Systems of Orchard Planting 



21 



Dimas, California 



The Call of the Soil and the Trees. 



SOIL AND SITUATION. The following from Wickson's 

 California Fruits will be found a safe guide, which gives 

 a general idea as to soils, climatic conditions and water 

 supplies essential to successful citrus fruit culture: "The soil 

 should be a rich alluvium formed from granite and limestone. 

 A hard-pan subsoil should be avoided, while strata of sand and 



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TREES PLANTED ON THE SQUARE SYSTEM. 



gravel are objectionable. A red subsoil, commonly called clay, 

 formed from disintegrating granite, well rotted, is best. The 

 subsoil should be fine, but of a nature to allow water to pass 

 freely through it. It should be deep and rich, with water not 

 less than 30 feet from the surface. In the light of later experi- 

 ments, covering a wide range of soils, it has been found that 

 citrus trees budded to the sour stock (Citrus Begaradia) or C. 

 trifoliata will do well on .soils where the water is close to the 

 surface. The surface of the soil should be of a sandy nature, so 

 as not to bake after irrigation. Coarse sand and granite are not 

 objectionable on the surface, provided the subsoil is right. A 



sediment surface is good; in fact any kind of soil easily pulverized. 

 The surface of the country should have a southern exposure, and, 

 better still, be backed on the north by high hills, and should be 

 reasonably free from winds and frost. The hotter the locality 

 the better. An altitude from 800 to 1600 feet is best. Be sure 

 to have an abundance of water that can be relied upon for ir- 



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THE TRIANGULAR OR ALTERNATE SYSTEM. 



rigation at least one inch to every five acres of orchard; more 

 will be needed when the orchards grow old." 



PREPARING THE LAND. The following excerpts are from 

 the same authority: "Preparation of land by deep and thorough 

 cultivation and laying off to secure straight rows by the square, 

 quincunx, and hexagonal methods, should be carefully observed. 

 * * * T^ orange, in common with other evergreen trees, is 

 exceedingly sensitive to exposure of its roots, and for this reason 

 the handling of young trees is very different from that of ordinary 

 orchard trees. * * * Exposure of the roots, or careless 



