DIVISION OP GARDENS AND GROUNDS. 691 



There are thousands of orange trees in Florida, to my personal 

 knowledge, which are in stunted, scrubby condition from causes such 

 as those outlined above, and which should, as a matter of pure econ- 

 omy, be removed at once, and their places supplied by a better class 

 of plants. 



The best class of trees are those which are produced by budding 

 healthy stocks not more than two years from seed, and when the 

 buds have made a growth in the nursery the trees will be in good 

 condition for permanent planting. In some countries the orange is 

 mainly propagated by grafting ; in Florida it may be said that bud- 

 ding is the only method practiced. 



With regard to the relative merits of the sweet and the sour orange 

 as stocks opinions are varied. The sour stock is regarded as being 

 more hardy under low temperatures, and as withstanding greater 

 extremes in respect to wetness or dryness of soil. The opinion which 

 is sometimes mooted, that the sour stock impairs the sweet flavor of 

 the fruit, does not seem to be of much importance, since it is well 

 known that some of the best fruits are produced on these stocks. 

 Some growers expressed an indifference as to the kind of stock they 

 used for budding upon, but the preponderance of answers in reply 

 to interrogatories on this point was in favor of the sour stock. 



Northern orchardists find it to their advantage to procure their 

 young fruit trees from reliable nurserymen whose business it is to 

 propagate and supply such trees, healthy as to vitality and authentic 

 as to name and character. Promotors of orange groves will ultimately 

 learn that it will prove most economical and in every way to their 

 advantage to procure their young trees from similar sources. 



As to trusting to seedling trees for the best marketable products, 

 it is found that opinions do not vary so much on this point as they 

 did some years ago. Consumers are learning that there are differ- 

 ences in oranges as there are in apples, pears, and other fruits, and 

 shipments of choice named kinds will take precedence over those 

 which contain fruits of various merits as gathered indiscriminately 

 from groves of seedling trees and whose uniformity cannot be guar- 

 anteed. 



THE PINEAPPLE. 



The pineapple cannot be considered as a perfectly safe field crop in 

 Florida north of the twenty-eighth degree of latitude. Its cultiva- 

 tion is sometimes attempted a full degree north of this limit with 

 winter protection, and unless the thermometer sinks below 30° they 

 will pass through the winter unhurt. Being allowed ample space and 

 freely manured the plants attain large size, and produce fruits from 

 4 to 9 pounds in weight, varying according to the variety. 



Pineapples are commonly protected by erecting a horizontal plat- 

 form of small poles or laths, supported by posts, and elevated high 

 enough so as not to interfere with the upward growth of the plants. 

 This platform is closely covered with palm leaves during winter, and 

 forms a good protection against light frosts. A slight shade is al- 

 lowed during summer. This, it is claimed, enhances the value of the 

 fruit, causing it to be more tender and juicy than it would be if ex- 

 posed to the full force of the sun throughout the summer. The plants 

 are usually grown in beds 8 or 10 feet in width; the covering is thus 

 easily applied. 



jSTorth of the latitude mentioned pineapple production in the open 

 field does not appear promising, unless in exceptionally favored places 



