The clear stem of about six inches for the convenience of the 

 Cultivation of fa^fa^ 



The best season at which to bud is about the time when 

 10 the seedling is starting into vigorous growth in the spring. 



In general it may be said, however, that budding on good 

 citrus stock may be done at any time of the year when the 

 bark of the stock separates easily from the wood. This 

 always indicates a strong flow of sap. The buds must be 

 taken from a vigorous, healthy tree of the variety desired. 

 Good well-matured buds only should be used; those from 

 both the base and the tip of shoots are frequently defective. 



Spring buds start into growth almost immediately, and 

 have the benefit of the whole summer season for developing 

 and maturing wood. 



After the bud has made a good start, the top of the 

 stock should be removed at a short distance above it, and 

 suckers on the old stock should be continually looked for and 

 removed. The tender shoot of the bud is protected by 

 tying to the stub, and when the growth of the bud has be- 

 come sufficiently strong to allow of its supporting itself, 

 the old stock is smoothly sawn away and the wound covered 

 with grafting wax, or paint. 



Probably, however, a better practice is to supply sup- 

 porting stakes at once, and to cut the stocks close in lopping, 

 as, when this is done, the buds are said to make more rapid 

 growth. 



Budded trees are given one or two years' growth in the 

 nursery and one or two years' growth on the bud, which, 

 added to the year in the seed bed, makes them three to four 

 years of age from the sowing of the seed before they are 

 ready for planting out in the orchard. 



To cut a bud properly is not altogether a simple opera- 

 tion; indeed the whole process of budding is one which re- 

 quires skill and practical experience, .and it would be scarcely 

 possible to give here intelligible and adequate directions for 

 performing it with assurance of success. 



Setting Out. 



The number of trees to be set out to the acre will de- 

 pend on the variety selected and the character of the land. 

 Large-growing citrus trees such as pomelos and the Bahia 

 and Tardiff sweet oranges, should not be set closer than 100 



