THE ORANGE IN CALIFORNIA — QUESTIONS. 161 



LEAF SHELTER AN ADVANTAGE.* 



Old " Sunny Side" has again covered herself with glory. 

 Eight consecutive big crops is her record. I had sold five 

 carloads before the chilly night of December 29th, and have 

 just finished delivering the second lot of five cars on a satis- 

 factory cash sale. Since the "chill" I have delivered in bulk 

 at the packing-house, and the fruit has packed nearly four 

 fifths ''fancy,'" and this fruit, too, was, by special contract with 

 the buyer, picked from the outside of the trees where most 

 exposed. 



The fact is that my twenty-acre orchard of 1,500 orange trees 

 is well prepared to resist chilly weather. The trees are so large, 

 so thrifty, and so densely covered outside, that they are like 

 so many houses shingled with broad orange leaves clear to the 

 ground. The interior spaces under each tree, filled with the 

 sun-baked air of the day, bid defiance to "Jack" on a cool 

 night, and prevent him getting in his diabolical work before 

 another day's sunshine comes along to oust him entirely. I 

 have never lost a crop, though of course some of the fruit on 

 the outside will sometimes "take cold"; but there is great 

 protection in a shelter of thick, broad, healthy, glossy leaves. 



QUESTIONS AFFECTING ORANGE CULTURE. 



During the year 1898 the Horticultural Society of Highlands 

 invited its members and citrus-growers having any questions 

 regarding any phase of orange culture to send them to tlie 

 Society, for submission to the orange-growers of the State. 

 The following were received and answered:f 



Q^E8TI0^': Should hardpan within two feet of the surface he 

 considered a harrier to the planting of orange trees ? 



Pkof! E. W. Hilgard, of Berkeley: Yes, if impenetrable 

 by roots. 



J. H. Reed, of Riverside: Yes. 



*B. B, Barney, in California Fruit Grower, February 1, 1896. 

 t Reported by W. M. Bristol, chairman of committee. 



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