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the soil is heavy and retentive, or on flat ground, with a close subsoil, 

 the cultivator should always provide for effective drainage. Underground 

 drains are preferable, and the distance apart must, of course, depend 

 upon the conformation of the ground. If the ground has only a slight 

 fall, parallel drains between every other row of trees will be necessary to 

 allow each tree to get an equal and thorough drainage. On steeper 

 slopes a less distance will suffice, according to the nature of the soil, and 

 the more heavy and tenacious it is the closer must the drains be. In 

 preparing the ground, any deficiencies should, if possible, be rectified, 

 and practical men need scarcely be told that there is a great difference in 

 the character of various sails, some being deficient in certain properties 

 which others have in excess. If soils are lacking in lime, pota.sh, or other 

 material that is essential to the growth of the trees, the deficiencies must 

 be made good to make cultivation successful. 



SELECTING YOUNG TREES. 



In planting trees of this family due care should be taken that none but 

 healthy and vigorous plants are selected. This is a matter of essential 

 importance, as if the trees are unhealthy or weakly in constitution they 

 are not likely to give the grower the same satisfaction as more vigorous 

 plants will do. In selecting trees planters should give the preference to 

 those having a healthy dark green foliage, and avoid those which have a 

 sickly yellowish appearance. It is also a matter of some importance that 

 the young trees have been raised from vigorous parents. " Like has a 

 tendency to produce like " is one of nature's laws in the vegetable as well 

 as the animal kingdom, and if young trees have been raised from 

 debilitated parents they are liable to inherit weak constitutions. It 

 stands to reason, therefore, that the stocks should be vigorous and 

 suitable, and that the scions, whether for grafting or budding, ought to 

 be taken from robust healthy trees. 



PLANTING. 



If circumstances will permit, the most favourable period of the year 

 for planting trees of the Orange family is from the middle of March to 

 the end of April, according to the nature of the season and locality, 

 though it may be done successfully at other times. When the trees are 

 planted early in the autumn, as the ground contains a considerable 

 amount of warmth, root action begins quickly, the plants soon recover 

 from the check caused by removal, and they get fairly established before 

 the winter sets in. If trees are planted later on during the winter 

 months growth is necessarily less active, and the plants are very liable to 

 suffer from the effects of frosts and bleak winds. When it is not 

 convenient to plant in the autumn it is better to wait till September 

 rather than put the trees in during the winter months. As a rule, 

 however, trees should not be shifted after their growth has fairly started 

 or before the summer growth has matured. It must be clearly understood, 



