28 ORANGE CULTURE IN FLORIDA. 



In early spring, before the new growth of the 

 orange has started, begin to saw off the limbs of 

 the orange trees if they branch near the ground, 

 taking off all the top. If the trunks are long, cut 

 off the tree, leaving about two and a half feet of 

 stump. Immediately afterward fell the balance 

 of the forest trees that are to be cut. 



So soon as the sap begins to flow freely, and the 

 bark to break by the springing of new shoots, insert 

 sweet ' ' sprig' ' buds, ranging from the top to six 

 inches below the top of the stump, inserting four 

 or more buds to the tree. I have sometimes has- 

 tened the development of the bud by inserting the 

 bud before cutting off the top, if the sap was flow- 

 ing freely, and so soon as the bud was known to 

 be living then cutting off the top. But this has 

 been with trees standing apart from others. Where 

 they stand thickly, as is generally the case in the wild 

 grove, the felling of the tops usually knocks out or 

 so disturbs the bud as to cause it to die. 



As the young sour shoots start, rub off all above 

 and in the immediate vicinity of the buds. Allow 

 a few shoots to remain along the trunk, but pinch 

 them back after growing a few inches. Be careful 

 to allow none to reach higher than the bud, as the 

 tendency of the sap is to flow in greatest abundance 

 to the highest point. I have already mentioned 

 some advantages to be derived from first allowing 

 sour shoots to grow and then pinching them back. 

 I mention one other advantage. This method 



