62 



ROEDING'S FRUIT GROWERS' GUIDE 



A model citrus tree. 



The interior branches of the tree are loaded with fruit, 

 own story. 



The exterior of the tree tells its 



of the sour orange so extensively grown in Florida as a 

 stock for budding practically all types of citrus fruits. 

 Although the buds do not grow as rapidly or attain as 

 large a size in mature trees, this stock is much more 

 resistant to gum disease; hence it has been in much de- 

 mand in recent years for heavy soils, where water was 

 apt to stand for any length of time, either because of 

 summer irrigation or a heavy rainfall in the winter 

 months. 



The Citrus Trifoliate, is a native of Japan and is the 

 hardiest orange known. It is deciduous; its fruit is 

 very bitter and has no commercial value, but its hardi- 

 ness seems to exercise a decided influence on the budded 

 tree. It is more resistant to cold than any other stock. 

 It is also much prized as a hedge plant, making an im- 

 penetrable barrier to man and beast. 



I have been experimenting with this root for orchard 

 planting for a number of years now, and was under the 

 impression, up to a short time ago, that it would adapt 

 itself to locations in which neither the sweet nor sour 

 root would grow well. The experiments I have made 

 have convinced me that this root is not a satisfactory 

 one for commercial planting. Its action is rather pe- 

 culiar. In some instances the citrus budded on this 

 root attain the same size as trees worked on either of 

 the two roots referred to above. It is no uncommon 



sight, however, to see two or three trees, or even more, 

 in a row not over five or six feet high, while other trees 

 on this root in the sa~ne row may be fifteen feet. This 

 is a positive indication of the dwarfing effect of this 

 root. 



Another peculiarity about the root is that it differs 

 from any other stocks used for dwarfing fruit trees in 

 that the stock has a greater diameter than the bud. 

 Trees budded on this root are hardier than when budded 

 on any other root. 



The point which may be considered as favorable to 

 this root is that it causes the fruit of the budded tree to 

 ripen several weeks earlier than on the other roots. 

 In Exeter, Tulare county, where I have a very large 

 orange grove, I have found that the Marsh Seedless 

 Pomelo fruit, when the tree is budded on trifoliata root, 

 is much finer grained, has more juice and is, in every 

 sense of the word, a very superior fruit. Even with 

 these points in its favor I do not recommend trees on 

 trifoliata root for commercial orchards. 



DISTANCES APART 



Taking it all in all, the square method will generally 

 give the best results and I recommend it in preference 

 to the equilateral. While the last named method gives 

 a few more trees to the acre and apparently gives the 



