FUNGOUS AND PHYSIOLOGICAL DISEASES 469 



Then, too, the rank manure may act injuriously, and 

 there is no doubt that there are better means for supply- 

 ing the requisite plant food than this. In fact, we be- 

 lieve that the best orange is produced by the 

 judicious use of commercial fertilizers. (&) Close plant- 

 ing is often resorted to as a means for shading the ground. 

 A moist or damp condition of the soil is produced about 

 the tree, which, in the warm citrus climates, is exactly 

 suited to the development of disease. It would be de- 

 cidedly better to provide a surface mulch, either by the 

 growing of leguminous crops or by providing a mulch of 

 leaves and leaf-mold. Air would then be freely admitted, 

 and the sunlight, one of the best germicides we have, 

 would be allowed to reach the soil, (c) The piling of 

 rubbish, old tin cans, palmetto roots, etc., about the 

 trunks of trees is to be strongly condemned. Where a 

 mulch of leaves or grass is placed close to the trunks 

 it should, from time to time, be removed to allow the 

 soil to dry out on the surface. When banking with earth 

 as a protection against frost is practiced, the banks 

 should be promptly removed in spring, (d) Strict at- 

 tention should be paid to drainage, that no stagnant 

 water be allowed among the trees. A soggy, ill-drained 

 soil is not conducive to the health of an orange tree, (e) 

 In sections where the basin method of irrigation is used, 

 a cone of earth should be banked against the trees to keep 

 the water from the trunks. This bank should be removed 

 shortly after irrigating, (f) New groves should be set 

 only on resistant stocks and where injury from frost is 

 not feared, they should be worked a considerable distance 

 above the ground. The disease frequently attacks the 

 trunk above the point of union, particularly if it be close 

 to the ground. 



