MISCELLANEOUS. 149 



had never borne fruit. These trees he named as his ob- 

 noxious neighbors, and taking up a club, soothed his feel- 

 ings by giving their tree-namesakes a tremendous drub- 

 bing. This was in the summer ; the trees did not grow 

 quite as fast as usual, and the next season, for the first 

 time, they bore large crops of fine fruit. Investigation 

 proved that the whipping they had received had bruised 

 the bark so as to retard the flow of sap, just as if they 

 had been girdled. 



Girdling orange trees by any of these methods should 

 be done from June to September, when fruit is wanted for 

 the next year ; and to make large and early fruit, late in 

 March or early in April. 



The China berry tree is said to be a great fertilizer, 

 when planted in the "diamonds" between the orange 

 trees. It profusely drops its foliage, adding a rich humus 

 to the soil. It will abundantly fertilize the soil for a space 

 of thirty or forty feet around it. 



From Australia comes a voice that is echoed from many 

 parts of Florida, saying: "We have found, not the rem- 

 edy, but better still, the preventive for the scale insect." 

 What is it? A tree that has been making considerable 

 stir in the world of late, because of its anti-malarial and 

 draining properties, the Eucalyptus. 



It is a well-known fact that insects dislike the smell and 

 taste of this remarkable tree, and it has never been known 

 to be attacked by any of their mischievous race. 



Who does not know the peculiar aromatic odor of the 

 Eucalyptus, as from afar the winds waft its perfume? 

 Place some of these trees among your orange trees the 

 more the better if your land is inclined to be too moist, 

 and whatever orange trees are near enough to get the 

 benefit of their odor, will be free from insects, even though 

 others around them may be infested with them. This is 



