54 



Always keep your land clean and as soon as your trees start to 

 bear, remove all catch crops from the land except peas which you 

 may continue to grow for some time as this being a nitrogeneous 

 crop rather adds to the fertility of the soil than otherwise. 



I should not pass this stage without giving you some advice as 

 to the varieties of oranges and grape fruit to plant. In the 

 citrus family we have a large number of species, and these are 

 again divided up into endless varieties. For instance 'ake the 

 sweet orange. Of the cultivated varieties we have under the 

 class called Navel : — Petersfield, Washington, Australian, Thom- 

 son's Improved, &c., and under ordinary or seeded varieties, St. 

 Michael, Valencia, Ruby, Homosassa, Parson Brown, Majorca, 

 Jaffa, Pineapple, Tardif, Rivers, Blood, &c., and a host of others 

 too numerous to mention ; then it is almost the same with grape 

 fruit ; the imported varieties include the following : — Marsh seed- 

 less. Triumph, Pernambuco, Royal, Walters, Duncan, &c., and in 

 Jamaica there are almost as many varieties as there are trees in 

 the island. But for our purpose we can bring the oranges down 

 to two or three varieties that are worth while cultivating. I 

 would advise your propagating in preference to all others the 

 Petersfield Navel as being the most vigorous grower and heaviest 

 cropper of them all ; the Washington and Thomson's Improved 

 Navel are also very good ; all Navels are classed as seedless 

 varieties. Of the seeded sorts you cannot get a better than the 

 Pineapple, for although it contains a very large number of seeds 

 it is a very strong grower and cropper, and is seldom attacked 

 by disease of any kind, and having a very tough skin, is one of 

 tlie best shippers I know of. Of grape fruit I should advise your 

 planting some selected Jamaica variety as the foreign sorts are 

 not to be compared with them either for flavour or texture. I 

 have tried all the oranges and grape fruit quoted, therefore I 

 speak from actual experience. 



The citrus tree requires very little pruning except in the tim® 

 of its first growth after planting when all suckers below a heigh^ 

 of two feet from the ground should be removed with a sharp knife 

 and covered with some paint, after that just prune up the limbs 

 that have a tendency to droop towards the ground, and any dry 

 branches ; more than this would not be necessary. 



With manuring we have to be very careful, as the citrus are 

 very particular. Stable manure of any kind should never be used 

 except very old and well rotted, the same applies to that obtained 

 from the pig. Sheep manure is different, it can be used at once. 

 Ashes are good at all times. Remember all manures must be 

 applied in advance of the roots so that it may be thoroughly in- 

 corporated with the soil before the roots reach it, in which case it 

 will be of benefit to the tree, otherwise applied it will bring on 

 endless diseases of the root. 



This brings us to the stage when I must say something as to the 

 diseases of the citrus. All are more or less caused from bad man- 

 agement, such as planting too deep first and foremost, the appli- 



