H4 Oranges and Lemons of India. 



time when the leaves and branches are making their 

 greatest call for moisture. 



" From the time of planting onwards the whole of the 

 ground should be dug over at least once a year, the 

 object being to keep a loose open surface. If a second 

 digging can be given all over the surface of the plant- 

 ation it would prove highly beneficial. 



" Weeds and grass should be rigorously kept down, 

 and the surface of the beds around the trees should be 

 stirred as frequently as possible. 



" From the time the trees commence bearing, an 

 annual surface dressing of manure will help them 

 greatly. When the soil has been well prepared, 

 however, or is naturally rich, it will not perhaps 

 be necessary to give any manure for three or 

 four years after the trees begin to fruit, but it is 

 most undesirable to defer manurial aid till the trees 

 show evident signs of suffering from want of proper 

 sustenance. 



"In England camel dung is considered the best 

 manure for orange trees, but as it is not generally 

 available in quantity, either cow, horse, sheep dung, 

 or night-soil, singly or combined, may be used. A 

 good sprinkling of wood ashes, lime, or broken bones 

 being added. The best time for applying this surface 

 dressing is during the rains, as the fertilizing ingre- 

 dients contained in the manure are immediately 

 carried down into the soil and to the roots by 

 the rain. The trees being then in a growing state 

 are able to appropriate at once the nourishment 

 given. 



" In applying the manure one or two inches of the 

 surface soil of the bed should be loosened and drawn 

 aside. The manure should then be spread over the 

 surface, forked into the soil, and the whole immediately 



