548 PBUIT CULTURE IN FOREIGN COUNTRIES. 



getting dirty, and both work and money are economized. When the 

 season for irrigation arrives a thorough weeding takes place ; thus the 

 soil is cleared and continues clean. The irrigation is continued at its 

 proper time, in order that the trees may. not suffer, after which the cor- 

 responding weeding is effected. 



Second year. — In February, previous to the moving of the trees, two 

 or three pounds of guano, or stable dung, is given to each tree as afore- 

 said, but placed at the distance of 75 centimeters from it, or, in other 

 words, at the edge of the ridges. Later, one or two baskets of any 

 kind of manure are distributed around each tree ; this may be done in 

 April, which is the best month for doing it, but at any other time it 

 may also be effected. The necessary irrigation and weeding must be 

 strictly attended to, so as to preserve the orangery in good condition, 

 and should any tree bear fruit, this should be plucked. 



Third year. — In this year the young roots of the orange trees have 

 reached as far as the ridges and the trees commence bearing fruit, 

 which should be plucked as soon as salable, before Christmas, if pos- 

 sible, so as to be able to work the soil in February. There are some 

 who counsel the plucking of the fruit as soon as itappears on the trees, 

 without waiting to derive pecuniary advantage from it, leaving this 

 for the following year. The ridges are now broken down, the whole 

 superficies irrigated, and hormigueros are made. At a distance of a 

 meter from the trunk of each tree small holes are dag with a spade, 

 and after placing 2 or 3 pounds of guano in each they are covered 

 up. j^fter doing this the hormigueros are spread over the surface, 

 the soil is irrigated, and at the opportune moment the ground half way 

 between the trees is plowed, great care being taken that the plow does 

 not touch the roots ; the earth all round the tree must be well weeded 

 and loosened to about the depth of 2 inches. Watering, plowing, and 

 weeding throughout the year. 



Fourth year. — From the previous year, the cultivation to be given to 

 the orange tree when in a state of production has already commenced. 

 The fruit is plucked as soon as possible. Hormigueros are not made 

 this year. The soil is dug up or plowed from twice to four times, and 

 is manured. The principal manure employed is guano, of which about 

 36 kilograms per hanegada are used. But should stable dung be 

 employed, about six basketfuls are given to each tree, and it may be 

 mentioned that there are some cultivators who use more manure dur- 

 ing these first years. Pruning the orange trees is now commenced, the 

 same being confined to a cleaning, and this should be effected between 

 February and May, preference being ;;iven to the earlier months of this 

 period. This is henceforward repeated every year, and, in order that 

 the wounds occasioned to the tree may be of easy healing, the branches 

 or shoots pruned off are always the thinnest or most delicate. Should 

 the trees he, required to be low and wide, the cultivator limits himself 

 to checking their upward growth and favoring their spreading. 



