THEIR CULTURE AND MANAGEMENT 



MODERN METHODS IN CITRUS CULTURE 



The eight essentials in the planting 

 and caretaking of a citrus orchard 

 may be tersely summarized under 

 eight counts, as follows: 



1. Preparing the land. 



2. Distance to plant. 



3. Laying out the ground. 



4. Selecting the trees. 



5. Proper methods of planting. 



6. The tree; the soil; the care. 



7. Care of the orchard. 



8. Fertilizers and fertiliaztion. 



Preparing the Land 



We will assume that the intending 

 planter has selected his land in a suit- 

 able location for the variety that he 

 has decided upon planting. Should 

 the land be uneven, the first thing to 

 do will be to have it graded so that 

 there will be no question about the 

 irrigating water running over every 

 part of it. The planter cannot be too 

 particular about this part of the 

 work as it is not only expensive but 

 hazardous to grade land after it has 

 been planted. If there is any ques- 

 tion about the water not running over 

 the ground, it is best, if the water is 

 obtainable, to plow furrows over that 

 part of the land you are uncer- 

 tain about and run the water through 

 the furrows to test it out. In fact, it 

 is customary in some localities to re- 

 quire the party who contracts to do 

 the grading to run furrows 20 or 30 

 feet apart and run the water through 

 them before paying for the work. 



After the grading is properly done, 

 the whole tract should be plowed to 

 the depth of 12 inches and well har- 

 rowed down so as to be free from 

 clods. The plowing should be done 

 in the winter or early spring after 

 there has been enough rain to wet the 

 soil down to the depth that you wish 

 to plow. If properly plowed and har- 

 rowed, the land should now be in a 

 fairly level condition, free from clods 

 and ready to lay off for planting. 



Distance to Plant Apart. 



This question should receive serious 

 consideration of the planter, as, unlike 

 planting ordinary farm crops where a 



mistake can be rectified the following 

 year, the citrus orchard is planted but 

 once in a lifetime. The different va- 

 rieties should be planted according to 

 the growth and habit of the trees, the 

 idea being at all times to plant far 

 enough apart so that the trees will not 

 be crowded when full grown, and so 

 that the sunlight will, at some time 

 during the day, reach nearly the whole 

 outer surface and as much of the 

 ground around the tree as possible. 

 The soil needs a certain amount of 

 sunlight and air to keep it in a fertile 

 condition, and the tree must have sun- 

 light and air or it cannot produce 

 fruit. Planted too closely and where 

 they crowd each other causes the tree 

 to only produce fruit on the top, which 

 gets the required light and air. The 

 sides of the tree and lower limbs, 

 where the fruit should be produced, re- 

 main barren. 



The Washington Navel and other 

 varieties of similar growth should not 

 be planted closer than 22 feet each 

 way. It is our opinion that 24 feet 

 would be better in localities where the 

 soil is such that more than ordinary 

 growth may be expected. The Wash- 

 ington Navel is not usually a rapid or 

 vigorous growing tree. Where it is 

 planted in light alluvial soil it makes a 

 much larger tree than where planted 

 in heavier soil. For this reason we 

 would advise planting at a little great- 

 er distance apart under such condi- 

 tions. 



The Valencia Late should be plant- 

 ed 24 feet apart each way, and pos- 

 sibly 25 or 26 feet would be better in 

 some localities, as it is a vigorous 

 grower. It requires more room than 

 the Washington Navel to produce the 

 best results. . 



Lemon trees should also be planted 

 at least 24 feet apart, as they are much 

 more vigorous than any of the budded 

 oranges and require quite severe prun- 

 ing to make them fruit properly. The 

 common practice of pruning, and that 

 which is generally accepted as the 

 best, is to keep the tops well pruned, 

 which forces the side branches to 

 spread out, thus requiring that they be 

 planted a little further apart in order 

 to afford room for this spreading, as 

 well as for room to work around them. 



