230 AGRICULTURE 



The lime. The lime resembles the lemon tree in ap- 

 pearance, excepting that it is smaller. It is cultivated ex- 

 tensively in the West Indies, Florida, southern Mississippi, 

 part of Alabama and to some extent in other gulf states. 

 The tree is more thorny than other citrus trees. It bears 

 white flowers, and the fruit resembles the lemon, but is 

 smaller in size. It has a large amount of acid in its makeup, 

 and is used extensively for beverages and sirups. 



Soil and climate requirements. Citrus fruits require 

 a deep, fertile and well-drained loam soil. The soil needs 

 lime, and should be kept rich in humus and nitrogen. All 

 citrus fruits demand a warm, subtropical climate, a great 

 deal of sunshine and freedom from cold winds, frost and 

 cold nights. One of the greatest dangers to the citrus 

 fruit industry of the United States is from frosts and the 

 uncertainty of orchard localities in the matter of early and 

 late freezing. The killing of fruit buds by late spring 

 frosts must be met by some of the special methods, such as 

 whitewashing, smudging and heating by means of oil pots. 

 The last named method is probably the most efficient. 



Cultivation and management. No type of farming 

 requires greater care in the matter of management and 

 cultural methods. The orchard bed should be prepared by 

 deep plowing and a thorough pulverization of the top soil. 

 The soil should be kept free from weeds and a constant dust 

 mulch maintained throughout the season for the conserva- 

 tion of the moisture. From the fact that an orchard will 

 remain bearing for years there is great danger of depleting 

 the soil of its fertility and making the orchard unpro- 

 ductive, hence the necessity of cover crops, the plowing 

 under of legumes, the adding of barnyard manure, lime, 

 potash, and other fertilizing material from time to time as 

 they are needed. In matters of tillage and cultivation the 

 citrus orchard should be as carefully managed as a corn 



