358 Budding the Orange. 
Keep the buds carefully in a damp cloth. Slide the bud upward, above 
the cross-section. Bind around the bark, steering clear of the buds proper, 
a wrapping of waxed cloth, already prepared, three-fourths of an inch wide. 
When enough of this has been wrapped about the tree trunk or branch to 
keep the bark and the bud in place, rub the end of the muslin strip with the 
handle of the budding knife, down upon the muslin already wound about 
the bark. This will hold the waxed wrapping firmly in place. From ten 
days to two weeks after the buds have been inserted, cut off the entire top 
of the tree, above the buds, and cover the stump of trunk or large branch 
with grafting wax—applied hot—with a brush. 
As soon as the wax is put on—and it must be put on as soon as the top 
is sawed off—whitewash the tree, over the waxed cloth, also over the bud, 
over every part of the tree that is left, except the stump ends, to which the 
hot wax has been applied. Immediately the buds will begin to grow. 
From ten days to two weeks after whitewashing take off the muslin wrap, 
and, if the work has been done carefully, in accordance with the above 
directions, 90 per cent of the buds will develop—perhaps more. A prime 
necessity for this work is a razor-sharp budding knife. 
There is a variation in practise in cutting back the stock 
above the bud. Instead of cutting back at once, heroically, as 
just described, some cut back part of the top at a distance above 
the bud, cutting down to the bud after it shows good strong 
growth, tying the young growth to the stub at first to protect it. 
Others insert the bud in the fall, cutting back to start the bud 
after the fruit on the old top is gathered. It is very important 
to watch for suckers below the bud and remove, or pinch them 
back, to make a bunch of leaves. The growth from the bud it- 
self often needs pinching to induce low branching. Twig-bud- 
ding can also be used on the orange by the method already de- 
scribed for the olive. 
Budding in old trees is best done in the spring, when the sap 
‘low is strong, but. as stated, can be done in the fall and the 
bud allowed to lie dormant until spring. 
PLANTING ORANGES IN ORCHARD. 
As already stated, orange trees are planted out at greater 
age than deciduous fruit trees. Budded trees are given one or 
two years’ growth in nursery and one or two years’ growth on 
the bud, which, added to the vear in seed bed, makes them 
three to four years of age from the sowing of the seed. Seed- 
lings, to be planted out as such, are allowed two years’ growth 
in the nursery, which makes them three years old trom the seed. 
For this length of time and the unusual care involved in their 
growth, taking up from nursery and preparation for carriage, 
orange trees of planting age are of much greater cost than de- 
ciduous fruit trees. 
Since the growing of seedlings for their fruit has practically 
ceased, the distance between the trees in orchard planting has 
ranged from twenty to twenty-four feet. All the varieties now 
