Pecan cultivars
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'Havens' (nut drawing)
(Taylor, W. A. and H. P. Gould. 1913. Promising New Fruits. pp. 277-278, plate VIII. Yearbook of the United States Department of Agriculture. 1912. Government Printing Office, Washington.)
"The description of pecan varieties which follow have been furnished by Mr. C. A. Reed, scientific assistant, Bureau of Plant Industry.
The original tree of the Havens pecan stands on the residence
grounds of Mrs. Kate V. Havens, widow of the late Walter Havens,
of West Pascagoula, Miss. It was grown from a nut of the Russell
variety, secured and planted in the spot where the tree now stands
by Mr. Havens about 1894. It began bearing when 5 years of age;
and while no exact record of its annual crops has been kept, it
is said to be much like the parent variety in its bearing habit.
The apparent merits of this nut were such that it was named in
honor of the originator in 1902, and in 1903 or 1904 its propagation
was begun by Mr. Theodore Bechtel, of Ocean Springs, Miss. It
has since been quite widely disseminated.
Description
Size medium to large, averaging from about 65 to 70 nuts per
pound; form oblong, somewhat ovate, compressed, with sharp base
and blunt apex; color dark brown splashed toward apex and dotted
on flattened sides with purplish black markings; shell very thin,
brittle; partitions thin and fragile; cracking quality excellent;
kernel bright brown, smooth, usually plump, narrowly grooved;
texture firm, fine grained; flavor pleasant; quality good.
In form and habit of growth the Havens tree resembles its parent,
although it is rather more symmetrical than that variety. Its
bearing habits are also very much the same. Mrs. Havens reports
that this variety is a vigorous grower and a heavy annual bearer,
but says that the nuts from the parent tree are rather inclined
to be defective in plumpness. Mr. F. H. Lewis, of Pascagoula,
Miss., who has had trees in bearing for some years, reports little
trouble in that respect. In his opinion its productiveness, thinness
of shell, and excellent cracking qualities make it one of the
most promising varieties for planting in the Gulf coast region
at the present time. The specimens examined at the Department
of Agriculture during the past several years have not shown an
objectionable number of defective kernels. Its known habits of
bearing, together with its resistance thus far to fungous diseases
and its excellent cracking qualities, should commend it to planters
in sections to which the Russell variety is adapted.
The specimens illustrated in Plate VIII were of the crop of 1911
and were grown by Mr. F. H. Lewis, of Pascagoula, Miss."
In 1928, C. A. Reed (who wrote the above description) listed 'Havens' as unworthy of propagation. Reed, C. A. 1928. Report on the Committee on the Elimination of Pecan Varieties. Natl. Pecan Growers Assoc. 27:112-125.
KenKnight noted that 'Havens' was very susceptible to tumor disease. (KenKnight, G. E. 1968. Resistance of pecan to disease. Proc. Southeastern Pecan Growers Assoc. 61:168-173.
LJ Grauke , Research Horticulturist &Curator
USDA-ARS Pecan Breeding & Genetics
10200 FM 50
Somerville, TX 77879
tele: 979-272-1402
fax: 979-272-1401
e-mail:ljg@tamu.edu
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