32 



be distributed in open ditches -or by means of pipes. The 

 open ditches can be used only where the soil is firm 

 enough to prevent too great loss by seepage. The lay 

 of the land must also be considered. Too much fall will 

 cause washing, on the other hand there must be enough 

 fall for a rapid flow of water. A pipe system may be 

 confined to a main line only, from which the water can 

 be led out through valves into short lateral ditches be- 

 tween the rows of trees. Or the system may be more 

 elaborate with pipes all through the field and stand- 

 pipes for overhead springling, which latter method has 

 much to recommend it and it is one that will undoubtedly 

 be used extensively in the future. (*) 



Fertilizing (**) is undoubtedly the most important 

 of all the problems confronting the orange grower. It is 

 unquestionable that moisture, physical condition of the 

 soil, fungus and insect pests, etc., are important problems, 

 but the underlying cause of the most serious troubles in 

 citrus groves is to be found in the chemical make up of 

 the soil. A citrus tree like all other plants needs a 

 number of chemical elements for wood making and fruit 

 producing. As these elements are taken up and digested 

 by the plant they are called plant foods which is a 

 more intelligible term than fertilizer, because anything 

 that a fertilizer may contain beside plant food is value- 

 less as such. Many of the elements entering into a 

 plant are found in abundance in all soils and there are 

 but four that need to be considered by the practical 



(*) For information on irrigation see Reports Ma. State Horti- 

 cultural Society 1910 and Cuban Nat. Horticultural Society 1911. 



(**) For more information on fertilizers our book "Fertilizer 

 Guide" can be obtained free of charge. 



