Orange Propagation. 353 
ing and hearing fruit in places and upon soils quite otherwise 
than as described; and in family orchards, where conditions do 
not absolutely preclude fruitage, the orange should find a place. 
Thrifty and profitable trees can be found even on adobe, where 
extra attention is given to timely and thorough cultivation. In 
selecting location for extended commercial planting, however, 
the very best situation should be diligently sought for. The 
provision of irrigating facilities is governed by the conditions 
noted in Chapter XV. In certain places where moisture is sup- 
plied by natural underflow in an open soil which does not be- 
come soggy, good iruit has been produced without irrigation, 
but in situations otherwise best suited to the fruit, bearing trees 
will require water. There have been losses and disappoint- 
ment by planting in excess of available water supply. On the 
other hand serious mistakes have been made in planting in 
soils not capable of proper drainage. The orange tree is exact- 
ing of properly regulated water supply: if denied this it will 
yield poor fruit. 
PROPAGATION OF THE ORANGE. 
The orange is grown from cuttings. layers, and seeds. 
Growth from the seed is the method almost exclusively followed, 
and by far the best, but the others will be mentioned briefly. 
Growth from Cuttings—This method of propagation is de- 
scribed in the chapter on propagation. 
Growth from Layers—The orange roots readily by layer- 
ing, the drooping branches being partly cut through, buried in 
the soil with the terminal shoot above ground. Layers must 
be kept moist. Layering may be employed to obtain a few 
plants easily, but, otherwise, it cuts no figure in propagation. 
Layers and cuttings, of course, reproduce the original variety 
without recourse to budding. 
Growth from Seed—Good plump seed should be selected 
in growing orange seedlings either for their own fruitage or to 
use as stocks for budding. When seedlings for fruiting are 
grown, select seed from a choice variety in a situation where 
other citrus species are not grown; but the orange can not be 
trusted to come true from seed, and, more than this, the seed- 
ling class for fruiting purposes has been practically abandoned 
as unprofitable to plant, though fruit from old seedling trees is 
occasionally sold at a profit. 
The seed chiefly used in this State at present is obtained 
from cheap seedling fruit. When thoroughly decayed, the fruit 
is pulped by mashing in a barrel, and the mass is washed, a lit- 
tle at a time, on a coarse sieve, the pulp passing through, and 
the seed being caught on the wires, and pieces of skin thrown 
out. The plump seed will sink if thrown into water, and the 
