626 THE ORANGE. 



sometimes be used to advantage. A small orange, lacking 

 flavor, is improved in size, quality, and fruitfulness by being 

 worked upon these free growers, but like them becomes tender 

 as regards ability to bear frost. To ensure safety from total 

 loss in a killing freeze, budding close to the root is now prac- 

 tised. Some prefer the sweet seedling for a stock, especially 

 in soils where it is not liable to " dieback" and mal de goma, 

 arguing that, if killed down by frost, it can be allowed to grow 

 up again without the trouble and delay of budding. The 

 sweet seedling in such soils, when used as a stock for varieties, 

 attains a great size and large bearing capacity. 



For dwarfing the orange and lemon, C. Otaheite and C. tri- 

 foliata are used. The former, brought into France in 1815, 

 is a nearly thornless evergreen shrub, with pendulous branches 

 and glossy leaves, and quite tender. 



C. trifoliata, one of the original wild forms, is a deciduous 

 shrub with trifoliate leaves, exceedingly thorny, and hardy 

 enough to answer for hedges in a temperate climate. On 

 either of the above the orange or lemon makes an elegant 

 compact bush, freely producing large crops of fine fruit. On 

 trifoliata, in the open ground, it becomes a small tree, capa- 

 ble, when dormant, of enduring a greater degree of cold than 

 otherwise. Such trees are adapted to exposed situations, and 

 those along the northern edge of orange latitudes. They are 

 hardy only while resting ; during active growth the resistant 

 powers of all are much the same. 



Where nursery trees were not to be had and a start must be 

 made from the seed, groves have been quickly established 

 by planting several plump seeds where each tree was to stand, 

 and after they had grown a few months pulling out all plants 

 but the best ones. Such trees, unchecked by removal, and 

 each a survival of the fittest, have often fruited in three or 

 four years. 



Transplanting. The orange bears transplanting well, and, 

 if skilfully done, trees of any size can be moved without risk 

 of loss. Where the roots have been closely cut off, recovery 

 is better if most of the tops are pruned away. The roots must 

 not be exposed to the sun nor allowed to become dry. After 

 setting, the earth should be closely packed by hand or by 

 pouring in water. Thus treated, the largest trees will begin 



