(Read Preface) 



KEOUIP.EffiNTS AMD MSTHODS OF aRC?JI!IG THE LEKON 

 Climatic Requirements - 



In General: Requires less heat, but stands less frost than orange, 

 Soil Requirements - 



65 



Surface 

 Subsoil 

 Depth 



Rich, fertile clay loam 



Open, no hard pan, no black alkali, 



or more. 



Water Requirements- 



'onstant r^upply of moisture, tree is evergreen and a 

 heavy user of water. Total of 45 acre inches from 

 rainfall and irrigation. 



Setting" Out and Carinr: for Orchards to Maturity - 



Distance Apart of Trees 



Average Number per Acre 



Time of Planting Out 



Age to Self- Sustaining Crop 



Age to Maturity 



Most Popular Varieties 



Length of Profitable Life 



24' X 24' 



75 



March - May (April best) 



8 years 



12 years 



Eureka, Lisbon 



Estimated 50 years. 



Calendar of Operations to Maturity; 



Irrigation 



Pruning 



To keep constant moisture supply available all year 

 round. This means irrigating every 6 to 8 

 weeks from May to November while trees are small. 



: Pruned to shapely head 2nd year during February, then 

 annually dead limbs removed, and suckers and 

 water sprouts shortened or removed. Headed back 

 to increase strength of limb and cause fruit to 

 be borne nearer axis. 



Fertilizing : As soils lack body, they need chemical fertilizers, 



manure and green manure crops. Fertilizers put 

 on in fall and spring; green manure crops grovm 

 from August or September to February or March, 

 v/hen plowed under. 



Spraying : Depends on presence of fungi or insects. 



Cultivation (for young trees: If no conipanion crops are grown, 



plo'."'ed two ways in February and March to turn 

 under v/eeds and green manure crops. Cultivated 

 tv.'o times bet^/een irrigations. Expense of cul- 

 tivation occasionally tome by companion crops. 



Companion Cropping : Beans for 1, 2 or 3 years; if sufficiait water 



and fertility is available, cabbage, nursery stoo!i 

 beans, chili peppers, corn and sometimes alfalfa^ 

 Never strawberries. 



