STOCK AND CION HANDLING 2OO, 



southern Florida and the West Indies as early as De- 

 cember, but in northern Florida, Louisiana and California 

 not till February or March. Cultivation is the same as 

 for garden crops. By fall following the seedlings will be 

 6 to 12 inches tall and one-fourth inch thick. A tree 

 digger may be used to lift them for transplanting in 

 nursery rows, where they are kept free of soil crust and 

 weeds. 



270. Citrus stocks may be propagated by stern or root 

 cuttings of fairly mature wood, but they are not as satis- 

 factory for budding as are seedling trees because they 

 grow slowly and are more irregular. Budding, grafting 



FIG. 173 PACKING NURSERY STOCK FOR SHIPMENT 



and inarching are all used more or less ; the first is most 

 popular. Dormant budding is usually done in late 

 autumn or in spring after vigorous growth has begun, 

 other budding may be done at almost any time during the 

 growing season. Bud sticks are generally cut and stored 

 a few days or even weeks before budding, because it is 

 believed a larger percentage will grow. The process of 

 budding is practically the same as for peach, except that 

 the cross cut is made at the lower end of the longitudinal 

 cut. 



"Lopping" the tops of the stocks is done about three 

 weeks after the budding to force the buds to develop 

 shoots. The cuts, made about two inches above the 



