ic Aug., 191 1.] Citrus t ruii Ciilturi. 515 



Since this disease has net as yet become general, a sharp look out for 

 it should be kept in the nursery and orchard and the above measures taken 

 to keep it under control. Now that an export trade is being established 

 for pears, it becomes all the more necessary to check anything which tends 

 to depreciate their value. It must also be remembered that nearly all 

 varieties of pear are found to \)v subject to this disease, the Duchess and 

 Keift'er's Hvbrid lu-iug the most resistant of those usual Iv grown. 



CITlirS FRUIT CULTURE. 



(C ontbuicd from page 378.) 

 E. E. Pcscott, Principal, Horticultural Scl/ool, Ihiriilcy. 



Pruning. 



It is fre<iuently CDUsidered that, because orange and lemon trees are 

 evergreen, thev ilo not need pruning. Under this misapprehension they 

 are allowed to grow unhindered, and the result is an upright-growdng tree, 

 with an extremely weak leader system, the centre of the tree being a mass 

 of thin, sprawding stems, and the foliage and fruit only on the outside. 



Citrus trees require building up from their youth, just the same as any 

 other fruit tree needs training. All evergreen fruiting trees, as well as 

 ornamental flowering shrubs, require a system of pruning for the continual 

 and regular production of new fruiting wood. All side growths must be 

 removed from the young trees to a height of 18 inches or 2 feet, and four 

 or five strong branches should be allowed to develop so as to form a good 

 head of strong-growing limt)s. All other strong growths may be cleanly 

 cut out. During the .second and following years, the leaders may be cut 

 out wherever suitaljle side shoots occur so as to continue rhe leader, either 

 singly or in two divisions. 



Thus, in a few vears, by a suitable practice of forming and increasing 

 the main growths, keeping all of these out at a fair angle, and allowing 

 no ujuight growths to become prominent, a good shaped tree will be pro- 

 duced, with strong leaders, capable of carrying a heavy crop without injury 

 to the limbs. In its early stages the tree will usually produce considerable 

 lateral growths ; these should not Ije allowed to produce fruit, neither 

 sliould thev be allowed to gradually become elongated and strong in 

 character. They mav always be shortened back to a bud possessing a 

 strong character, or to a weak side growth. 



When the tree comes into l)earing. the pruning work will Ix' mainly 

 directed towards the management of the lateral growths, and in keeping 

 the tree oj^-n. All growths that have served the use for which they were 

 retained should be removed ; old fruiting wood, twigs, and growths that 

 have borne fruit must be cut out. It is often noticeable that orange and 

 lemon trees are carrying a great (luantity of dead and dying tips, and of 

 l<Mig rank growth; these should all be removed. The interior of the tree 

 should W kept well open, .so that lateral growths, especially in the lemon, 

 may develf)j) and bear fruit inside the tree as well as butside. The admis- 

 sion of light and air into the interior will also tend to prevent pests and 

 •«.liseascs nuaging the tree, and it will thu ; be correspondinglv healthy. 



