CULTIVATION OF THE ORANGE TREE IN SPAIN. 539 



wards tlnVkly sown, to provide against the eventuality o! 

 defective and not germinating. 



There are some who immediately cover the seed with a coating of 

 fine manure of about 1J to 2 inches, while there are others who employ a 

 mixture of river sand and stable dung; but experienced cultivators say 

 that the sand often injures the stalk of the tender shoot. It seems that 

 in order to obtain the most favorable result a covering is made of earth 

 from a pine forest, virgin earth, the greater portion dung. When this is 

 not obtainable, then dry, arable ground which is very loose. Having 

 arrived so far, two things are necessary, viz, that the soil be al\\a\s 

 damp, and that the earth covering the seed be loose, not offering any 

 opposition to the unfolding and shooting of the tender plant. This is 

 obtained by watering the nursery every two or three days after sunset, 

 and still better by doing so before sunrise, using a watering-pot with 

 a long spout. 



When the orange trees are about 2 inches high or more, then irriga- 

 tion by means of the canals at the sides of the rows will suffice. 



The young plants are from four to six weeks before appearing above 

 the surface, and sometimes more, and the plants are kept in the nur- 

 sery for one or two years, according to the state of their development. 



The chief things to be observed with the seedlings are : (1) The earth 

 should always have a certain amount of humidity. (2) The plant should 

 be kept perfectly clean, and should weeds spring up these should be 

 rooted out with a small weeding-hook. (3) When the young plants 

 come up close together they should be separated so as to admit the 

 proper development of those which give promise of thriving, and allow 

 those separated to thrive in other spots where transplanted. (4) If the 

 ground is sufficiently manured the young plants have sufficient nutri- 

 ment until reaching the height of about 10 inches or even more. 



If the soil is not properly manured, then it is necessary to assist the 

 plant by using Peruvian guano, and for doing this various growers dis- 

 solve a small quantity of guano with the water in the watering-pot, and 

 thus apply it to the plants ; but should the watering take place by 

 means of the small irrigating canals, the guano is placed at the entry of 

 the water into said canals, and is thus conveyed all over the nursery. 



Planting. As soon as the young plants have acquired a certain de- 

 velopment in the nursery, which sometimes occurs at the end of one 

 year and sometimes at the expiration of two, the plantation has to be 

 commenced. This generally takes place from the middle of February 

 to the beginning of March, according to the condition of the plants. It 

 is commenced by arranging the soil in the same manneras for the nursery, 

 and when this is done the nursery is well watered, so as to enable the 

 young plants to be rooted out without injuring them. 



Some cultivators advise the taking up of the young plants with the 

 earth adhering as thick as mud, while others counsel that they should 

 be transplanted with a ball of earth attached to the roots, although 



