148 



THE AGr;TCULTri:AL NE^VS. 



^Fay 15, 1909. 



WEST 



INDIAN 



FRUIT. 



CITRUS FRUIT 



A y);i[)er whicli contains a large amount of useful 

 ■anforiiiatiun on ilie metliocjs of citi'us fniifc cultivation 

 which liMve been shown to be most siiitf-d to Dominica 

 — and iiiei<lent;illy inr other parts of the West 

 Indies — was picpared by Mr. A. J. Urooks. Officer-iii- 

 ■charge of thf Dominica Agricultural School, to be re;id 

 .at the Colonial Fruit Show held in London at the end 

 ■of Noven)ber la.-t, undfr the auspices of the Ro\;d 

 Horticultural Si'C'ety. This pajier is reprinted in the 

 -Journal of the Society for March last ( Vol. XXXIV, 

 Patt 3). 



The figures showing tlie citrn.s fruits exports from tlic 



West Inrlian islands would appear to indicate that .Jainaica 



piactieally monoijolizes the industry. Tlins, tlie total value nl 



the citrn.s fruit shipped abroad in 1907-S was £98,410 17s. 6d.. 



-of which Jamaica contributed no less th.m £96,697 is.: 



Triniilad and Tobago, £1,047 : and Dominica, £606*. Increa.s- 



ing attention is being given to the industry, however, in 



several of the smaller West Indian i.slands, and in DominicH 



-alone, over 16,000 citrus trees, occupying an area of about 



150 acres, have been planted out during the past seven or 



•eight years. 



The most .suitable altitudes for orange groves is from 

 -800 to 1,-2(J0 tVet above sea-level. The fruit will thrive, 

 however, up to '2,500 feet. It is important that the grove 

 be sheltered, either naturally or by artificial wind-breaks. 

 ■Orange trees prefer an open, well-drained soil, which is rich 

 in plant food, and which retains a good su])ply of moisture 

 without producing stagnation.'." Very dry .soils are especially 

 undesirable. A high rainfall is neces.sary for the trees to do 

 their be.st. A fall of 100 to 200 inches per annum is required. 

 With the exception of the lime, all citrus fruit trees 

 •(oranges, grape-fruit, shaddock, lemon, etc.) are best propa- 

 .gated by budding, in preference to raising from seed or from 

 <;uttings. Budded trees bear earlier, yield superior fruit, 

 -and also bear more true to th«original variety than seedlint.- 

 trees. 



The sour iirange, the Seville orange, and the rough 

 lemon are best suited for stocks on whicli oranges, etc., are 

 to be budded. The first two kinds are stated to be immune 

 to root rot, while the third slitters but slightly. The sour 

 ■orange is an especially hardy Stock, and thrives well on good 

 retentive soils, such as are found in the interior lands of 

 Dominica. Both the Washington navel orange and the 



*Theterni "citrus fruits, ' as used in Mr. Brooks' jiapcr, 

 •does not uijpear to inclucU' I inns, altliough this is not ux)ircs<ly 

 .stated liy llu' juMli'ir. 



CULTIVATION. 



grape-fruit are said to do better on this stock than on any 

 other, and it is therefore used very extensively in the West 

 Indies. The Seville orange stock does best at low altitudes, 

 while the rough lemon flourishes on high, dry soils, 

 liut is not suited .for moist ground at lower levels. The 

 growth of trees on . the rough lemon stock is much more 

 rapid than on the sOur or Seville orange. The grape-fruit 

 floes exceedingly well on this stock. Shaddock seedlings may 

 a I. so be used as .stocks for budding purposes. Ktoot rot can 

 be kept in perfect check if care be taken to see that there 

 is efi'ective drainage, and that sunlight is allowed free 

 entrance to the basciof the stems. 



In order to raise seedling .stocks, seeds are .sown in 

 nur.sery beds about the month of October. The soil in the 

 nursery will, of course, have to be well prepared, and tilled to 

 a depth of 2 feet. It is important that the seed beds be 

 -lieltered from the direct rays of the sun. Small drills about 

 I inch deep and 6 inches apart will be made in the beds in 

 which the seed will be sown, at distances of 2 inches from 

 -ecd to seed. Thesfe beds v.ill need weeding from time to 

 time. 



About five or six months after .sowing, the young 

 St- dlings will proViably he ready for transplanting. It is 

 ativisable to soak the soil thoroughly with water, previous to 

 pulling up the seedlings. Before replanting is done, the 

 young roots should be pruned, the main or tap-root being cut 

 back, and the longer^ side ro5ts slightly lopped. This siiuiu- 

 lates the production of a surface-feeding root system, and 

 prevents the breaking of the roots when being transplanted. 

 At the same time the heads of the young .seedlings may also 

 be cut back about half their length, the leaves being clipped. 

 'I he young .seedlings will then be re-planted in the beds 

 at distances of from 12 to 18 inches in the rows, which are 

 heniselves about i feet apart. An important point to 

 remendier at this stage is that the seedlings are not planted 

 • U'cpei than they stood before transplanting. 



In the following October, i.e., a year after sowing, the 

 needling stocks should be cut back to about 3 inches above 

 the .soil. Shoots ace thrown out. the' strongest of which is 

 ultimately selected for budding. The shoot is ready for thi^ 

 purpose when from £12 to 18 inches in height, and of the 

 thickness of a lead pencil. 



Mr. Brooks gives a detailed description of the. process oi 

 budding, and of the points which need attention in carrying 

 out the o[)eration, and afterw-ards. The bud wood used should 

 be of the last season's growth, and preferably not too angular 

 not too round. The stock should be budded at a height of 

 nor less than 10 or 12 inches above the soil. 



