30 



The above facts also account for the observation that the frost some- 

 times " strikes in spots or streaks." 



Proximity to fertilizers is another favorable condition to be con- 

 sidered. The orange tree is a ravenous feeder and an abundant bearer, 

 and however fertile the original soil may be, and even though it should 

 be sufficient to produce fine trees and sustain them for a few years, any 

 soil would finally become exhausted and need to be replenished. Com- 

 mercial manures can be bought, but even when transportation is cheap 

 the cost is considerable. The abundant and frequent deposits of muck 

 iu almost every locality have been shown by repeated experiments to 

 be a valuable fertilizer. It would be well for the person looking for a 

 location for an orange grove to have an eye to such a deposit close to 

 the place for the intended grove. Leaves and ashes from a hummock 

 close at hand, a shell bank, or limestone from which lime may be pro- 

 cured, should also be considered. 



Facilities for transportation is the last item to be noticed in this 

 chapter of favorable conditions to be considered in locating an orange 

 grove. One other condition will be 'discussed in a separate chapter. 

 The orange will bear transportation well, whether the expense of trans- 

 portation, or perishableness of the fruit be considered. But it would 

 be well for the readeiycontemplating planting oranges, to estimate the 

 cost of hauling say five miles by wagon or cart an average crop of 

 oranges grown on an acre, before he locates too far from a navigable 

 stream or from a railroad. He can make the estimate for himself, and 

 it will certainly have some weight in determining the location. 



