2373 



. autumn. Young orange trees are fertilized roughly on a 

 basis of one pound to two pounds for each year of age 

 and bearing trees according to their size and crop 

 indications; sometimes as much as thirty or even fifty 

 pounds a tree in the year is applied in the several 

 applications to the latter. These amounts may even 

 be exceeded if the crop in sight justifies. 



In fertilizing young trees, the fertilizer is scattered in 

 a band 2 or 3 feet wide, beginning back 6 to 12 inches 

 from the trunk. As they become older, the fertilizer is 

 spread out toward the ends of the branches and in 

 old orchards or groves it is broadcasted over the whole 

 surface, as the roots have made their way into all parts 

 of the soil. After each application of fertilizer the 

 ground is usually cultivated. 



Insects and diseases. 



The insects which cause most damage in Florida 

 orange groves are the white-fly (Aleyrodes citri), scale 

 insects of different kinds, and the rust mite. In insect- 

 control, fumigation 

 has been carefully 

 tried out but has 

 not met with gen- 

 eral favor, and by 

 most growers spray- 

 ing is considered 

 more satisfactory 

 and practicable. 

 Against the white- 

 fly and scale in- 

 sects, miscible oil 

 and whale-oil soap 

 sprays are gener- 

 ally used; and 

 against the rust 

 mite, sulfur in some 

 form is effective. 

 For the control of 

 white-fly and scales, 

 most of the spray- 

 ing is done in the 

 winter dormant sea- 

 son, one thorough 

 application usually 

 giving satisfactory 

 results. Spraying 

 for rust mite is done 

 during the summer 

 months as it injures the skin of the growing fruits, and 

 three or more sprayings are generally necessary. In 

 Florida, beneficial entomogenous fungi are very effective 

 in holding scale insects and white-fly in control. 



Among the fungous diseases the most injurious are 

 melanose with which is associated the stem-end-rot, and 

 anthracnose or wither-tip. These may be handled by 

 careful attention to grove sanitation, removing diseased 

 fruit, pruning out dead and injured wood, and by spray- 

 ing with bordeaux mixture. "Die-back," a physiological 

 trouble to which reference has already been made, may 

 be corrected by changing the method of cultivation and 

 the fertilizer used. The common method is to discontinue 

 cultivation entirely, and use no fertilizers or those drawn 

 only from inorganic sources and rich in potash. 



Citrus Canker, a bacterial disease caused by Pseudo- 

 monas citri (see also page 2375) has gained a foothold in 

 Florida and threatens serious injury to the citrus indus- 

 try. The authorities are meeting with success in their 

 determined efforts to stamp it out. No attempts have 

 been made at control, the method of handling it being to 

 burn the affected trees where they stand. 



Frost protection. 



Within recent years much attention has been given 

 to the protection of orange groves against cold. Many 

 different methods have been tried, but protection by 



2620. A Florida orange packing-house. 



means of sheds, tents and the like has been abandoned 

 except for strictly amateur purposes (Figs. 2618, 2619). 

 The trees were not fruitful under the artificial condi- 

 tions created, or the methods were too costly. In the 

 more exposed sections, the trees are still banked with 

 clean earth, sufficiently high to afford protection to the 

 bud unions. But the chief method of protection is by 

 firing with small wood-fires or with oil-heaters. 



Harvesting and marketing. 



The season for Florida oranges extends from the 

 latter part of October until June. This is divided into 

 two parts by the Christmas holidays. At that time but 

 little is shipped. Unfortunately, it has been the custom 

 to ship fruit that is green and unfit for consumption. 

 Attempts have been made to correct this mistake by 

 laws and these have helped greatly. 



Perhaps the greatest change in harvesting and mar- 

 keting in the last two decades has been in the disappear- 

 ance of the small individual packing-house. Most 



orange groves in 

 Florida are small, 

 10 to 25 acres, and 

 formerly nearly 

 every owner had 

 his own packing- 

 house and picked, 

 packed, and shipped 

 his own fruit under 

 his own brand. Now 

 the marketing of 

 the crop is in the 

 hands of the Florida 

 Citrus Exchange, 

 or of individuals or 

 companies operat- 

 ing on a large scale, 

 and the fruit, in 

 large quantities, is 

 handled through 

 centrally located 

 packing-houses 

 equipped with every 

 convenience for the 

 rapid and economi- 

 cal preparation of 

 the fruit for market 

 (Fig. 2620). This 

 noteworthy change 



has brought about a great improvement in the 

 methods of handling and the uniformity of the pack. 

 Every detail of picking, hauling, handling, packing, 

 and shipping has been carefully investigated and many 

 improvements have been introduced. As a result, the 

 value of the Florida orange in the markets has been 

 greatly increased by the care taken in handling it. 



The standard Florida orange box, the size of which 

 is fixed by state law, contains two compartments, 

 each 12 by 12 by 12 inches, or 2 cubic feet of fruit. 

 Oranges of the mandarin group are put up in half- 

 boxes, two of which are fastened together for shipment, 

 known as a "strap." The fruit is arranged in the box 

 according to definite diagrams for each size. 



The Florida orange crop has been gradually increas- 

 ing. In the season of 1914-1915, approximately 7,000,- 

 000 boxes were produced. 



Varieties. 



Of the mandarin group, the varieties planted are 

 Satsuma (in the northern part of the state), Dancy, 

 Tangerine, and King. The Dancy originated in Florida; 

 the other two are introductions. 



A great many varieties of sweet oranges have origi- 

 nated in Florida as noteworthy seedlings in different 

 groves. Perhaps in no fruit-growing region of America 

 was the amateur spirit more strongly developed or was 



