538 FKUIT CULTURE IN FOREIGN COUNTRIES. 



means for irrigation. Having everything prepared, the next thing is 

 to obtain the quantity of seeds required for sowing when the proper 

 time comes around; The general method is 'to divide the orange with 

 a knife, taking care not to cut it so deeply as to touch the seed, so as to 

 in nowise injure them ; these are then picked out and placed in the 

 shade to dry, after which they are preserved, either in paper packets 

 or earthernware pots, in a (Iry place. Other methods for obtaining seed 

 are adopted, but the preceding is considered as the best. Once the 

 seed is perfectly obtained, should- it not be required for use within a 

 short time or period, it should be placed in layers in sand, so as to 

 prevent its getting too dry and opening. A thing of the greatest im- 

 portance is the selection of the orange from which to obtain the seed. 

 Some nurseries have been planted with seed obtained from the No- 

 vember orange, and but few trees have been obtained, only a small 

 quantity of seed germinating. The seed of more seasoned oranges come 

 up in greater number and with more strength, in addition to which 

 the plants are much more vigorous, Nurseries may be created with the 

 June orange, the fruit at said period being perfectly seasoned, but this 

 is considered too late, and the frost or cold would catch the plants 

 whilst still very tender. The average season for planting the nurseries 

 is from the middle of February till the middle of April, thus concili- 

 ating everything : first, because the seed then obtainable is good j and, 

 secondly, there is sufficient time for the young plants to acquire suffi- 

 cient strength to resist the cold weather ere the winter sets in. 



As the time approaches when the seed should be sown, the soil where 

 such is to be effected is properly prepared, being watered and, when in 

 fit condition, well dug up. If the earth is very compact and composed 

 of hard lumps, these are well broken up and smoked, and made up in 

 hormigueros, which are heaps of dry vegetable refuse covered over with 

 earth, having a small opening near the ground in which is introduced a 

 wisp of straw. On setting fire to the straw the whole mass gradually 

 consumes itself, forming a small heap of vegetable ashes and earth. 

 The ashes of the hormigueros are equally distributed over the surface 

 of the soil, and immediately afterwards this is manured with stable 

 dung, which should have been left to rot in sand, and which must be 

 old and as fine as the sand. This has first to be watered to ^keep it 

 moist, and when the proper season arrives a good watering has to be 

 given it, after which it is spread over the surface. When the space to 

 be cultivated is limited, the mixture of stable dung and sand is per- 

 formed with a spade, and the ground is not plowed. The ground has 

 to be divided in long and narrow plots, having small irrigating canals 

 between each, which must be sufficiently deep so as not to allow of the 

 water reaching the superficies of the rows, as should it do so it would 

 have the effect of hardening the earth, which should always be loose, 

 so as to obtain a good result. 



The seed should be soaked in water for a couple of days, and after- 



