PROPAGATION OF CITRUS TREES. 183 



BUDDING. 



Time. In all citrus growing districts, nursery trees 

 are propagated almost entirely by budding. Buds may be 

 inserted in citrus stocks any time during the growing per- 

 iod. The trees are not periodic in their growth as apples 

 and plums are, for instance. When well cultivated and 

 fertilized, the stocks will make at least three growths dur- 

 ing the spring and summer. Each one of these is matured 

 and hardened before the next begins. During the hard- 

 ening or rest period, the bark does not slip so well as dur- 

 ing the time of growth. In most citrus districts the 

 winter rest period, partial or otherwise, extends from 

 about November to February, depending, of course, upon 

 the latitude and the climatic conditions throughout the 

 winter. 



During this period, buds cannot be inserted to ad- 

 vantage as there is not sufficient sap moving to cause the 

 bark to slip readily. In Florida, California and Louis- 

 iana, buds may be inserted in March and April, In the 

 Islands, where the winter temperatures are not so low 

 as in the districts just referred to, and where in conse- 

 quence the winter rest period is of shorter duration, the 

 buds may be inserted much earlier. Budding early in the 

 season is termed spring budding. In June arid July, or in 

 Florida, just before the commencement of the rainy season, 

 budding may be performed. This is summer budding. 

 Generally, a very considerable amount of budding is done 

 during September and October, dormant budding. In this 

 case the buds remain dormant until the following spring, 

 when they commence to grow. They are protected in the 

 nursery rows in the cooler districts by plowing a furrow 

 against them. The tops of the stocks may be frozen back, 



