CHAPTER XXVII. 



STOCKS FOR CITRUS TREES. 



The more important stocks and those most commonly 

 used in propagating citrus trees are sour orange, pomelo, 

 sweet orange, rough lemon, trifoliate orange and occas- 

 ionally the lime. The Otaheite orange is sometimes used, 

 particularly in the production of dwarf specimens, but 

 for general orchard purposes it is not to be recommended. 

 Not all the above stocks are adapted to the same condi- 

 tions of soil and climate, and it cannot be said that any 

 one of them is best for all conditions. It follows that the 

 prospective planter should be acquainted with their rel- 

 ative merits for different localities, and should at the 

 same time be thoroughly informed in regard to the soil, 

 climatic and other conditions in the region in which he 

 intends to plant. Unless this be the case, mistakes may 

 be made which otherwise might be avoided. For instance, 

 it would be poor policy to plant citrus trees on sweet 

 stock, on low ground, where they are likely to be attacked 

 by mal-di-goma, and it would be equally foolish to plant 

 trifoliate orange stock on dry shell ridges. Besides, the 

 question of adaptation to certain soil and climatic condi- 

 tions, the mutual influence of the stock and cion must 

 not be entirely overlooked. That such an influence is 

 exerted cannot be doubted, but its extent still remains 

 to be investigated. Among the influences to which atten- 

 tion will be called later on are those affecting the hardi- 

 ness, the rate of growth, the size and shape of the top, 

 the precocity and prolificness of the tree, the time of rip- 

 ening and the quality of the fruit, the relative amount 

 of juice and rind in the fruit and the amount of acid and 



