THE OKANGE IN CALIFORNIA — PRUNING. 117 



almost entirel}^ avoided by suitable clipping during the early 

 and rapid stages of growth, while the lemon needs constant 

 and often heavy cutting from the first.' It is clearly a great 

 mistake to cut out branches and thin the top, as we sometimes 

 hear, to let the sunlight in. Indeed, to keep the untempered 

 heat of the sun out from the tender young fruit when setting, 

 and to give shelter from the desiccating hot northers which 

 sometimes cause the destruction of almost the entire crop of a 

 young orchard, should be constantly kept in view, and not a 

 leaf should be removed that can help in the work. Take a 

 ■ Washington Navel tree with dense foliage of a rich, dark green, 

 and you will seldom fail to have a bountiful crop of choice 

 fruit." 



The illustration on the opposite page shows an orchard where 

 the lower limbs of the trees have been removed, leaving a clear 

 stock, so as to allow the horse in cultivating to pass under 

 their branches and the cultivator to work the ground close to 

 the trunks. No under support is left to the branches, and they 

 require to be propped with poles, and have to be tied to the 

 main limbs. The trunks are left exposed to the sun, and the 

 ground under the trees invariably "bakes" before it can be 

 worked. 



Citrus-tree pruning can be commenced as early as .January 

 and continued through the spring months, but the best time to 

 prune is immediately prior to the season of blooming. Oranges 

 in the southern counties are picked from December to .June, 

 and pruning follows the removal of the crop, and is regulated 

 according to climatic conditions and the season. In the north- 

 ern counties the fruit is removed much earlier, and pruning is 

 pursued accordingly. 



At all seasons of the year all superfluous sprouts on the 

 trunk, and stray branches that threaten to throw the tree out 

 of balance, should be removed without delay. The use of a 

 sharp knife is very essential, and all cuts should be made as 

 smooth as possible. All cuts made with a saw, especially large 

 limbs, should be pared down smooth with a sharp knife, then 

 waxed over or painted with gum shellac in proper solution to 

 spread easily. 



The advantage low-trained trees have over the high-trimmed 

 is easily seen in the accompanying illustrations, made from 



