152 FLORIDA FRUITS LEMONS. 



CHAPTER XVI. 



LEMON CULTURE. 



All that has been said in these pages regarding orange 

 culture will apply equally well to lemons, with a few slight 

 modifications. 



One of these differences relates to pruning ; as we have 

 seen, the orange tree will admit of considerable lopping 

 off of its branches, and with benefit. The lemon, on the 

 contrary, resents any such meddling with its branches, un- 

 less they are dead ; then, of course, they must be removed. 

 One single cutting away, especially of the lower branches, 

 that nature intended to shield its trunk from the sun and 

 wind, will put back the tree from one to two years in 

 growth, and seriously affect its vigor and health. 



We remember a case in point : A gentleman had one 

 especial lemon tree near his house, and wishing to make it 

 an ornament to his grounds, determined to curb its strag- 

 gling propensities, and " train it in the way it should go." 

 With knife, saw, and shears, he pruned and lopped until 

 the tree had assumed the desired symmetrical proportions 

 tall and rounded, its trunk smooth and bare instead of be- 

 ing well nigh hidden by sheltering foliage. 



The tree was expected to bear fruit the next season, but 

 it did not ; it devoted its energies to replacing its lower- 

 most branches. Carefully they were -pinched and pruned 

 away ; not a very arduous task was this either, for the 

 growth was weak and slow ; then the leaves turned yellow, 

 new shoots were scarce, and the whole tree assumed a sickly 

 appearance. 



Still the true cause of the trouble was not even sur- 

 mised, and once more the limbs were cut back; another 



