24 [ CITRUS FRUITS 



and with proper cultivation may be strong enough to 

 transplant when they are a year old. Seedlings left in 

 the nursery-beds for two years are stronger, and give a 

 smaller percentage of failures. Transplanting is performed 

 in May or June or in September. The seedlings are 

 taken up with as many roots as possible. Then the 

 tap-root is shortened to induce the formation of lateral 

 roots evenly distributed ; all lateral shoots on the 

 stem are removed to provide a clean, straight stock for 

 budding, and the seedlings are planted in the nursery, 

 in regular rows, disposing the seedlings alternately, or 

 according to the quincuncial method, 60 c. m. to i m. 

 apart, and are watered carefully. They soon commence 

 to make fresh growth, and budding may be started in 

 May or September, when the seedlings have been in 

 the nursery for about one year and are strong enough to 

 bear the operation. In about two years the budded plants 

 will have formed a nice head, and may be transplanted 

 with a ball of earth to their final destination. Transplant- 

 ing from the open ground can be performed at any 

 time between April and September, provided that the 

 soil is dry enough to allow the plant or young tree 

 to be lifted with a good ball of earth, which of course 

 must vary in size according to the size of the plant. In 

 performing this operation the soil is removed down to 

 the first layer of roots> and then a trench is dug ail round 

 the young tree, the roots are separated with a clean cut, 

 until the lower roots are reached and cut in the same 

 manner, when the young tree can be removed carefully 

 with its ball of earth. Of course young trees are more 

 easily transplanted, and establish themselves more readily 

 in their new quarters ; but older trees, that is trees 

 which have been allowed to remain for more than four 

 years in the nursery, require to be pruned back a little 

 when transplanted, in order to re-establish the balance 

 between the growth above and that below the soil. The 

 young trees should be planted deep enough so as to 



