IDEAL FERTILIZERS 25 



they could afford to cut down every other tree when the 

 grove is eight or ten years old, but unfortunately, the 

 profits on citrus culture show to just the same advantage 

 on paper as compared with real practice as do the profits 

 on any other kind of business. The man who said "fig- 

 ures don't lie" never figured out any financial propo- 

 sition dependent upon labor and climatic conditions, and 

 then tried to make actual practice match his figures. 



Final Preparation Low ground should be plowed into 

 beds the width of the rows before setting the stakes to 

 mark places for the trees. Shallow cultivation should 

 immediately follow the plowing and be repeated after 

 every rain. The land should be left to settle at least 

 a month before planting. If some hard rains come, so 

 much the better. Care should be taken to set the stakes 

 exact, in straight rows and equal distance apart. 

 Around each stake spread a peck of hardwood ashes. 

 When the hole is dug the ashes will become thoroughly 

 mixed with the soil. 



Holes Pull the dirt from around the stake with a 

 hoe, leaving the ground in the shape of an inverted sau- 

 cer, the bottom edge being a foot deep. Drive a stake 

 in the ground to make a hole for the tap root. 



Setting the Trees Place the tree in the hole and 

 spread the roots evenly. If a root is longer than the 

 width of the hole allows do not pinch off the end or 

 turn it to one side, as so many do, but dig out a place 

 for it to extend full length in a natural position. Set 

 the tree an inch higher than it was in the nursery as it 



