HORTICULTURE 277 



color by the attack of the rust mite they should be placed upon the 

 market in a separate class and be so labeled. After being wrapped 

 with tissue paper of good quality the fruits are placed in the box, 

 there being a definite number of a given size in each package. The 

 standard box in California is ll^/a by 11% by 26 inches, divided 

 into two equal compartments by a cross partition. When the last 

 layer of fruit is placed it should project about three-quarters of an 

 inch above the edges of the box. The cover is then put on top 

 and brought down in place by means of a lever. Though there 

 are machines for the purpose in the market, a simple home con- 

 trivance will do the work satisfactorily. Nail a piece of 2 by 3 

 against the wall about on a level with the top of the box, and place 

 the lever under this and over the box. A frame should be placed 

 under the lever to equalize the pressure on the ends of the cover, 

 and on the center also if it is intended to nail the cover at this 

 point. Nail the box securely, label it truthfully, and it is ready for 

 shipment. 



Working New Varieties into Old Trees. It is often desired to 

 work over old trees with new varieties. It is now becoming very 

 common to insert buds into the old bark of the main branches, 

 but this requires special treatment, and for the beginner it would 

 probably be best to follow the older method, which consists in cut- 

 ting back the main branches a short distance from the trunk and 

 inserting buds in the new growth which starts out. This budding 

 may be done as with nursery stock. 



Varieties of Oranges. The variety problem is a local factor in 

 any fruit industry. Varieties which are eminently successful in 

 one' district may give poor satisfaction in some other place equally 

 well adapted to the industry. As an example of this, among citrus 

 fruits the Bahia or Washington Navel orange may be cited. This 

 variety, which, by its fine quality, has become the leader in Cali- 

 fornia, has had very indifferent success in Florida. Some varieties, 

 however, have a wide range of adaptability. The Valencia, St. 

 Michael, and Maltese Blood appear on lists of desirable varieties 

 both in Florida and California. (Hawaii E. S. B. 9.) 



THE LEMON. 



In most particulars the lemon may receive essentially the same 

 treatment as that described for the orange. The methods of propa- 

 gation, tillage, irrigation, etc., are the same. It is seldom grown on 

 its own roots. In California the favorite stock for the lemon is the 

 sweet orange seedling. The pruning of the lemon trees and the 

 curing of the fruit are quite distinct from the practice in relation to 

 oranges. 



Pruning. The lemon has not the same tendency to compactness 

 of form as is found in the orange tree. Its habit is straggling, and 

 if left to itself it will produce its fruit on the ends of long branches. 

 It therefore requires a method of pruning persistently pursued if the 

 best results are to be secured. There are several elaborate systems of 

 pruning which are in use, but the aim of them all is to produce a 

 compact, but not too dense, low-headed tree with a large amount of 



