A D VA NT A GES OF FOREST SHEL TER. 5 7 



orange trees standing from one to two hundred feet 

 from them ; 2d, the rays of the sun should be per- 

 mitted to fall, during some portion of the day, and 

 in summer during a considerable portion of the 

 day. upon each tree in the grove, as the rays of the 

 sun, direct or indirect, are essential to plant life and 

 health. But in our sunny climate and long sum- 

 mers, shade and sun alternating throughout the 

 day are found to be most favorable to many plants ; 

 3d, the roots of the forest trees should be kept out 

 of the way of the principal feeders of the orange. 

 Of course the orange trees should be as thoroughly 

 cultivated as if they stood in the open field. Fail- 

 ures in forest culture and there have been some 

 abominable failures have occurred only where 

 these points have been disregarded. 



The following plan is suggested as one to which 

 it is believe^ no reasonable exception can be made. 

 Select a forest of tall and thickly set trees, whether 

 of pine or hammock. Clear out the underbrush 

 so as to allow a free circulation of air and to enable 

 you to lay off more accurately your land. This 

 done, lay off a straight line as the base of operating. 

 Allowing your land to be a plat of five acres lying 

 north and south, let this base line run east and 

 west fifty feet north of and parallel to your south- 

 ern boundary. Run a second line one hundred 

 and five feet north of and parallel to the first ; so 

 continue through the plat, running these east and 

 west lines at intervals between, alternating from 



