118 



Those are produced from seeds which have been saved from good 

 kinds, so that, in the event of the trees not being budded, they will 

 produce fruit of at least average merit. It is well ascertained that the 

 orange reproduces its kind more closely than does any other class of 

 long cultivated fruits ; but there is still much difference in the quali- 

 ties of oranges from groves where the trees have not been budded, a 

 fact which purchasers of these fruits soon discover. It is questionable 

 if this method is the best that can be followed for either of the two 

 purposes in view; that is, whether these trees are the best for budding, 

 and, again, whether it is advisable to trust to seedling trees for the 

 best marketable products. 



Trees of the ages mentioned are too old to be set out for budding. 

 After being s^t out they are usually allowed to establish themselves for 

 some time before being budded. By that time they have made a well- 

 developed top of small branches, all in a healthy and vigorous condition. 



The trees are budded in their main stems at points varying in their 

 distances from the ground, and seemingly as found most convenient to 

 the operator, and after the buds are well started the entire top of the 

 stock is removed. This is a severe check to root extension. The plant 

 will make efforts to restore the former balance which existed between 

 the roots and the leaves by throwing out young shoots or suckers, which, 

 right or wrong, are promptly removed, thus throwing the whole force of 

 the plant into the growth of one shoot, which progresses rapidly, pro- 

 ducing large leaves and a bulky succulent shoot; a condition which 

 maintains until its growth is suddenly arrested by cold nights, and if 

 frosts occur the results are disastrous. 



There are thousands of orange trees in Florida, to my personal knowl- 

 edge, which are in stunted, scrubby condition from causes such as those 

 outlined above, and which should, as a matter of pure economy, be re- 

 moved at once, and their places supplied by a better class of plants. 



The best class of trees are those which are produced by budding 

 healthy stocks not more than two years from seed, and when the buds 

 have made a growth in the nursery the trees will be in good condition 

 for permanent planting. In some countries the orange is mainly propa- 

 gated by grafting; in Florida it may be said that budding is the only 

 method practiced. 



With regard to the relative merits of the sweet and the sour orange 

 as stocks opinions are varied. The sour stock is regarded as being 

 more hardy under low temperature, and as withstanding greater ex- 

 tremes in respect to wetness or dryness of soil. The opinion which is 

 sometimes mooted, that the sour stock impairs the sweet flavor of the 

 fruit, does not seem to be of much importance, since it is well known 

 that some of the best fruits are produced on these stocks. 



Some growers expressed an indifference as to the kinds of stock they 

 used for budding upon, but the preponderance of answers in reply to 

 interrogatories on this point was in favor of the sour stock. 



