58 One Thousand Questions in Agriculture 



very fast are less certain in fruit-setting. It is, of course, possible 

 that you have been forcing such action by too free use of water. 

 You will do well to let your trees go along so long as they appear 

 thrifty and satisfactory, and expect better fruiting when they be- 

 come older. 



Orange Training. 



Is not a single leader in an orange tree more desirable than the much- 

 forked tree so commonly seen? Can a single-leader tree he made from 

 the nursery trees which have already formed their heads, by cutting off 

 the heads below so that only a straight stick without any branches is left? 



An orange tree with a central leader would not be at all satis- 

 factory if it were carried very high. Of course, a central stem can 

 be to advantage taken higher than it is often done, but we would not 

 think of growing an orange tree with a central stem to the apex. 

 The laterals would droop, crowd down upon each other badly, open 

 the center to sunburn, and encourage also a growth of central 

 suckers and occasion an amount of pruning altogether beyond what 

 is necessary with a properly branched tree without a central stem. 



Curing Citron. 



/ wish to knozv a way to cure citrons at home. I have a fine tree 

 that has borne very fine-looking fruit for the past two years. 



An outline for the preparation of candied citron is as follows: 

 The fruit, before assuming a yellow color, and also when bright yellow, 

 is picked and placed in barrels filled with brine, and left for at least 

 a month. The brine is renewed several times, and the fruit allowed 

 to remain in it until required for use, often for a period of four or 

 five months. When the citrons are to be candied they are taken 

 from the barrels and boiled in fresh water to soften them. They 

 are then cut into halves, the seed and pulp are removed, and the 

 fruit is again immersed in cold water, soon becoming of a greenish 

 color. After this it is placed in large earthen jars, covered with hot 

 syrup, and allowed to stand about three weeks. During this time 

 the strength of the syrup is gradually increased. The fruit is then 

 put into boilers with crystallized sugar dissolved in a small quantity 

 of water, and cooked; then allowed to cool, and boiled again until 

 it will take up no more sugar. It is then dried and packed in wooden 

 boxes. 



Crops Between Orange Trees. 



What crop can I plant between rows of young orange trees to utilize 

 the ground as zvell as pay a little something? 



It depends not alone upon what will grow, but upon what can 

 be profitably sold or used on the place, and unless sure of that, 

 it is usually better not to undertake planting between young trees 

 but rather to cultivate well, irrigate intelligently, and trust for the 

 reward in a better growth and later productiveness of the trees. It 

 is clear, California experience that planting between trees ex- 



