IMPROVEMENT OF CITRUS FRUITS THROUGH BUD SELECTION. 17 



NOTE TAKING. 



Detailed descriptions or notes of trees or fruits have not been ex- 

 tensively made. Such general notes are usually somewhat vague and 

 unsatisfactory as a means of preserving definite ideas of the objects 

 described. There are, however, certain notes that are very valuable, 

 for example, the history of the trees; a description of the past and 

 present methods of orchard management, particularl}" methods of «oil 

 treatment; the histor}' of the cultivation of the grove; the kinds and 

 quantities of fertilizers used or other sources of soil improvement; 

 the methods and system of irrigation; the methods of pruning, if any; 

 and any other facts bearing on the maintenance of the grove. One 

 objection to the taking of extensive notes in this t3"pe of work is that 

 the time and energy devoted to this phase are likely to defeat the 

 principal object of the work. The most eminent!}^ successful plant 

 breeders with whom the writer has been acquainted have used but few 

 notes, preferring to have the plants themselves as notes and to devote 

 their attention to a lirst-hand study of the plants. There is, perhaps, 

 a happy medium, which must be discovered b}" each worker for him- 

 self, which will permit of the stud}- of a sufficiently large number of 

 plants and the pi-eservation of all necessary' data. 



CITRUS-IMPROVEMENT CLUBS. 



The writer suggests the organization of citrus-improvement clubs 

 in the various citrus-growing localities for mutual assistance in the 

 study of this subject. Such clubs, with a membership consisting of 

 interested citrus growers, could hold regular meetings for the purpose 

 of discussing individual results and the criticism of methods of work. 

 It would be possible for such clubs to maintain a set of record books 

 in which a cop}' of each members data could be kept, similar to the 

 plan of certain live-stock breeders' associations. The membership in 

 such organizations should ])e undertaken only by growers who are 

 willing to devote the necessarj^ time, care, and thought to their work, 

 so that the results will be reliable and of permanent value. It would 

 be possible for the local clubs to have a central organization through 

 which atinual or other meetings might be held for the purpose of 

 bringing together interesting information from the different clubs. 

 Some such active cooperation would be of great value in promoting a 

 widespread and general interest in this work. 



IMPORTANCE OF UNIFORMLY PRODUCTIVE TREES. 



The great dili'erence between the yield of the best trees in a grove 

 and the average yield per tree of that grove, found so far in every 

 grove of Washington Navel oranges and Marsh pomelos, indicates that 



[Cir. 77.] 



