ORANGES AND LEMONS IN BARCELONA. 579 



ter, the irrigation of trees from the top by pumps, and examines the roots 

 in case of certain diseases. Moreover, the plants cultivated between the 

 trees would act as parasites, exercising a pernicious influence upon the 

 trees and fruits, which become less in quality-, quantity, and size, and 

 are more exposed to diseases. This is also the reason why the oranges 

 grown in closed gardens, where the ground between the trees is often 

 cultivated, are less valuable than those grown in orchards with free 

 ground. 



Yield. The creation of an orchard should always be executed by the 

 owner of the laud and not by a farmer, because then all will be done in 

 due order j he will select a good plantation and prepare the ground con- 

 veniently ; he will not cultivate the ground between the trees; all the 

 labor can take place in due time and the unfolding of the trees will 

 progress more uniformly and better. At the end of ten years he will 

 have recouped himself; moreover the benefit and the orangery will be 

 in a better shape of production, duplicated or triplicated the value of 

 the land and consequently also the rent and assured the progressive 

 augmentation of production after the end of the first ten years. 



It is very difficult to give with exactness a valuation of the yield 

 and cost of an orchard, which may vary accordiug-to circumstances, but 

 all circumstances being equal, the production must be by far greater in 

 the vigorous and virgin soil of America than in that exhausted of 

 Europe. 



The following is the average yield and cost of the creation and culti- 

 vation of an orange orchard in a field of 8 hanegadas, distant 2 miles 

 from a town, with high road and natural irrigation by a canal. 



One hanegada valenciana, equal to 831.10 square meters, or the -g^ of 1 acre. 

 One arroba valenciaua, equal to 12.888 kilograms. 

 One real, equal to 5 cents American money. 



Cost during the first ten year .* 



FIRST YEAR. 



Reals. 



Two hundred and eight young orange trees from the nursery at 26 per hane- 

 gada, at 5 reals 1,040 



Their carriage to the place 30 



Four men to plant, at 8 reals 32 



Ten arrobas (128.880 kilograms) guano, at 18 reals per arroba 180 



Collocation of same 10 



Made the plantation, digging and cost 220 



Improvement of the conditions of the soil and hormigueros in May: 



Journey work 120 



Wood.. 200 



320 



Six irrigations paying 1 real per hanegada 48 



Six weeding under the trees 72 



Contribution of the field 182 



Perceiving rent 1,080 



3,214 



