196 



THE AGEICULTURAL NEWS. 



June 30, 190G. 



WEST INDIAN FRUIT. 



CULTIVATION OF LEMONS. 



The following note on the cultivation of lemons is 

 extracted from a bulletin recentl}^ issued by the 

 Hawaii Agricultural Experiment Station, entitled 

 * Citrus Fruits in Hawaii ' : — 



In most particulars the lemon may receive essentially 

 the same treatment as the orange. The methods of propaga- 

 tion, tillage, irrigation, etc., are the same. It is seldom 

 grown on its own roots. In California the favourite stock 

 for the lemon is the sweet orange seedling. The ]iraning of 

 the lemon trees and the curing of the fruit are r[uite distinct 

 from the practice in relation to oranges. 



PRUNING. 



The lemon has not the same tendency to compactness of 

 form as is found in the orange tree. Its habit is straggling, 

 and if left to itself it will produce its fruit on the ends of 

 long branches. It therefore rec^uires a method of pruning 

 persistently pursued, if the best results are to be secured. 

 There are several elaborate systems of pruning which are in 

 use, but the aim of them all is to produce a compact, but not 

 too dense, low-headed tree with a large amount of bearing 

 surface on easily accessible branches. This is secured by 

 cutting back the leader or main stem of the tree when it is 

 set and forcing out stray branches, three or four of which are 

 selected to form the framework of the tree. These, in turn, 

 are persistently pinched or cut back and encouraged to 

 assume a nearly horizontal position. Any branches that 

 start to make a strong growth in a vertical direction are cut 

 out. This continuous pinching and cutting back tends, 

 however, to produce a very dense mass of branches and 

 foliage, and some thinning out becomes necessary. The 

 general result of such systems is a low, flat-topped tree, from 

 which most of the fruit may be gathered without the use of 

 long ladders. 



riCKING. 



Lemons are always picked green. If ripened on the 

 trees, they lose in their characteristic acidity and become too 

 large. They are taken from the trees when they will just 

 fit a 2}-inch ring, and must be clipped like an orange and 

 handled with the same care. 



CUEING. 



The curing and storing of lemons is a much more 

 prolonged and difficult process than that of oranges. Simple 

 methods of curing maj- suffice when the lemons can soon be 

 marketed, but when it is intended to hold them for many 

 months for the best markets, special devices are required and 



the skill of one who has had experience in the business. The 

 objects aimed at are, in part, the same as in the case of the 

 orange, but, further, the lemon must attain its proi)er colour, 

 the thickness of the rind must be greatly reduced, the acidity 

 increased, and the fruit preserved in marketable condition 

 for a long time. This is attained by keeping the fruit in 

 a dark place, in a temperature as nearly uniform as |iossible, 

 and with sufficient ventilation to prevent moulding and 

 decay, but not enough to cause the wilting of the fruit. 

 Where the business is conducted on a large scale curing 

 houses are iirovided. 



PINE-APPLES IN PORTO RICO. 



The Bulletin of ilic Department of Agriculture, 

 Jamaica, for Jla^', contains an article on ' Agriculture 

 in Porto Rico,' reprinted from the Register of Porto 

 Rico, for 190.5. The following reference is made to the 

 cultivation of pine-apples in orange groves : — 



Pine-apple culture has been taken up largely by the 

 orange growers as a means of deriving some income while 

 waiting for their groves to come into bearing. AVhen planted 

 between the rows of trees, about 4,000 pine-apple plants can 

 be set out to the acre without interfering with the tree.s, and 

 when planted by themselves from 8,000 to 10,000 pines can 

 be set out to the acre. The pines which appear to grow best 

 in Porto Eico arc the Red Spanish, the Cabezona, the Pan de 

 Azucar, and the Smooth Cayenne. Pved Spanish is the 

 favourite with the planter, as it has shown good keeping 

 qualities, and shipments have brought an average of §2-50 

 per crate, thus allowing a handsome profit to the grower. 

 The good returns from last season's crop have resulted in the 

 planting of a greatly increased acreage, and it is estimated 

 that at least 4,0u0,000 jjlants have been set out this year. 



The climate of Porto Rico seems to be peculiarly adapted 

 to the raising o^ pine-apples. Careful cultivation and 

 a little fertilizer show a corresponding increase in the size of 

 the fruit. Several canning factories are now in operation, 

 and as a good supply of fruit is now assured, more factories 

 will soon be erected. 



In the majority of the groves the trees are set out 25 feet 

 apart, making about seventy trees to the acre. One advantage 

 of this system is that pine-apples ma}' be planted between the 

 rows for the first two or three j'ears. The principal draw- 

 backs with which the orange growers here have to contend 

 are the wind, scale, and ants ; the wind may be overcome 

 by a wind-break, and the scale and ants can be kept within 

 bounds by constant spraying and washing. 



