168 OBSERVATIONS UPON THE ORANGE TREE. 



Thunberg speaks of a curious Lilliputian kind of Orange, grow- 

 ing in Japan: " A very small species of Orange (Citrus Japonica) 

 is frequently cultivated in the houses, in pots. This shrub hardly 

 exceeds six inches in height, and its fruit, which is sweet and palatable, 

 like China Oranges, is not larger than an ordinary cherry. 



In visiting the forcing nursery establishments around London 

 during the spring of 1845 and the present one, I endeavoured to 

 ascertain the best mode of culture. The following are essential. 

 There must be a very free drainage of broken pot over which some 

 pieces of rough turfy soil be laid. The compost to be turfy loam, 

 well enriched with one year old cow-dung, the two being mixed up 

 for six months before using. At the time of potting the soil must not 

 be sifted, but chopped, and a sprinkling of pieces of charcoal added. 

 During the growing and blooming period, the pots are plunged in 

 tan, or stable dung, having a covering of tan at the surface to 

 prevent the unsightly appearance of the dung. In one case a neat 

 covering of green moss had been supplied, which looked well. Rain- 

 water of a tepid temperature, and manure water too, is used ; but 

 only just sufficient to keep the soil moist, not wet. The plants are 

 frequently syringed over head, morning and evening, in dry weather, 

 or when the house is of moderate heat. In order to prevent worms 

 entering the hole at the bottom of the pot, the pot in which the plant 

 is growing is cased in another pot which is a size less, and on its 

 being placed within it, the bottom of the plant pot does not descend 

 within four or six inches of the case pot ; this allows the water to 

 drain away properly, admits the warmth to rise, and entirely pre- 

 cludes the worms entering the plant pot. After the Orange-tree has 

 ceased blooming a season of rest is allowed, and about a month 

 before the time of exciting them to grow again, they are re-potted, 

 carefully putting away the exterior soil, to admit a due proportion of 

 new compost. It is necessary at the season of rest, that the plants 

 are not supplied with bottom heat, but kept in a greenhouse, or 

 similar habitation. 



