276 HORTICULTURE, FORESTRY, FLORICULTURE 



ceptions noted above, the orange and all citrus fruits but the lemon 

 will require little pruning. 



When it is necessary for any reason to remove a branch, it 

 should be so done that the wound will rapidly heal by the growth 

 of new tissue from under the surrounding bark. The cut should 

 be made with a sharp knife or pair of pruning shears, or with a saw 

 if the branch is a large one. If the saw is used, it will aid the healing 

 to make the cut smooth by means of a sharp knife. The direction 

 and position of the cut are of vital importance. It should be as close 

 as possible to the trunk or larger branch, to which also it should be 

 parallel. If the wound is large, some dressing should be applied 

 and nothing gives more satisfactory results than lead paint. 



Gathering and Marketing the Fruit. Budded trees should be- 

 gin to bear a small crop two or three years after setting out in the 

 orchard. They will then be about six years old from seed or four 

 years from budding. 



Citrus fruits should not be pulled from the trees as are decidu- 

 ous fruits. The stems must be cut close to the fruit by means of 

 clippers made for the purpose, and which may be purchased at 

 small cost. Great care is necessary in handling to avoid even the 

 slightest bruising, which though it may not be apparent at first 

 would be conspicuous later, and injure the sale and keeping qual- 

 ities of the fruit. Oranges should be well matured before picking. 

 Some varieties should not be allowed to remain long on the trees 

 after they have arrived, at this stage. Others allow of more latitude 

 in the time of picking. 



It is very often necessary to wash the fruit to remove sooty 

 mold, dust, or an occasional scale insect. This may be done with 

 an ordinary brush. There are simple machines for the purpose 

 commonly used where citrus fruits are grown on a large scale. It 

 should be done with care, so that the surface of the rind will not 

 be broken or injured. Sometimes fancy fruits are polished with a 

 soft flannel cloth or other such material. 



When oranges are taken from the trees the rind is filled with 

 moisture. It is necessary to hold them for several days before pack- 

 ing to allow the excessive moisture to evaporate. This is known as 

 curing. The fruit is spread out in shallow bins or in small, open 

 boxes, and kept where there will be a free circulation of cool, dry 

 air. When thus cured the rind becomes shrunken and leathery, 

 and will yield without bruising to the pressure which is necessary 

 in packing. After this curing process is complete, bruises which 

 occurred in picking may often be detected and the fruit thrown 

 out. A further advantage is that, there being less moisture escap- 

 ing in the shipping case, the loss from decay in transit is consid- 

 erably reduced. 



Modern fruit markets demand that fruit of any kind be well 

 graded. Large and small specimens or those of different varieties 

 should never be placed in the same package. Only clean, smooth, 

 uniform fruit should be placed before the buyer. The importance 

 of this can not be overestimated. If oranges have become russet in 



