25 



and they should stand with the crown roots about 2 

 inches above the level when fully settled. 



In heavy clay soil or in land with impervious subsoil 

 in which citrus trees are frequently planted, although 

 it is unsuitable, the writer has observed standing water 

 in the holes all through a rainy season. Trees planted 

 under such conditions start gumming almost immediately, 

 and frequently the roots decay. This can be remedied 

 by subsoil draining or even surface draining, connecting 

 each hole with a drainage ditch. 



The Distance Apart at which trees should be planted 

 is frequently a subject for discussion. The tendency is 

 to crowd too many trees on to an acre, because they look 

 so small when planted and it is hard to realize that they 

 will grow so large. In general 25~x 25 feet apart (70 

 trees per acre) is the most suitable distance. Some have 

 planted this way with a tree between each four trees 

 making the number 126 per icre, but those extra trees 

 had to be taken out before they 'bore fruit. Others have 

 planted 20 x 20 (108 trees per acre) which is excusable 

 on light soil, but on the heavier lands like eastern Cuba, 

 and the banana soils of Jamaica, 70 trees per acre is 

 enough. 



HOW THE WILD TREES GROW 



Citrus trees grow naturally in the West Indies without 

 any care, which is fully attested by the great number of 

 seedling trees found in all of the Islands. Why is it 

 then that a planted grove requires so much care? It is 

 because in the average grove the natural conditions have 

 been lost sight of, and with an artificial start the artifi- 

 cial conditions must be kept up. 



