FRUIT CULTURE. 803 



ten fold, and instead of four hundred cubic feet of soil in which to feed, the tree has four 

 thousand cubic feet. This advantage is more especially to be considered where the subsoil is 

 sandy, as in such a soil, air and other nutriment for the roots penetrate to a greater depth. 

 But there are some of these wet soils found in our State that are positively poisonous to the 

 orange, as they contain a large per centum of salt chloride of sodium. 



The orange will grow in a variety of soils in clayey, sandy, shelly, or loamy soils; in 

 hummocks black or gray, on pine lands, or black-jack ridges. It does well on soil underlaid 

 with clay or sand. It will even do well on a light soil underlaid with white sand if fertilizers 

 are annually applied. But whoever wishes to plant an orange grove should be careful to 

 select the best available soil. Perhaps the poorest soil suitable for orange growing is that 

 underlaid with a white sand, as such a soil leaches very readily the soluble manure. Perhaps 

 the best soil is found in our dark gray hummock, with deep soil underlaid with a yellow 

 clay or yellow sand subsoil. 



The natural growth should be tall and large, with an abundance of live oak and hickory, 

 as such a growth would indicate an abundance of lime. Of our pine land that on which the 

 hickory is found mixed with the pine, with yellow subsoil, should rank first. Such a soil is 

 really a mixed hummock and pine. Next to this is the pine mixed with willow, oak, and 

 black-jack. Considering the ease with which such lands as the last two classes are cleared 

 and planted, the readiness with which the orange grows on them, they deserve a high rank, 

 and especially if fertilizers are close at hand. In selecting a location in the purely pine lands, 

 select that which is thickly set with tall trees, well drained, and with a yellow sub-soil. Such 

 soils, if occasionally dressed with alkaline manures, grow the orange admirably. 



W hile with proper care the orange may be grown successfully in almost any portion of 

 the State of Florida, still it is wise to select a location which may combine all conditions 

 favorable to the best results. In budding, but one plan, that of inserting a single bud, is 

 practiced. The graft has not done well. Grafted trees will live, but they do not grow so 

 thriftily as the budded tree. Grafting is sometimes resorted to when one wishes to preserve 

 a new variety and he has obtained a cutting of this new variety in winter when the sap is not 

 in condition for budding. 



Transplanting. Before the work of transplanting begins, the soil for the grove 

 should be well prepared. It is most generally the case that the great hurry to get the trees 

 into the ground causes much neglect at this point, but this policy is a bad one. The haste 

 should have reference to the early fruiting and rapid growth of the tree; and they are not 

 brought about by careless preparation of the soil. The soil should be deeply and thoroughly 

 broken, and the ground cleared of the roots. To insure the setting of the trees a proper and 

 uniform depth, the ground should be well leveled with a harrow or drag. No manure should 

 be used at the time of setting, nor before, unless applied some months previous, and 

 thoroughly incorporated with the soil. 



The best time for setting trees is the late winter or early spring before the new wood has 

 started. The ground is then cool and the roots in as dormant condition as at any time dur 

 ing the year. It is better that the ground should be wet and the setting followed by showers. 

 But wet soil is not so essential at this time of the year as it is when the transplanting has been 

 done later and the ground and sun are warmer. &quot;Where trees are to be set under forest pro 

 tection so that they will escape any damage from frost, the late fall is the best time, as trees 

 set at that time are well established and ready to start by the spring. 



In taking up the trees great care should be taken to prevent breaking or bruising the 

 roots. As many roots as possible should be taken up. If the distance from the nursery to 

 the site of the grove be short, and the nursery rows have been well manured with muck, and 

 the ground is wet at the time of lifting the trees from the nursery, much of the soil can be 

 taken along with the roots. Immediately on lifting the roots from the ground they should be 



