438 FKUIT CULTURE IN FOREIGN COUNTRIES. 



Fertilizers.— The fertilizers used are the dung of the horse, aud that 

 of the mule and camel, applied mostly in the winter-time. 



Pruning.— hittie or no pruuing of the orange and lemon trees is ob- 

 served at Jaffa. The trunks are usually left shaded by the lower 

 branches. 



PlcUng. — Oranges as well as lemons are picked from October till May, 

 that is from green to fully ripe. The maturity of the fruit dates from 

 January. After being picked they are left two or three days in store- 

 rooms for the skins to dry. They are tlien wrapped in tissue-paper, 

 and packed in boxes couta-tning from 140 to 200 pieces. These are de- 

 livered in boats to the steamers lying off" shore, being always lowered 

 into the holds. To allow for damage, decay, or other loss, 1,500 oranges 

 or lemons are counted to the thousand. 



Planting and propagating — The trees are planted at a distance of from 

 10 to 14 feet apart. 



The orange tree is propagated in the following manner : In July and 

 August suckers or cuttings, 18 inches in length by 1 inch in thickness, 

 are made of the sweet lemon tree, and planted in beds which are 

 watered twice a day. The second or third year the cuttings are budded 

 by making a "f incision, andiuserting a bud from theShamudior Beladi 

 orange. When it has taken, the lemon stick is cutoff a few inches above 

 the bud, which then grows rapidly, and bears fruit the third or fourth 

 year. Lemon trees are propagated in the same way, using for budding 

 a sour lemon bud on the stem of the sweet lemon. 



The best varieties, as already indicated, are budded. 



The orchards or gardens vary in size, but usually contain several acres- 

 About 3,000 acres are devoted to this purpose at Jaff;'a, which are 

 divided into about 600 gardens, all irrigated. 



Maturity. — Orange trees continue to bear truit from the fifth to the 

 twentieth and thirtieth years ; lemon trees from the fourth to the 

 twentieth year. Their maturity is from the tenth to the twentieth year, 

 when the flnest and largest crops are borne. 



Insect Pests. — Lliitil recently, it was supposed the trees were exempt 

 from insect pests, or disease of any description, the soil and other con- 

 ditions at J<iff'a being peculiarly adapted to the production of healthy 

 and vigorous trees; but closer investigation has revealed that, in a 

 good many gardens, there is to be met with some diseased trees, which 

 are injured by a little insect living under the bark. Xo treatment, 

 whatever, has been adopted to restrain the propagation of this, as yet, 

 nameless enemy, nor is it known to have any parasite. Beneficial in- 

 sects have not been specially observed. 



Miscellaneovs. — There is no further particular information as to the 

 picking and curing lemons before shipping than that already given by 

 me. 



There are no reports giving information as to processes, jmees, or 

 statistics issiK^d by governinenl or otiierwise. Oranges, which haxc 



