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tissues have been ruptured, still the forest trees have stood like foster 

 mothers to keep off the rays of the morning sun till these ruptured 

 tissue and sap vessels could be healed by the efforts of nature. The 

 mother, who has suddenly plunged the body of her scalded child into a 

 bath of flour or oil to save the child from suffering and death, has 

 not shown a tenderer care than have the forest trees extended for 

 scores of years over their charges. And yet the first thing done by 

 many of us who wished to improve our wild groves was to cut down 

 these natural protectors to a tree. The wonder is, not that so many of 

 these wild groves have been destroyed, but that any have been saved 

 with such abuse. 



But we will not now discuss the advantages of partial forest pro- 

 tection. The subject is of too much importance to be dismissed by a 

 single paragraph. We will consider this subject in a separate chapter 

 further along. I have thus early noticed this subject lest the reader 

 may do what I and hundreds of others have done, dextroy these mag- 

 nificent wild groves when attempting to improve them. 



Before beginning to bud a wild orange grove first cut down all 

 the under brush, and then the smaller forest trees. This rubbish can 

 be removed or burned and the ashes used as fertilizer of the orange 

 trees, spreading a liberal quantity around the trunks to keep off the 

 "wood lice" white ant which frequently attack trees where there is 

 much rubbish left on the ground. Or if lime can be had, sprinkle this 

 around the trunks and let the rubbish rot on the ground. The 

 decayed brush will add greatly to the fertility of the soil and will soon 

 be out of the way. It would add, however, greatly to the ease with 

 which you accomplish your work to come after to take all this rubbish 

 out of the way. 



The ground cleared of under brush and small trees, pass through 

 and select at suitable intervals the forest trees you wish to remain. 

 Select a plenty of these trees and mark them so that they will not be 

 cut down. If afterward they are found standing too thickly on the 

 ground some of them can be felled. If felled too hastily fifty years 

 cannot restore them. The number of these trees which are to remain 

 is to be determined by circumstances. If the place is well protected 

 by water, fewer trees will answer. But be certain to leave enough 



