CULTIVATION OF THE ORANGE TREE IN SPAIN. 537 



with earth and stable manure, well mixed together and watered; after 

 this they are watered once a weeii. At the end of a year the roots that 

 have formed fill nearly the inside of the flower-pots, and then the 

 branches at the lower exterior part of these are sawn off and the new 

 orange trees taken to the spot where they are to be planted. For plant- 

 ing them there is only to cut the wire or string holding the flower-pots 

 together, and if they are well looked after they will commence bearing 

 fruit at the end of two years. 



The slips of the sweet-orange tree rarely strike root, or at least such 

 is the experience of farmers here who have tried it. 



Till the disease of the orange tree occurred some years back, the prop- 

 agation was generally effected by grafting the orange on a slip of 

 lemon tree, but since then cultivators have only directed their attention 

 to obtaining vigorous plants from the seed, on which are afterwards 

 grafted cuttings; and the seed most preferred are Niranjo dulcefranco, 

 Bigarado franco, and Bigarrado Gallesio ; further, should short shoots 

 be required, the trunk should be raisea from the seed of the sweet 

 orange. Those raised from the seed of the bitter orange, either /rawco 

 or that called QalUsio, are more vigorous, more luxuriant, and of longer 

 duration, besides which they better resist the cold, for which reason 

 they are preferred and chosen for the trunks of the trees of tall growth. 

 The fruit of the first named is considered the best. 



The last system of propagation, being that adopted in this province, 

 viz, grafting on a franco trunk, a series of operations takes place, such 

 as the establishment of a nursery for raising plants from the seed, a 

 plantation of young trees, grafting, and transplanting. 



NURSERIES. 



The soil where this is effected must be of good quality, free, from 

 creeping herbs or weeds, and it must be in a good position so as to 

 receive the sun in all parts, besides which it must have an abund- 

 ance of water for irrigation. All seeds are sown in flat plots, and if 

 they are delicate the soil is manured with a small quantity of well- 

 rotted dung finely minced so as to allow of its better distribution and 

 at the same time produce more beneficial effects ; the soil is also exca- 

 vated and loosened so as to give the plant greater freedom for growing. 

 These plots, when prepared, are opened out in parallel rows of about 

 four inches deep and one foot distance between each. 



The means generally adopted in this province for the establishment 

 of these nurseries are as follows : The raising from seed, when on a 

 small scale, is done in large boxes, but when on a scale of any impor- 

 tance it is done in the soil. This last is greatly preferred, because the 

 plants have more roots on account of having more space for develop- 

 ment. Although the temperature of this zone is very benign, it is nev- 

 ertheless necessary to select a sheltered spot for the nui'sery, taking 

 care that the soil be rich, iiuUitive, of sufQcient depth, and possessing 



