CHAPTER XXXIL 



THE ORANGE. 



The orange is now grown very extensively in Florida, 

 and to some extent in other States. The trees, which 

 grow to a height of twenty or thirty feet, are the most at- 

 tractive of all fruit trees, while the fruit is highly es- 

 teemed and sells at such prices as render orange culture 

 under favorable circumstances very profitable. The trees 

 are propagated from seeds and by budding. By plant- 

 ing the seeds of good varieties,excellent trees are obtained, 

 which begin to bear when seven or eight years old ; trees 

 budded on stocks three or four years old begin to bear in 

 two or three years after budding. The orange requires 

 ■clean, shallow cultivation and, liberal manuring, Pea- 

 Tines turned under, cotton seed, stable manure and muck 

 are all good fertilizers. The trees are very prolific, in 

 some instances yielding ten thousand oranges each. 

 They have few diseases, and with proper attention live 

 "to be very old. The fruit begins to ripen in October, 

 and in mild winters will remain in good condition on 

 the trees the year round. 



