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to ship and frequently too insipid to be marketable. 

 Therefore when interfering with nature in trying to pro- 

 duce quick growth and marketable fruit, the planter must 

 be prepared to feed his trees according to requirement. 



CULTURAL METHODS 



The proper method of treating a grove is a local proo- 

 lem. General directions can not be followed explicitly, 

 but by the use of common sense a planter may adapt any 

 of the usual cultural methods to suit his special condi- 

 tions. In the young grove the main problems are how 

 to keep the air and the soil cool and moist during the 

 dry season, and how to keep the soil supplied with the 

 proper amount of plant food. 



Local Wind Protection is, as previously, stated of great 

 benefit to young trees because in that" way it is possible 

 to duplicate forest conditions. Many different plants may 

 be used, such as pidgeon peas, corn, castor beans, bananas 

 and even sugar cane. One or more rows of such plants 

 between each row of citrus trees will serve as an ef- 

 fective windbreak and soil shade, but like forest trees 

 they will rob the citrus trees of plant food. This must 

 be guarded against by plowing deeply close to the 

 plants to prevent the roots from spreading too far. Such 

 plants may also serve as a harbor for insects, such aa 

 leaf eating beetles or ants and if so the method is of 

 course impractical. 



Mulching consists of covering the soil with a layer of 

 dry vegetation, thick enough to prevent evaporation of 

 soil moisture. It is the most natural method of preserv- 

 ing the moisture and preventing the weeds from grow- 

 ing, but it is not always practical. A mulch to be ef- 



