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Those who favour the planting of seedlings will argue : That 

 a seedling is hardier, more strong growing, and bears bigger crops. 

 This we will readily admit. 



The advocates of the budded tree will claim the fruit fetches 

 a higher price, and tree comes into bearing earlier. Also true. 



We give our verdict in favour of the newer varieties : 



Firstly. Because we consider the seedling tree planted on 

 good soil here grows so freely that when it becomes over fifteen 

 years of age, it is almost an impossibility to eradicate the pests that 

 affect it ; it grows to a size which makes it very difficult to fumigate 

 it, and it is much more difficult to get at with a spray. Whereas 

 a budded tree takes a great length of time to attain the same size, 

 even if it will ever do so, we ourselves having never seen a 

 worked orange tree of above 15 feet high, therefore a budded 

 tree can be readily fumigated or sprayed even when it attains 

 great age. 



Secondly. The seedling will not come into bearing until the 

 seventh or eight year, whereas a healthy budded tree will come 

 into bearing and pay well in the fourth year. 



Thirdly. Because a budded tree can be planted closer than 

 a seedling, 20 ft. to 25 ft. being ample distance apart for worked 

 citrus trees, whereas >a. seedling should be set at 30 ft. apart, 

 thus giving a greater number of trees to the acre. 



Fourthly. Because by the planting of budded trees the 

 season for harvesting the crop is considerably extended, always 

 an important point in commercial fruit growing, invariably re- 

 sulting in better prices. 



Fifthly. Because it is always advisable to allow the opinion 

 of other people and the trend of work being carried out in other 

 countries who are engaging in kindred enterprises to influence 

 one, and thus we find the planting of seedling oranges in Cali- 

 fornia practically discontinued. We have ourselves worked in 

 several Citrus Nurseries there, and can truthfully say that we 

 liave never seen a seedling sold. 



Again, in Australia, where in localities considerable atten- 

 tion is being given to citrus growing, we find the planting of the 

 very best varieties of worked trees only being advocated, 

 planters finding out that they have even many varieties of budded 

 and grafted trees which are quite inferior to others. 



In Spain, in " La Vuelta " of Valencia, which is a large 

 stretch of very valuable, irrigable land stretching many miles, 

 and from which the English market draws a large part of its 

 supplies, and where we ourselves saw tens of thousands of 

 newly-planted orange trees, worked trees are being entirely 

 planted. We can only add, in conclusion, that buyers of oranges 

 in the Colonies are quite willing, and indeed do pay in many 

 instances double the money for the fruit of the improved 

 varieties. 



