ORANGES AND LEMONS BRAZIL. 411 



the subsoil is presumably much the same as the soil. In most cases the 

 subsoil lias never been turned up. The land is never prepared by plow- 

 ing it. The grass and weeds, when cut away at all, are cut by large 

 hoes. 



Climatic influences. Along the coast the mercury ranges between 76 

 and 92 in the shade. In the interior, especially on the higher eleva- 

 tions, the range is greater. Cool nights and very moist atmosphere. 

 Rain-fall in inches, I do not know. Generally the rainy season begins 

 about April 1, continuing to November 1, though there are frequent 

 showers in the dry season from November to April. Consequently, as the 

 fruit is usually picked from May to August, it ripens in the rainy season. 



Irrigation. There is no irrigation. 



Cultivation consists simply in cutting the grass and weeds that 

 spring up whenever needed, and is done, as stated, with a large hoe. 



In a very few orchards the ground is seeded with grass, which is cut 

 when green, after which the soil is loosened with the hoe, then animal 

 manure is scattered broadcast through the grove. 



Pruning. Pruning is done after the tree reaches its fifth year, or there- 

 abouts, say 4 to 6 feet from the ground. It is then continued every year 

 thereafter, while the tree has growth. 



Picking. This depends on the demand, as they are not shipped. Peo- 

 ple will buy them only when ripe, consequent^ they are allowed to 

 remain on the tree till reaching the stage of ripeness. 



Were the oranges to be shipped, the picking before being ripe, would, 

 of course, depend upon the length of time occupied by the steamer to 

 the place of destination. 



Planting. The trees are planted from 12 to 16 feet apart, and propa- 

 gated by cuttings in Bahia. The orchards are very small generally. 



Maturity. The trees commence to bear in about five years. If the 

 trees are properly cared for, largest crops are obtained from the eighth 

 to the twentieth or twenty-fifth year in the life of the tree. Much de- 

 pends, of course, on the seasons whether very dry or very wet. They 

 are fruitful for thirty to forty years. 



Insect pests. A sort of white worm, which is destroyed by brushing 

 the trunk of the tree with a mixture of clay and water, or rather paint- 

 ing it with the liquid mixture. 



LEMONS. 



There are but two varieties of lemons in this State. The one called 

 Lima doce, or sweet juice; the other Limao, an acid, nearly round lime. 

 This lime is abundant, but is not cultivated to any appreciable extent. 

 It is much more acid than the lemon proper, and is known, I believe, 

 by the scientific name of Citrus limetta, the lemon being known as Cit* 

 rus limonum. 



As the limes are not shipped there is no curing, no packing. They 

 are picked whenever there is a demand for them and, like oranges, may 



