154 STATE BOARD OF HORTICULTURE. 



to recognize the effect of phosphorus starvation b}^ the appear- 

 ance of the new growth of leaves. If these, when they first 

 push out or while they are still young and tender, present a 

 slightly variegated appearance, mottled with light and dark 

 green, it is claimed they are suffering from lack of phosphorus, 

 and that if a liberal application of some soluble phosphate is 

 applied this appearance may be checked. If this can be shown 

 to be true it will prove a valuable index to the available 

 quantity of pliosphoric acid in the soil. A similar appearance 

 may, however, appear in light cases of tlie so-called " trenching," 

 a disease, or probably more properh^ a symptom of disease, 

 which is not uncommon. Phosphorus starvation, it is true, 

 may have some effect in inducing this disease. 



Lime. — Lime, it is usually supposed, is present in sufficient 

 quantities in most of our soils. It may be questioned, how- 

 ever, whether the common high pine land and scrub land, and 

 indeed much of the flat woods and hammock of the interior of 

 Florida, might not be ))enefited by dressings of lime. From 

 the superiority of oranges grown on soils which are known to 

 be rich in lime it would seem that this is probably a very 

 desirable and necessary element for the production of superior 

 fruit. The fine, smooth-skinned, and deliciously flavored 

 Indian and Halifax River oranges, with their characteristic 

 aroma, are grown largely on soils rich in lime from shell 

 mounds and coralline and coquina rock. The oranges pro- 

 duced in the noted Orange Bend hammock, which are of dis- 

 tinctive quality, with delicate, rich aroma, and thin, smooth 

 rind, are produced on a soil underlaid by a marl rich in lime. 

 Lime soils are in many orange countries considered superior 

 for orange-growing. 



Dr. A. Stutzer, in his work on the Fertilization of Tropical 

 Cultivated Plants, writes: "The orange and citron fruits 

 desire a deep, porous, dry soil, rich in lime. If sufficient lime 

 is not present the fruit will be thick-skinned and not have a 

 fine aroma." It appears also that the effect of abundant lime 

 is to hasten to some extent the time of ripening. Fruits 

 grown on soils rich in lime appear to color and become suit- 

 able for shipping somewhat earlier than those grown on soils 

 containing but little lime. To secure a good quality of fruit 

 the regular application of lime may be found very desirable in 

 many groves. 



