PRUNING FROZEN ORANGE TREES 147 



colder than 10 above zero. Farther south, where zero 

 weather is not likely to prevail, prune shade and fruit trees 

 any time in winter, at least thirty days before the buds are 

 likely to open." 



The great Florida freezes of 1894-5 brought 

 much discussion as to the proper methods of treat- 

 ing frozen orange trees. Many persons cut the 

 trees back to fresh wood, others practiced root- 

 pruning at the same time to equalize root and top, 

 and others did nothing. The last-named persons 

 practically lost badly frozen trees. The writer 

 studied the effects of the various treatments in the 

 winter of 1896-7, and it seemed clear that vigor- 

 ous cutting-back is to be recommended in such 

 cases. Some of the best results were seen on the 

 estate of H. S. Williams, at Rockledge, Fla.; and 

 Mr. Williams' own advice* is here reprinted: 



"As a rule, all my trees were budded low, and on sour 

 stocks. In April they began to show signs of life, vary- 

 ing from two to fifteen feet from the ground. All the 

 branches, with but few exceptions, were killed back to 

 the main trunk. Some trees were killed to the ground 

 on south side, while on the north they threw out vigorous 

 sprouts up some two or three feet. * * * Some of the 

 sprouts, high up on the trunk, where the wood did not have 

 vigor enough to sustain life a mere shell under the bark 

 have died the past summer, but not as many as I was led to 

 expect. The crop of the season of 1894-95 was ten oranges. 

 The present crop, 1895-96, may be 30 boxes. Owing to the 

 excess of roots over the top, hence the excess of sap and 

 food taken up by the roots, the fruit is somewhat coarse, 



*As given in Indian River Advocate, Dec. 4, 1896. 



