88 ORANGE CULTURE IN FLORIDA. 



trunk by winter inclosed in a beautiful head, with a 

 dense wall of foliage on the outside. The next 

 spring 1 trim these laterals in a similar manner, al- 

 lowing the first laterals to rebranch a little distance 

 from the trunk so as to be able to fill up the larger 

 area by fall. Continue this method till your tree is 

 large enough to bear its first crop. You can then 

 slacken your pruning so as to encourage the fruit- 

 ing. 



There are several advantages arising from judi- 

 cious pruning. Whenever a branch dies, it not only 

 ceases to benefit the tree, but becomes a drain on 

 its sap and vitality, as an ulcer to the human body. 

 The same is true, to some extent, with a diseased 

 branch. Moreover, as a branch begins to die, its 

 fermenting sap is slowly taken up into the general 

 circulation, and so the disease extends itself some- 

 times to the entire tree, unless it be cut off below 

 the sound wood. This is especially the case when 

 the frost has partially killed the young wood. The 

 writer has known quite vigorous trees to be killed, 

 not only to the ground, but entirely, by neglect at 

 this point. The open head not only gives room for 

 the free circulation of air through the branches, but 

 also enables the gardener to watch the trunk and 

 larger branches and remove from them insects that 

 might prove damaging. Another advantage, arising 

 from the open head is, it causes the lower branches 

 to extend themselves far out from the trunk, and so 

 gives a greater bearing capacity to the tree. Trees 



