146 



TROPICAL AGRICULTURE 



CHAP. 



"annum." Such -being the case, it need not be feared that 

 the orange industry of the West Indies is likely to be killed 

 out by the competition of Florida and California ; and, when 

 The cultiva- the fruit can be sold to local buyers, there is perhaps no 

 able one! *" more profitable cultivation than the orange, for small pro- 

 prietors to engage in. 



SOIL. The orange tree will grow in almost any soil except 

 a sandy one, provided there be good drainage and a suffi- 

 cient depth for the long tap root to descend. Good crops, 

 however, can be expected only from rich land, for all the 

 members of the orange family love a " generous soil." 

 Clays, loams, marls and calcareous soils are all suitable, 

 and the larger the amount of humus the better will the 

 tree thrive. 



Rich soils 

 the best. 



Tropical 

 climates 

 best. 



Elevation. 



Shade un- 

 necessary. 



Shelter. 



CLIMATE. The orange tree is perhaps the hardiest of the 

 members of the citrus family, it luxuriates in the tropics, it 

 grows well in the sub-tropics, and it will endure the mild 

 frosts of the south of France. But in these latter climates, 

 the fruit is much less abundant than it is in the tropics ; and, 

 judging by the luxuriance of growth of the oranges of the 

 West Indies, one may say that the climate, in favoured 

 localities in these colonies, is the typical one for the orange- 

 tree. Elevation up to 2,000 feet does not appear to have 

 much effect on the crops. But the trees are raised more 

 easily, and the fruit is larger and more luscious in warm, 

 moist localities in the mountains. Shade is quite unnecessary, 

 for the tree delights in the sun, and overhanging shade causes 

 the stems to run up like whips. The roots take so firm a 

 hold on the ground that the tree bears a good deal of expo- 

 sure, but in very windy places, the crops are short by reason 

 of the flowers and young fruit being blown off. Shelter belts 

 of trees are therefore advisable in such places, but they must 

 be used as "break-wind fences" and not as overhanging 

 shade. 



