174 CITRUS FRUITS AND THEIR CULTURE. 



carefully laid off, perfectly straight, three and a half or 

 four feet apart. This will give plenty of room for culti- 

 vation and for the work of budding. 



The seedlings should be set in the rows from twelve 

 to fifteen inches apart. If the soil is dry at the time of 

 transplanting, water should be applied. The trees should 

 be firmly placed in the soil with the earth firmly packed 

 about them. At time of transplanting the well-developed, 

 vigorous seedlings should be set out together. The smaller 

 ones should be planted by themselves. Thorough, clean 

 cultivation should be the rule. Make every effort to keep 

 the little trees growing throughout the season. Cultivation 

 must cease in time to allow the wood to harden up before 

 cold weather. One year after transplanting, most of the 

 seedlings will be ready for budding. By this time they 

 should be upwards of one-half inch in diameter at the 

 crown. 



Since the scab fungus attacks sour seedlings severely, 

 and interferes materially with their growth and develop- 

 ment it is a good practice to spray them, both in the seed- 

 bed and nursery, with Bordeaux mixture. The disease 

 can be kept down by its use and as a result a much better 

 growth will be made during the season. 



CUTTINGS. 



Many varieties of citrus trees may be propagated from 

 cuttings. The Otaheite orange, used as an ornamental and 

 as a stock for dwarfing large-growing citrus trees is usu- 

 ally propagated in this way. The citron roots easily, so 

 also does its near relative, the lemon. For these trees 

 propagation by cuttings seems to give good results. Cut- 

 tings of the pomelo and orange are more difficult to root 

 and, though it may be accomplished, the method for these 



