CULTIVATION OF THE ORANGE TREE IN SPAIN. 555 



Oxygen, hydrogen, and carbon 20. 10 



Azoo 0.40 



Phosphoric acid 0.20 



Potash and soda 1.50 



Lime and magnesia T. 0.70 



Silica and other substances 2.00 



On evaporation of the water, an inert matter of which it is despoiled 

 as soon as possible, and considering only the dry matter contained in 

 it, its composition is as follows : 



Organic matter per 100 kilograms 80.14 



Mineral matter per 100 kilograms 19.85 



Lost 0.01 



The organic matter contains 78.66 carbon, oxygen, and hydrogen, and 

 1.48 azoe. The mineral matter contains 0.82 phosphoric acid, 11.00 alka- 

 line salts, potash, soda, and lime, and 8.04 of silica and loss in short, 

 all the substances that enter into the com position of vegetables ; above 

 all, the azoes, soluble phosphates, and alkalies, especially potash. 



According to the experiences of Hermsbtael and Schubler, it has been 

 proved that the soil without manuring of any description can produce 

 the seed 3 times, but if manured with vegetable manure, 5 times, and if 

 manured with common stable manure, 7 times, and if manured with 

 pigeon dung, 9 times, and if manured with horse dung, 10 times, and if 

 manured with human urine, 12 times, and if manured with solid excre- 

 ment, 14 times. 



The employment of manures is indispensable for activating the devel- 

 opment of the orange tree and maintaining its fertility. Without them 

 its growth would be slow, and it would soon be loaded with fruit of 

 small size, which would exhaust the tree by reason of its abundance, 

 and cause it to succumb long before giving its maximum produce. 



The orange tree requires to be manured at two periods of its existence. 

 Ihiring its first development it should receive it in abundance, so as to 

 activate as much as possible the formation of its branches and at the 

 same time obtain its maximum production. Afterwards, during the 

 remainder of its existence, only the necessary quantity for its proper 

 preservation and nourishment should be given it, its state of vegetation 

 indicating the frequency with which it should be manured and the quan- 

 tity to be given it. In the first period of vegetation of the orange trees 

 manures of rapid decomposition should be employed, so that they may 

 immediately proportion to the roots, and in abundance, the nutritive 

 elements required by them. Such manures are the following, viz, well- 

 prepared dungs, pigeon manure, the skins and refuse of oily seeds, 

 guano, desiccated blood, and fecal matters. In the second period the 

 manures of slower decomposition should have the preference, and these 

 are horn raspings or scrapings, crushed bones, old woolen rags, horse 

 hair, and the hair, tendons, and waste of tanning factories. The effect of 

 . these last manures endures for from five to eight years. Both classes 

 of manure are distributed over the surface soil supposed to have roots 



