WILD ORANGE GROVE BUDDED. 29 



soon furnishes new and mature wood on which to 

 bud if the first buds fail. 



After the sweet buds have grown ten or twelve 

 inches, pinch back, simply taking out the terminal 

 bud. So soon as the buds have started fairly a sec- 

 ond growth, you may begin to lessen the quantity 

 of the sour shoots below, until you can safely risk 

 the tree's health with the foliage furnished by the 

 sweet bud. You may have to occasionally pinch 

 back the sweet bud. It is safest to hold it in such 

 check as will hasten the maturity of wood, and thick- 

 ness rather than length of branches. 



In the after-cultivation of such groves, if the de- 

 posit of leaves is sufficient to keep down the grass, 

 do not disturb the soil with plow or hoe for the first 

 year or two. Pull up or cut down with a scythe 

 any weeds that may spring up. I believe such 

 groves can be most economically and successfully 

 cultivated by keeping up nature's method. I have 

 had several letters of inquiry as to the proper culti- 

 vation of such groves, correspondents dwelling upon 

 the difficulties of plowing and hoeing while roots 

 were so near the surface. 



