io6 Oranges and Lemons of India. 



(i The third (like potash-salts, phosphates, bones, 

 guano, ammonium-salts, and nitrate of soda) contain 

 plant food in very concentrated, and readily available 

 conditions. Their principal ingredients are phosphoric 

 acid, potash, lime, and nitrogen. 



" These mineral ingredients, and the quality of the 

 soil, in addition to climate, are, however, only one part 

 of the whole business. The other parts are the rare 

 qualities of a successful agriculturist, or horticulturist, 

 by whichever name he may be called, although, in 

 reality, there is no difference between the two. These 

 are ' shrewd observation, watchful care, and un- 

 ceasing industry,' qualities which are much sharpened 

 if one's living depends on them." 



The following is a memorandum on the mode of 

 cultivating and propagating the Nagpur orange, 

 drawn up by the Superintendent of the Government 

 Garden, and kindly favoured me by Mr. J. B. Fuller, 

 Commissioner of Settlement and Agriculture, Central 

 Provinces : 



" The orange delights in a rich, black, loamy soil, 

 properly drained. It is propagated by budding, and 

 sometimes by inarching. Plants raised by budding 

 are much hardier, though slower to fruit, than grafted 

 ones, and hence this mode of propagation is more 

 generally employed. The operation of budding is also 

 simpler than that of inarching. 



" The sweet lime is generally used as stock to bud 

 or graft the orange on. Citron* stock is also used for 

 this purpose. Seeds of the ripe fruit of the sweet lime 

 or citron are sown about the middle of January, care 

 being taken to sow the seeds as fresh as possible. 

 Most of the seeds fail to germinate, if left even for a 



* I fancy by citron here is meant the khatta orange, which by 

 most English is called citron. 



