
over the costal region. Many large
trees are to be seen that give evi
dence of having been there close to
a ceutury. In Virginia two
ling trees have been found of such
exceptional merit that they are be
ing extensively propagated as nam
ed varieties. These are the varieties
Mantura and Appomattox. With
such northern-grown varieties it is
probable that the northern limit of
pecan prpfiuetjoa will be greatly
extended. On the Eastern Shore
of Maryland many pecan trees are
found growing which have been
produced from planted nuts. Some
ot these are of euormous size and
produce small though well-formed
nuts. The southern limit of the
geographical distribution of the
pecan tree is not difinitely fixed,
though it is knowu to extend into
Mexico. In Texas the pecau grows
wild in great profusion, especially
along the river bottoms of the
numerous water courses flowing in
to the Oulf of Mexico. It is in
region that the greit bulk of com
mercial pecans are produced. In
the deep alluvial soils of Louisiana
the pecan grows wild in the forest
and is one of the largest and finest
timber trees. Prom the Mississippi
Valley trees and nuts have been
carried to the east and the pecan
has become naturalized throughout
Georgia, Florida, Alabama and the
Carolinas..
Besides the home plantings j)f
' pecans for shade and family uses
there are excellent opportunities in'
the South of enhancing farm values
by the utilization of much waste
land that is now producing nothing
but 'possum' persimmons,sassafras
fnd briers. Such plantings would
not even encroach on laud now
used in other crops. There is more
or less o« such waste land on every
Southern farm that could be prof
itably cultivated in pecan .trees.
Some ot the richest and most pro
ductive lands in the South are those
lying within the overflow regions
of rivers There is a great deal of
such land in Eastern North Caro
lina that is periodically enriched
with a layer of alluvial mud. These
lands could produce the finest crops
gi corff and cotton, but the rivers
so often claim the crop\ that their
cultivation has been abandoned.
Such lands would raise the finest
pecan orchards, for they are bene
fited rather than injured by the
oveoflow. There are thousands of
acres of such lands in Easterp North
Carolina, now worth nothing, that
If planted in budded trees
m-- \
HI&U. .A -sk
THE ENTERPRISE
would soon become the most valua
ble lands in the State.
A pecan orchard under proper
conditions aud given Rood care is a
aud profitable investment. It
is one of an enduring nature that
can be handed down from father to
sou. It yields a product for which
there is an unlimited demand with
no prospect of an over-production.
Nut growing is a pleasant as well
as a profitable business. It gives
large returns from a ;-mall invest
ment of money and patience It
gives a product of large value in
small bulk. The yield of a pecau
orchard needs no expensive harvest
ing, fancy packages or cold storage.
The alluvial lands a4ong the
Roanoke River are adapted to the
cultivation of pecans, as the yearly
overflow enriches aud tbe soil fur
uishes sufficient moisture. At 60
feet apart it would requiae but 12
trees per acre. Payiug a.s high as
$2 00 per tree the cost would scar
cely exceed the coast of setting an
orchard of peaches or apples,
A TURKEYLESS THANKSGIVING
The Story of three Birds That Were
Three Times Won and Lost..
When the railroad builders in
vaded the great northwest, not
seeking a passage to the Pacific
coast, but rather anticipating the
development of an agricultual em
pire, which must have arteries of
steel, they were quickly followed
by the same class of hardy settlers
lhat had moved westward since the
early days. Through the genera
lions that movement has proceeded
slowly at first, but ever increasing
in speed and volume. Over t«te
Alleghenies, among the woodland
and meadow stretches of Ohio and
across the prajries of Illi
nois and lowa, through Wisconsin
and Minnesota forests to the val
leys of Dakotas and on to Paget
Sound. The descendants of New
Englanders have always been notic
able in thfe advancing tide of home
makers and fortunebuiiders along
these parallels of latitude.
Thanksgiving day as an annnal
November celebration marked by
family reunions and feasting is one
of the good things that have per
sisted among transplanted New
England customs. It is now a
national event, most geuerally hon
ored. And the distinguishing fea
ture of this feast day is the trag
edy of the royal fowl, the turkey.
A Thanksgiving day without tur
key is a chufch service without
lesson, music or benediction. There
are makeshift collations, of course,
that pass for dinners with those
not to the manor born, but the
sons of the sons of New England
realize their hollowness. Not one
of these but would rather .go
through trials by fire and water
•rather than endure the absence of
that glorious head-piece from the
Thanksgiving board.
In the first years ol the Bo's two
great rival railroad companies were
hastening to secure for themselves
in eastern Dakota the rich fields of
a traffic yet to come into being.
Both had entered the wonderfully
fertije James river valley from the
east, and as one turned its line
northwaid from Huron the other
turned southward from Aberdeen,
and the near approach of winter
and the close of active operations
found the two competing construs
campt only a few miles apart.
With tlje advance of the railroads
or a little preceding them had come
settlers upon the government do
main, and though farmers and
wheat raisers were in the van, such
nomadic and adventurous spirits as
land agents and tnwnsite boomers,
traders and newspaper men conld
be discovered even more- easily.
Early in November work upon the
railroad lines halted, and the build
ers retired to await the opening of
WILLIAMSTON, N. C., FRIDAY, NOVEBER 26, 1909.
ROBERSONVILLE NEWS ITEMS
Local Happenings and People who are Coming and
Going Here, There and Yonder, as Gathered
by Our Regular Correspeqdent
MISS NINA ROBERSON
A. R. Dunning was in town Mon
day.
Mrs. W. H. Everett was in town
Sunday.
Mr. E. Bodenheimer is visiting
in town.
Frank Cobb, of Bethel, was in
town Sunday.
Lin wood Perkins spent Wednes
day in Everetts.
J. W. Perkins returned from
Roxboro Monday.
Miss Clyde Tripp is the guest of
Miss Lena Parker.
W. A. James, of Williamson,
was in town Friday.
L. S. Thompson, of Richmond,
was in town Sunday.
P. D. Jones, of Rocky Mount,
was in towtf Sunday.
Joe Eddie of Parmele,
was iu town Tuesday.
Mr. and Mrs. W. G. Barnhill
spent Sunday in town.
Miss Louise Rives is visiting re
latives in Willianiston.
L T. Roberson, of Ayden, spent
Sunday with his family.
Miss Lida Bullock, of Suffolk, is
visiting relatives in town.
J. C. Andrews and sou, jasper,
went to Norfolk Thursday.
Messrs. "Laura and Willie Man
ning were in town Sunday.
Mrs. M. J.,. Ward left Wednes
day for h*r home in Wilson.
Mrs. Henry Norman is spending
some time in Roanoke Rapids.
Mrs. Everett is spending some
time with Mrs. J. G. Barnhill.
Mrs. R. J. Nelson and little son,
Robert, spent Monday iu Bethel.
Rev. Mr Howard filled his re
gular Appointment here Sunday.
spring. At the terminus of each
road a little settlement had sprung
up, less than halt dozen structures
marking the site of what was hoped
to be and already was heralded as
the metropolis of the valley.
Upon such a situation steadily
but surely crept the Thursday
which the president of the United
States had chosen as the aunua!
day of thanksgiving and at the dis
tance of only one short week the
* I
fact suddenly dawned upon the
clustered intelligence of these two
Dakota towns that there was not a
turkey in the j?'ert Jim valley north
of Sioux Falls, and that eighty
miles of wind swept prairies lay
between a more hopeful 6eld of
possible supply at YVatertown, near
the Minnesota boundary. There
is material for a volume of adven
ture in the account of the two rival
expeditions dispatched simultane
ously yet with all secrecy on a
journey of i6o miles for fowls to
furnish forth a Thanksgiving din
ner, but this story must omit the
details. One partv returned hila
riously successful with , the three,
turkeys that eloquence, strategy
and money combined were able to
procure in Watertown; the other
bowncast, dejected and pessimistic,
came back empty handed.
To ephasize their victory the
successful town announced'a priza
turkey shoot at which all but
Redfitld marksmen were barred;,
a turkey dinner at the hotel, and a
grand ball in the railroad ware
house. This was calculated to
to make its rival, Aston, either
swell -with rage to bursting or
wither away in self abasement and
despair. ~~T
Mr. and Mrs. A. S. Everett
spent Sunday with Mrs. J. A. Rors.
Thomas Roberson, of Hamilton,
spent Sunday here with his parents.
R. B Brown and family, of
Washington, were in town Sunday
B. Cowper, of Willianiston
gpenu several days in town last
week,
Messrs. Harvey Robersou and
Jim Taylor spent Sunday in Gold
Point.
Messrs. Tom Andrews and Mar
vin Blount, of Bethel, were in town
Sunday.
Mr and Mrs. Lector Mayo, of
IJetht l, were the guest of Mrs. J.
A Cotlield.
M iss Ora Taylor spent Sunday
in town the guest of Mrs. A S.
•Roberson.
M isses Nina Roberson and Isabell
Morton made a flying trip to Bethel
Wednesday.
Messrs. Wainright and J. D.
Harjwr, of Parmele, were in town
Friday night.
Frank Hargrove, of Tarhoro,
spent a few days here last week 011
a hunting trip.
Linwood Moore, of Everetts,
spent a few days in town last week
visiting relatives.
J. T. Baruliill and J. D. Everett
went to Norfolk Thursday and re
turned Saturday. *
Mrs. D. R." Chandler and son,
Wilmer, are visiting relatives in
Roanoke Rapids this week.
Little Miss Margaret Roberson
spent several days last week iu the
country with her grandmother.
Misses Bessie and Faye Beverly
spent Sunday in town the guests of
the Misses Bland and Nina Rober-
The fateful day arrived, a gray
day with the first flakes of snow In
the air. The prize turkey shoot
came oil early in the morning at
Redfield, as advertised, but an un
forseen contingency resulted. A
marksman of truly diabolical skill
developed in a resident of two
week's standing, and all three tur
keys fell before his trusty rifle. The
fowls had beeu set up at 150 yards
aud with only their heads exposed
to the destructive bullets. All
participants at half a dollar for each
shot ha J displayed remarkable ac
curacy of aim, but the winner had
distanced his competitors, and cap
tured the shooting match. The
apprehension evolved among the
witnesses of this remarkable ac
cident soon ripened into rebellious
determination. What was to be
done with a disloyal citizen who
calmly announced that the turkeys
would be served up at a private
banquet at the Hotel Dodge, to be
enjoyed by himself and two special
friends? .He said he thought a bird
apiece was about their normal cap
acity, and as 111 we fowl* certainly
could not furnish a meal for sev
enty-five, and somebody must go
without turkey, it would be more
satisfactory all around to let three
lucky fellows get enough for once.
At the end of a short but explosive
debate the winner was immured in
a freight car in spite of'his verbal
and fistic protests, and the turkeys
were banded over to the hotel pro
prietor and hvs cook to de prepared
for the grand public dinner.
The short winter day came to an
end aud darkness fell upon the
plain, hardly whitened by the snow
[Continued on page 5]
Tbe Pilgrims and The First Thanks
giving Day
By Djusy Manning
Many good people in England
wished to worship God in their own
way, but King James wanted them
to be members of the Church of
England. They said if they could
not worship as they pleased in their
own land, thev would go to some
o'.her country. They did not wish
to bring up their children where
religious freedom could not be en
joved. So they determined to go to
Holland.
Fearing the King's officers, they
made all their plans secretly. They
placed on board the ship every
thing most needed and were ready
to sail, when the officers boarded
the ship. The master of the ship
had betrayed them, and gave up to
the officers, who searched all the
goods to see if any money could be
found. The officers placed tlieni
in prison where they remained a
month, After being released they
made other plans for leaving.
A Dutch vessel was secured and
anchored between Hull and Grims
bey for fear of the English officers.
The first boat load had been taken
from the shore, when a mob armed
with guns and sticks attacked the
Puritans, beating and drivi ig them
from place to? place. The Dutch
master of the ship becoming fright
ened, went away with the one boat
load, leaving the otlurs to get out
of trouble fs best they could* The
men on the ship had left their
wives and children, but the master
would uot stop, so took them on to
Holland. Those left behind had
no shelter, aud there were no jails
for them to seek food in. But af
ter awhile the people began to res
pect them, aud iu 1607, they were
permitted to leave for Holland.
There tbey lived for twelve years,
and in 1620 securtd two ships, the
Mayflower and Speedwell, and pre
pared for a voyage to America. The
Speedwell was deemed unseaworthy
and no September 6th., the May
flower started alone. They were
011 the oceau sixty-five days in a
j ship we would be afraid to trust
I three miles from shore
During the voyage one little boy
was born and named Peregrine, and
one person died, so there were one
hundred and two persons to reach
Cape Cod Bay ami land 011 Ply
mouth Rock 011 Monday. Decern--
bcr 21st. 1620. When they land
ed upon the shore, they kuelt down
and blessed God Seven log houses
were built at first aud all the Pil
grims lived in these Ipuses. The
Indians treated them kindly.
During that winter many of them
sickened and died. At one time
food was so scarce that they had
only five grains of corn for each
persou per day. Think how hungry
those twenty-eight little children
must have been! But a kind Indian
named Squauto showed them how
to plant corn, and when summer
came, their crop grew and every
thing was plentiful once more with
the Pilgrims.
They determined to have a great
rejoicing and give thanks to God
for keeping them alive through
trials and temptations. They in
vited their Indian neighbors to at
tend the great feast. The Pilgrims
killed turkeys and other wild g&tne,
and the Indians brought venison,
corn bread, cranberries and also
pop-corn. They had pumpkin
pfes, beans, wild grapes and nufs
which grew in the forest. For
three davs they feasted, and it was
in this way that they began the
e:elebration of Thanksgiving Day.
When a cold becomes settled in
the system it will take several days'
treatment to cure it, and the best
remedy to use is Chamberlain's
Cough Remeijy. It will cure
quicker than any other, and also
leaves the 'system in a natural and
healthy condition. Sold by Sannd
ers & Fowden and all dealers.
s[.oo a Year in Advance
UNIVERSITY MEN
AT BANQUET
Happy Evening for Alumni
arid Their Quests--S.
Justus Everett Toast
Master--Every one True
to his Alma Mater and
. Her Best Interests.
(Reported)
The Williamston Aluuini Asso
ciation of the University gave its
annual banquet on Thursdav even
inn at the Atlantic Hotel from nine
to twelve o'clock. University men
lead in whatever they undertake,
and in planning this banquet they
showed the remarkable training for
activity along any line, which they
had received at their aluia mater,
and the occasion marks one of the
most brilliant and high-toned func
tions that has evvr been held in
WUliamston.
Tl o remarkable flow of spaikllng
wit, tbe interesting reminiscences
of college days, the courageous
spirit with which each man looked
into the future, and the strong feel -
ing of comradeship which existed,
showed that each man was in truth
a University man, and that he had
the interests of the institution at
heart. %
A very pleasing feature, an i one
which was out of the ordinary for
college affairs, was the presence or
the ladies who represented the
cream of Williamston'ssociety, and
the flower of the woman hood of
the State. Each alumnus was al
lowed to bring a lady, and some
came with their wives, some with
their sweethearts, and some with
their sifters. The presence of the
lad es added a distinctive charm,
and hereafter they will be invited
to be present at the alumni banquets
in Williauiston.
Mr. S. Justus Everett, chairman
of the committee for the banquet,
and the only man present who had
won one of North Carolina's most
precious gems, acted as Toast Mas
ter. Mr. Everett presided most
graciously, and he asked tbe gentle
men to speak on the following sub
jects: Rev. W. J. Gordon spoke on
"The Greater University, its
Past and Present," Mr. Z. 11.
Rose, on "The Relationship of
the Literary Societies to the Uni
versity," Mr. Harry A. ItigßS
on "The Social Life at the Univer
sity," dealing with and defending
fraternities, Dr. Joseph II Saun
ders spoke on "The personal In
fluence the University had on its
Students," Mr. J. Paul Simpson on
"An interesting Event in his Col-
Irge Career," which dealt with his
first night on the "Hill," Mr.
Charles Hassell gave a sketch on
"University Life". Misses Mary
Hassell and Nannie Smith, for the
ladies spoke on the "pleasure and
pride of being Daughters of the
University."
During the evening while the
sumptuous menu was being served,
an Italian orchestra discoursed
music which lifted out- out of the
every day world, and made him feel
I that he was indeed iu a higher aud
j purer atmosphere. While seated
jat the table the entire party sang
j many familiar songs, and many of
j the University .songs.
The following were present: Mrs.
S. Justus Kverett, Misses Nannie
Smith, Carrie Biggs, Elizabeth
Gordon, Mary Ilassell, Nora Fow
den and Messrs. S. Justus Kverett,
J. Paul Simpson, Z. H- Rose, Harry
A. Biggs, Charles Ilassell, Dr.
Jpseph H. Saunders and Rev. W.
3. Gordon.
m » ;
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prompt cure from I)r. King's New
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Thev make pure blood, aud strong
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