448 FRUIT CULTURE IN FOREIGN COUNTRIES. 



Irrigation. When the soil is dry, during the months of June, July, 

 August, and September, and sometimes October. More or less according 

 to dryuess of soil and size of trees once every eight or ten days. 



Cultivation. In the spring, when the soil gets dry, the ground should 

 be plowed to the depth of 5 or 6 inches ; this should be repeated three 

 or four times, i. e., once every eight or ten days j in summer every eight 

 or ten days after each irrigation. This alternate succession of plowing 

 and irrigation should occur between the 15th of June and 15th of Sep- 

 tember. 



Irrigation. Goat manure is the best, cow dnng ranks second, after 

 which, in point of quality, comes horse manure. Half of the quantity 

 is to be used in winter and the other half in summer. The quantity 

 needed is about 84 pounds for each large tree. The first 42 pounds that 

 are to be used in winter should be placed on the surface of the soil, at 

 a distance of about 10 to 12 inches from the foot of the tree, and the 

 other 42 pounds distributed in two or three equal parts, after being 

 mixed with water during the summer. Small trees need only half of 

 this quantity. 



Pruning. Pruning should be confined to the lower branches, but yet 

 sufficiently upward to leave a free passage for a team of oxen when till- 

 ing the ground. 



Picking. Citrons, sweet and sour lemons, as well as oranges, must be 

 picked when green, with a yellowish tint, if intended for exportation ; if 

 for local consumption, when fully yellow. These fruits fall to the 

 ground as soon as they are perfectly ripe, and should be gathered when 

 dry from dew or moisture. It is of great importance to roll these fruits 

 in thin paper before packing them up in boxes. 



Planting and propagating. The tres are planted from 3 yards 9 

 inches to 4 yards 12 inches. Citrons are propagated by seedlings ; 

 sweet and sour lemons and oranges by grafting. Oranges prosper well 

 when grafted on sweet lemon trees. Sweet lemons can be grafted on 

 sour lemon trees. The best varieties are budded. Orchards are gener- 

 ally small. 



Maturity. Trees begin to bear fruit in the fourth or fifth year after 

 being planted. The largest crops are from the seventh year upward. 



Insect pests. ISTo insects infest this kind of a tree except a scale pest, 

 for vrhich there is no known remedy ; but the damage caused by it is 

 slight. 



ERHARD BISSINGER, 



Consul. 

 UNITED STATES CONSULATE, 



Beirut, February 12, 1890. 



