2372 



ORANGE 



ORANGE 



monly used for grove-cultivation in Florida are the 

 plow, disc-harrow, and Acme harrow. 



The system of non-cultivation is followed on certain 

 lowlands, on-light soils, and, in general, where the char- 

 acter of the soil or subsoil makes it inadvisable to fol- 

 low the 4-C system. It has also given good results 



under conditions where 

 the 4-C system might be 

 used, and is followed be- 

 cause less expensive and 

 the trees thrive under it. 

 The plan is to give no 

 cultivation at all, except 

 when the trees are young, 

 only to hoe the weeds 

 and grass immediately 

 surrounding the trees. 

 This same end is secured 



2618. Frost protection. Mov- 

 able shed with cloth sides and 

 board top, for protecting young 

 trees. It is not used commer- 

 cially. 



in many cases by mulch- 

 ing heavily with weeds, 

 grass, leaves or trash of 

 any sort. From time to 

 time, the mower is used to cut down the growth of 

 vegetation. It is allowed to remain where it falls. 

 There is no question but that fine fruit is produced 

 under certain conditions by this system, but much 

 depends upon the character of the soil and the mois- 

 ture available. 



Cover-crops. 



The plants commonly used in Florida for cover-crops 

 are beggarweed, cowpeas, velvet bean and its relatives, 

 and native weeds and grasses. Cowpeas and velvet 

 beans are better adapted for new soils, those only 

 recently brought into cultivation. These crops are 

 also very valuable for preparing soils for planting. A 

 good stand of cowpeas may be secured on almost any 

 Florida citrous soil if planted at the right season. But 

 the best cover-crop for Florida orange groves is beggar- 

 weed, either alone or combined, as it most usually is, 

 with a number of other native plants. These latter 

 appear without the necessity of seeding them. 



Beggarweed is a strong, erect annual legume, a 

 native of Florida, and thoroughly adapted to all parts 

 of the state. When standing apart, with plenty of 

 room for growth, it is a much-branched plant, but, 

 when closely planted, it produces small straight stems. 

 Nitrogen tubercles are produced in abundance on its 

 deep roots. At the end of its season's growth, a good 

 covering of partially decayed foliage covers the ground. 

 Often it is best to cut it once during the season to 

 prevent its getting too rank and heavy. If cut at the 

 blossoming season, a second crop will come on from 

 the stubble. As much as one to two tons of stems and 

 leaves may be produced to an acre. From five to ten 

 pounds of seed are sown to the acre in April and May, 

 broadcasted and harrowed into the soil. After the crop 

 has become well established, it reseeds itself from year 

 to year and cultivation may be continued up to the 

 rainy season without interfering with the crop. It will 

 come on as soon as cultivation ceases. If it be deemed 

 advisable to stop the growth of beggarweed in a grove, 

 as is sometimes the case if there is too much nitrogen 

 in the soil, it may be accomplished by cutting fre- 

 quently to prevent seeding and by continuing cultiva- 

 tion later into the summer. 



Pruning. 



The general plan followed in Florida orange-growing 

 is to give the trees but little pruning. Beyond shaping 

 up the trees, mostly done while they are young, little 

 is done except to remove dead, injured or diseased 

 branches. The type of trees developed is low-headed, 

 symmetrical, and spreading. The low-headed tree is 

 almost the only form seen in the younger groves and 

 as the advantages in shading the ground and the tree- 



trunks, in spraying and in harvesting, are all in its 

 favor, it is not likely to be displaced. 



Fertilizers. 



In no citrous region have the problems connected 

 with the fertilizing of orange groves received more 

 attention nor has a greater amount of definite knowledge 

 pertaining to this difficult problem been secured than 

 in Florida. The kind and quantity of fertilizer used 

 has a pronounced influence, not only upon the quantity 

 and quality of fruit, but upon the growth, health and 

 longevity of the trees, and it has taken many years to 

 determine the value of different materials in the fertili- 

 zers applied. Much remains to be found out, but a 

 good start has at least been made. 



The leguminous cover-crops referred to, when rightly 

 handled, supply a large part of the necessary nitrogen, 

 but the fertilizers applied to orange groves in Florida 

 are drawn almost entirely from commercial sources. 

 Potash is used largely in the forms of high- and low- 

 grade sulfate of potash; phosphoric acid is secured 

 from bones and phosphate rock, while nitrogen is pro- 

 cured from nitrate of soda, sulfate of ammonia, and 

 from organic sources such as blood, tankage, cotton- 

 seed-meal, castor pomace, and the like. Much care 

 must be exercised in the use of nitrogen in organic 

 combinations because they are prone to induce "die 

 back," a physiological disease characterized by the 

 exudation of gum on twigs, leaves, and fruit. The 

 several materials entering into the composition of 

 fertilizers, as sulfate of potash, sulfate of ammonia, 

 and acid phosphate (for example) may be purchased 

 separately and mixed by the grower in proper propor- 

 tions, but more usually they are mixed by the fertilizer 

 manufacturers and sold as complete fertilizers. 



Fertilizers for nursery trees, and plantings which 

 have not reached bearing age, contain about 6 per cent 

 phosphoric acid, 4 per cent ammonia, and 6 per cent 

 potash, while for bearing trees one containing approxi- 

 mately 8 per cent phosphoric acid, 4 per cent ammonia, 

 and 10 or 12 per cent potash is commonly used. These 

 percentages are of course not absolute, as the exact 

 composition must be governed by the character of the 

 soil, the condition or requirements of the trees, and 

 crops. Growers watch the behavior of their trees care- 

 fully and are governed in the use of fertilizers by their 

 general appearance. 



2619. A slat shed formerly used to some extent for the protec- 

 tion of orange plantings in Florida, but now discarded. 



Lime is very generally deficient in Florida citrous 

 soils and the trees and fruit are much benefited by 

 applications of ground limestone, broadcasted over the 

 surface at the rate of about two tons to the acre. 



The general tendency in the use of commercial fer- 

 tilizers is to make frequent applications of small 

 amounts, thereby preventing loss from leaching. 

 Applications, by many growers, are made in February, 

 April, June, and September. The composition of these 

 applications is often varied, giving larger amounts of 

 nitrogen in spring and larger proportions of potash in 



