FRUIT GROWING 19 



Oranges may become too coarse when growing on brash sucker- 

 wood or they sometimes come that way on young trees which natur- 

 ally have great vegetative energy; or they may be forced into such 

 excess growth by too free use of stable manure or other nitrogenous 

 manures; or the bud taken to make the tree from may have bad ances- 

 try. There is, therefore, danger in using too much stable or other 

 nitrogenous manure. If it has already been done, use a fertilizer of 

 potash and phosphate alone, or use none and wait for the growth to 

 calm down. 



When to Pick Oranges and Lemons. 



When is the best time to pick oranges and lemons f Is it best to leave 

 them on the trees to get as ripe as possible (just so they do' noH freeze), 

 or should they be picked and stored away to ripen f 



Oranges should be picked whenever the price is good, after they 

 get the proper relation of sugar and acid in the juice. This is now 

 being determined by experts for the packing houses or by the growers 

 themselves, before shipping. Oranges are handled fresh from the 

 trees, and do not improve by storage though they may be held a 

 limited time without cold storage in a place which is cool and not 

 too dry. Lemons can be picked when of satisfactory size without 

 reference to ripeness and allowed to get toughness and silkiness of 

 skin before shipping or selling. 



Tubbing Orange Trees. 



Could I take up orange trees, one year old from bud, this fall, 

 put in tubs and set in greenhouse f I am afraid of frost. 



You surely can. Let the new growth on the bud stop and harden 

 somewhat; take up with a ball of earth on the roots and fill around 

 the ball in the tub with good, friable loam. Have ample drainage 

 hole in the tub bottom and then do not over-irrigate until new growth 

 is starting, when water may be more freely used. Presumably you 

 intend to grow the trees henceforward in the tubs; if not, we would 

 burlap them as they stand and transplant to orchard next spring when 

 the ground has become well warmed. 



Hardy Orange for Blossoms. 



/ wish to get orange blossoms in a place where citrus fruits are 

 not grown. How shall I try? 



The most ornamental orange in foliage, bloom and fruit is the 

 Seville or bitter orange. It is what is called the "sour stock" in our 

 citrus propagation and it is quite hardy. The fruit is inedible except 

 in marmalade. 



Grafting Lemon on Orange. 



Can one graft lemon onto orange? If so, when should it be done; 

 are there any particular ways of doing it? 



