AND AGRICULTURAL CAPABILITIES. 53 



ing and much care iu setting the trees, so that the roots may have free 

 scope and relief from standing water. The most favorable locations are 

 on southeast side of wide sheets of water, or high lands, which are more 

 generally free f.om frost. The laud selected, clear thoroughly of all 

 trees, &c., break up well, and substantially fence ; sow with cow peas, 

 which turn under when in bloom it improves and sweetens the soil ; 

 this may be done before or after planting trees. Dig holes 30 feet 

 apart, 18 inches deep, and 4 feet in diameter ; clean out all roots ; fill 

 up with top soil, which will retain the moisture ; procure trees from 

 three to five years old, take them up carefully, with all of the roots pos- 

 sible, pack up with wet moss as soon as dug, put in shade and out of 

 the wind, take to the proposed grove carefully ; remove soil from holes 

 dug sufficient for the tree, with roots carefully spread, trunk stand- 

 ing in same position as originally grown. Let the tree, when set out, 

 be fully an inch above natural level of land ; fill under, in and about 

 the roots, compactly it is best done by the hand, filled to surface and 

 gently tramped down; fill on some 2 or 3 inches of earth, which will 

 prevent drying ; the rainy season commencing, remove the soil about 

 the tree to the level about it. Cultivation should be frequent and shal- 

 low, and trash not allowed to accumulate near trunk ; light plowing and 

 raking near the trees is best and safest* Following these general direc- 

 tions, no one should fail. The cost of a five-acre grove, at, say, five 

 years from planting, at a liberal estimate where high piiie laud is chosen, 

 will be about as given below. If hammock land is taken, the cost of 

 clearing will be more. The grove will have begun to yield at the end 

 of the period named. Eev. T. E. Moore, Fruit Cove, Fla., has published 

 a good treatise on orange culture. 



COST OF OBOVE. 



Five acres of good laud, variously estimated, depending on location. 



Cutting timber, clearing $75 00 



Fencing (post and board fence) and breaking up 75 00 



Three hundred trees and setting out 200 00 



Manures, labor, cultivating, taxes, &c., for five years 500 00 



Total, less cost of land 850 00 



Such a grove would readily sell now in Florida for $1,000 per acre. 

 From and after five years the annual growth of trees and increase of 

 fruit is constant for at least ten years, and the grove will hold its vigor 

 and fruit-producing qualities for a century or more. The orange is a 

 hardy tree, will stand great extremes of rain and drought ; it will show 

 the effects of a single season's neglect, and quickly show a single season 

 of care and attention. 



THE LEMON. 



"The lemon is produced in East Florida to a degree of perfection far 

 surpassing the same fruit grown in the West Indies, Sicily, Italy, or 



