16 CALIFORNIA CITRUS CULTURE. 



The quincunx system (Fig. 4) is like the rectangular, except that a 

 tree is planted in the center of each square or rectangle. This adds to 

 the number of trees. If the square is twenty feet on each side, there 

 will be one hundred and ninety-nine trees to the acre. It also serves 

 when more trees are desired in a young orchard, some of which will be 

 removed as the trees age. It makes this removal easy, without affecting 

 the symmetry of the grove. 



In the hexagonal or sextuple system (Fig. 5), six trees mark the 

 angles of an equilateral hexagon, with an extra tree in the middle point 

 between them. In case the trees are twenty feet apart, the first row 

 will be parallel to the one side of the field, and the trees twenty feet 

 apart. Two twenty-foot lines stretched from the first two trees of this 

 row towards the opposite side of the field, approximating each other, 

 will fix the location of the center tree where they meet. This will be 

 the first tree of the second row, which will be parallel to the first row. 

 The trees of the third row will be exactly opposite those of the first. 

 Here alone, of all the systems, each tree is equally distant from all 

 adjacent trees. If the trees are set twenty feet apart, then one hundred 

 and twenty-four trees will be set on each acre. Here the trees may be 

 cultivated diagonally in two directions and in a third direction parallel 

 with the side. 



PLANTING THE TREES. 



Citrus trees may be planted at almost any time ; better from February 

 to August. I prefer February when the trees are more dormant, 

 though the heaviest plantings are in April and May, and as late as 

 June. This avoids frost, and the trees will respond to the temperate 

 heat of spring. 



The holes may best be dug just prior to setting the trees and should 

 be ample in size, not less than two and a half feet in diameter. They 

 should be dug a little deeper than necessary to accom- 

 >" * modate the trees, the extra space being filled with 



fresh, rich fertile soil. The bruised roots of each tree 

 should be cut off diagonally with a clean cut, just 

 above the wound, and the top cut to balance the root 

 pruning and to give all the trees similar and sym- 

 metrical heads. Some of our growers leave all the 

 top and foliage intact ; others prune the top heavily, 

 V^ ? fSpx^J? removing all the leaves. I think the above course, 

 FIG. 7 Yoomg" roots trimming to balance top and root system, is preferable. 

 i S n pSt?ng by ( After ^ s the trees are placed in position, the roots, if the 

 trees are not balled, should be evenly separated 

 (Fig. 6) by hand, and in every case the hole filled three fourths full 



