80 THE MONTHLY BULLETIN. 



about 2 quarts. It was found that each keg absorbed about one-half 

 pint of the paraffin. It was found that by this treatment the paraffin 

 penetrated well into the wood and also filled every crack and crevice, 

 thus effectively preventing seepage and leakage. The coating thus 

 applied was very tenacious and no tendency ^to peel off was noticed at 

 any time. The exterior of the kegs was given three coats of good 

 paint. The empty kegs treated in this way could be stored for months 

 without any shrinkage and loosening of the hoops. It is thought that 

 the same treatment could be applied to a barrel on a larger scale, using 

 a proportionately larger amount of paraffin. Care would have to be 

 exercised to prevent spilling the cyanide solution upon the outside of 

 the barrels, which would eventually remove the paint. 



SUMMARY. 

 It is believed that the machines are correct in principle, although 

 there are still some points that need more thorough investigation. There 

 are mechanical imperfections in the machines, but they, nevertheless, 

 offer many important advantages over the pot system of dosage. 



ORANGE TREE PRUNING. 



By C. R. Paine,* Redlands, Cal. 



To make renewals of fruiting wood and removal of weak and rank 

 prowths, with the object of putting the tree in a thrifty condition, so 

 that its crop may be increasingly profitable, should be the aim of the 

 orange tree pruner. In fact it is one of those kinds of work, that, in 

 time of financial hardship, is, and may be postponed ; or, in the view of 

 some, may be neglected altogether as a practice in orange growing 

 as compared with the kind of work that every one recognizes as abso- 

 lutely essential to any success, at all, such as tilling and irrigating and 

 lertiiizing the soil of the orchard; that is to say, it often comes last, 

 or, not at all. This is because the orange tree is so accommodating, for 

 one season after another, in its early life, in producing, according to 

 its unassisted and unhindered will, large crops of fruit with a fair 

 ratio of merchantable quality. 



Because of the multitudes of acres now planted in California, of the 

 removal, one hundred and fifty miles further south in the peninsulas of 

 Florida of safer citrus plantings, and of the greater skill now exhibited 

 there in cultural and marketing processes; and of the fact that there 

 is, as is said in Mexico, an area twelve times as great as in California, 

 suitable for citrus culture, which may, ultimately, be utilized at less 

 expense than in California; because of these conditions, it certainly 

 behooves us here to study how to work to the best advantage in this 

 field of production. If tree neglect can be turned in the direction of 

 improving the productive powers of the tree, it is important to study 

 this phase of the business. 



There is more study given to the care of the tree and more uniform 

 good results, in consequence, in deciduous fruit culture, and in lemon 

 growing than in orange growing. 



The wild, natural way of the apricot and peach tree, for instance, 

 where growth of branch and shoot was luxuriant, and the fruit pulp 



* Address before the State Fruit Growers' Convention, Davis, California, June 1 

 to 6, 1914. 



