16 CALIFORNIA CITRUS CULTURE. 
The quincunx system (Fig. 4) is like the rectangular, except that a 
tree is planted in the center of each square or rectangle. This adds to 
the number of trees. If the square is twenty feet on each side, there 
will be one hundred and ninety-nine trees to the acre. It also serves 
when more trees are desired in a young orchard, some of which will be 
removed as the trees age. It makes this removal easy, without affecting 
the symmetry of the grove. 
In the hexagonal or sextuple system (Fig. 5), six trees mark the 
angles of an equilateral hexagon, with an extra tree in the middle point 
between them. In ease the trees are twenty feet apart, the first row 
will be parallel to the one side of the field, and the trees twenty feet 
apart. Two twenty-foot lines stretched from the first two trees of this 
row towards the opposite side of the field, approximating each other, 
will fix the location of the center tree where they meet. This will be 
the first tree of the second row, which will be parallel to the first row. 
The trees of the third row will be exactly opposite those of the first. 
Here alone, of all the systems, each tree is equally distant from all 
adjacent trees. If the trees are set twenty feet apart, then one hundred 
and twenty-four trees will be set on each acre. Here the trees may be 
cultivated diagonally in two directions and in a third direction parallel 
with the side. 
PLANTING THE TREES. 
Citrus trees may be planted at almost any time; better from February 
to August. I prefer February—when the trees are more dormant, 
though the heaviest plantings are in April and May, and as late as 
June. This avoids frost, and the trees will respond to the temperate 
heat of spring. 
The holes may best be dug just prior to setting the trees and should 
be oe in size, not less than two and a half feet in diameter. They 
should be dug a little deeper than necessary to accom- 
modate the trees, the extra space being filled with 
fresh, rich fertile soil. The bruised roots of each tree 
should he ent off diagonally with a clean cut, just 
above the wound, and the top eut to balance the root 
pruning and to give all the trees similar and sym- 
metrical heads. Some of our growers leave all the 
top and foliage intact; others prune the top heavily, 
removing all the leaves. I think the above course, 
Pre. 6—Young roots tVimuing to halanee top and root system, is preferable. 
iedanting (Acne == As the trees are placed in position, the roots, if the 
iin trees are not balled, should be evenly separated 
(Fig. 6) by hand, and in every case the hole filled three fourths full 
