Orange 



( 140 ) 



Orcnard 



ill health. Spring is a good time to take sickly 

 trees in hand. Under greenhouse cultivation they 

 generally begin to grow in March. The roots 

 should then be examined, and, if necessary, the 

 old soil shaken away, dead roots cut out, the ball 

 reduced slightly and repotted into a smaller pot. 

 The head should be cut back at the same time. 

 The plants should then be taken to an intermediate 

 house, plunged in gently fermenting material, and 

 tlie syringe plied regularly twice a day. Under 

 such conditions growth will speedily be made, 

 unless the plant is in a hopeless condition. Gradual 

 hardening off must precede removal to the cooler 

 quarters. 



Oranges as Dessert Fruits : 



The fruits upon trees grown in cool houses for 

 decorative purposes are always pithy, and rarely 



THE SEVILLE ORANGE (See CITRUS AURANTIUM 

 VULGARIS, p. 216, VOL I.). 



palatable, but if more heat be given, superbly 

 flavoured produce is obtained. A light, span-roofed 

 house, preferably with facilities for giving bottom 

 heat, is to be preferred. The plants may be either 

 grown in pots or planted out. The cultural routine 

 is briefly as follows : A start early in the year 

 so as to induce flowering in February ; bottom heat 

 70 to 75, and an atmospheric day temperature of 

 about 60 for spring, rising as the days lengthen ; 

 in summer no artificial atmospheric heat is re- 

 quired as long as the 70 to 75 of bottom heat 

 can be kept up ; plenty of water, and liquid 

 manure while the fruit is swelling ; fruit gathered 

 in from nine to eleven months ; and a winter mini- 

 mum temperature of 45" to 50, with comparatively 

 little water, for this is the period of rest. 



A Selection of Dessert Varieties : 



be grown as decorative 

 the fruit will be of little 



[NOTE. These can all 

 plants in cool houses, but 

 use. (See aim CITRUS.)] 



Maltese Blood, large, very 

 rich, pulp dark red, skill 

 dark red to yel. 



Navel, or Embiguo, large, 

 rich, aud juicy, skin 

 yel. to yellowish red. 

 Largely grown iu 

 America. 



St. Michael's, rather 



For Decoration : 



variable iu thickness of 



skin. 

 Silver Orange, skin thin, 



pale yel., flesh very 



pale. 

 Sustain, large, very rich 



aud juicy. 

 Tangerine, very variable, 



but flavour always rich 



and sweet. 



Otaheite (Citrus Auran- 

 tium japoiiica), Kum- 

 quat, }' to (i', fruits deep 

 orange yel. skin, 1" to 

 U" diameter, good for 



pots, window boxes, aud 

 small houses. 

 Variegated, Ivs. margined 

 wh., fruits oval, yel., 

 striped grn., of good 

 flavour. 



ORANIA. 



Tall-growing stove Palms (ur/l. Palmpe), with 

 strong, closely ringed stems, surmounted by a 

 thick head of huge leaves. Imported seeds will 

 germinate fairly well if sown in brisk and well 

 sustained bottom heat. Soil, sandy loam which 

 has been stacked with cow manure. Plenty of 

 water is needed at all times. The Oranias, although 

 easy to grow, and of noble presence, are rarely 

 included in collections. 



Principal Species : 



philippiucusis. 

 regalis, Ivs. 6' to 7' long, 

 fruits red. 



macrocladus, 40', Ivs. pin- 

 nate. 



nicobarica (.w Bentinckia 

 iiicobarica). 



ORBIGNYA. 



A small genus (prd. Palmse) of stove Palms, very 

 rarely' grown, closely allied to Jubflea. Lydias and 

 Sagotii are grown at Kew. 



ORCHARD. 



When planting an orchard, the two points which 

 have to be first considered are the soil and situa- 

 tion. Very few soils are wholly unsuitable, but 

 the best results are obtained from well-drained 

 soils of good depth, and inclining to be retentive. 

 Land that will make good bricks will grow good 

 Apples, is a remark often quoted, and it may be 

 applied to Orchard fruits generally, with the 

 reservation that a little more lime is needed for 

 stone fruits. If this is lacking the deficiency 

 should be made up. (See LIME.) 



The site intended for planting should be open 

 towards the south-east, south, south-west, and 

 west, and sheltered, if possible, from the east, 

 north-east, north, and north-west. The gradient 

 of the slope is immaterial as far as the fruit is 

 concerned, although if more than one in thirty 

 cultivation is not easy. An elevation of about SOv 

 above sea level is the best, as this is high enough 

 to escape the late spring frosts, which are destruc- 

 tive in the low-lying, damper valleys, while it is 

 not high enough to be too bleak. Artificial shelter 

 may be provided by planting quick-growing trees, 

 such as Lombardy Poplars and various Conifers. 

 Boggy, stagnant ground must be drained, other- 



Orange, Rust (see Roses). 

 Orant/e Thorn (see Citriolatus), 

 Orbea (see Stajtelia). 



