IDEAL FERTILIZERS 27 



cation, and the third year three pounds. After this 

 the amount can be rapidly increased if the trees are 

 doing well, for the fourth year should find them com- 

 mencing to bear fruit. 



Training Generally speaking, the citrus tree knows 

 better how it wants to grow than does the one who in- 

 terferes with its development. It does not hurt it to 

 bear fruit young, as is the case with many other fruit 

 trees. All sprouts below the bud should be rubbed off, 

 but the sprouts above the bud should be left unless they 

 seem especially crowded, in which case it will be best 

 to pinch off the tops of some of the shoots. After the 

 trees get well started they may need "shaping up" a 

 little, but no extensive pruning should be done. Dead 

 wood is a great source of infection; if any occurs it 

 should be removed, the cut being made back to an elbow 

 and left a smooth slant. 



Cultivation Young trees should be hoed deep so as to 

 make the roots strike down. The middles can be plowed 

 in spring. Cultivation should be kept up all through 

 the dry season to conserve moisture. When the summer 

 rains commence the ground should be covered either with 

 natural growth of grass or weeds or a planted cover 

 crop. My personal choice of cover crops would be cow- 

 peas. This growth must not be allowed to "smother" 

 the roots of the trees. There should be a heavy mulch 

 of dead vegetation for at least three feet from the trunk. 

 This mulch must not touch the trunk of the tree or wood 

 lice will be likely to nest there. When the weather gets 



