396 CITRUS FRUITS AND THEIR CULTURE. 



Mandarins Satsuma, Dancy and China. 

 Miscellaneous Otheite and Myrtle-leaved. 

 It is not advisable to grow seedling specimens in pots, 

 as they seldom bloom or fruit. 



PRUNING POT PLANTS. 



From time to time it is necessary to prune the tops of 

 pot plants. Small, immature branches accumulate and 

 should be removed before they die. Every five or six years 

 it may be necessary to head-in the tops to keep them with- 

 in bounds and to favor the production of new, vigorous 

 wood. In doing this, all the large or medium-sized 

 branches should be cut back, leaving three or four good 

 buds on each one and the smaller branches should be re- 

 moved entirely. As a result of this treatment no fruit 

 will be borne for at least two seasons, but a healthy, vigor- 

 ous top will be secured. 



FERTILIZING AND WATERING. 



Fertilizers may be given in the form of liquid manure 

 and top dressings of bone meal and sulphate of potash. 

 This latter substance should be used with caution, else in- 

 jury to the roots may result. It should be given only in 

 numerous small applications. Good results have also been 

 obtained from the use of dried blood and bone meal in com- 

 bination with sulphate of potash. Plants should not be 

 allowed to become starved. This condition is readily 

 shown by the yellowing of the foliage and by poor wood 

 development. 



Water must be supplied in sufficient quantities. No 

 citrus tree will long remain in a healthy condition if a suf- 

 ficiency of water is not supplied. If an insufficient amount 

 is given, the leaves curl and drop, fruit, if present, also 



