8o ORANGE CULTURE IN FLORIDA. 



A little more than twelve months ago a gentle- 

 man from Middle Florida purchased a portion of a 

 grove that had been planted two or three years in 

 Orange County. At the time of the purchase I 

 could see no advantage in size or thrift of trees or 

 excellence of soil in favor of that portion of the 

 grove retained over that portion sold. Since the 

 division of the grove the purchaser has had his part 

 of the grove plowed once or twice. The other part 

 of the grove has been well cultivated and fertilized. 

 To-day the cultivated trees look as though they 

 were several years older than the uncultivated this 

 difference thus brought about in one year. One 

 other instance : Some years ago a neighbor bought 

 several hundred trees from a nurseryman, who ad- 

 vised him to suspend cultivation in August, in order 

 that the growth of grass and weeds might check the 

 growth of fall wood as a prevention of frost. 

 Another party advised the planter to cultivate one 

 half his trees throughout the summer and note the 

 different results. He did so, cultivating small crops 

 among the trees. The advantage gained in half a 

 year is so marked that four years, so far from oblit- 

 erating the evidence, has made it only the more ap- 

 parent. 



One word about this often-expressed opinion and 

 advice, " to stop cultivation in August, in order to 

 check the fall growth and give the wood time to 

 harden before frost." The orange tree, if well cul- 

 tivated, will make from three to four growths dur- 



