125 



The -.red. which should b -red ,nc. little af- 



fected by frost, the next vita' >n i> water; we think- 



that in only very few favoured spot*; in South Africa can citrus 



: ng he made profitable without water. \\'e would ourselves 

 ommend the plantin. h an orchard without 



having a water supply behind it pi ate m the number of 



trees to be irrigated. 



As to the method of applying water when one has the supply 

 available, we consider that there is great room for improvement, 

 whilst recognising the fact that it is in many instances impossible 

 to follow our directions. Owing to perhaps many causes, we 

 still think it advisable to recommend the system of irrigation by 

 means of furrows, as explained in the article under the head' of 

 44 Orchard Irrigation." on page 28. 



SETTING OUT AN ORANGE GROVE. 



An orchard can be set out at any time during the periods that 

 the trees are dormant; from June to September and from No- 

 vember to February is the time when they are most so. Should, 

 however, the trees be in tins, with careful handling when they are 

 removed from the tins they can be set out in orchard even when 

 they are growing, but each tree must he well watered at once, or 

 many will die. There is a good deal of difference of opinion 

 as to whether it is best to plant trees direct from tins or with 

 bare root.-. \Ye would say that should the tree have been dug out 

 of the nursery without much displacement of soil, and just left 

 long enough in the tins to get established, we would prefer it at an 

 increased price, roughly i/- per tree. But we have satisfied our- 

 selves that if well dug and every detail of the packing is care- 

 fully done, citrus trees can be safely transported any distance 

 throughout South Africa with a small loss on being planted out. 

 But growers must remember that a plant in foliage at the time 

 of planting needs much more careful attention, as although the 

 tree may be quite dormant at planting, there must necessarily be 

 f evaporation through the leaves, and this evapora- 

 tion must be met by keeping the soil around the tree moist. 



At once after planting we recommend the trees should re- 

 ceive water, and that the surface of the soil around each tree 

 should be mulched with hay. straw, grass, or hushes, or indeed 

 anything which will retain the moisture: it is a good thing also 

 to protect the tree from the direct rays of the sun. either by reeds, 

 stakes, bagging, or indeed anything that will serve the purpose. 

 We are inclined to think the defoliation of the young tre 

 prevent evaporation is not altogether desirable, as the benefits 



