24 



four men and give eacli pair a wire ; let them go each to one of the 

 corner stakes and hold the wires so that they cross in the centre ; a 

 fifth man drives in another stake. This is the quickest and easiest 

 way of marking out on the quincunx system. 



Digging Holes and Planting. 



The orchard having been laid out according to the system decided 

 upon there may be no need of immediate hurry in the matter of holes. 

 Planting can be done over almost the whole of the country from 

 September to the end of January. This is spring and summer plant- 

 ing, and experience has shown it to be well suited to our conditions. 



Perhaps one of the chief inducements to planting citrus trees at 

 this time of the year in South Africa is to be found in the fact that 

 Our rainy season should commence some time early in September or 

 October, and that this precipitation renders the need of artificial irriga- 

 tion less frequent. It is certain that as a rule citrus trees set out 

 during these montlis succeed better than when planted during winter. 

 Any later planting than the latter end of January is as a rule to be 

 deprecated, as trees started later than that have a habit of growing- 

 late in the season, and so exposing the young growth to the danger of 

 being nipped by frost. 



Holes may be dug about 2 feet deep and 2 feet (i inches across, or 

 occasionally to an even lesser depth. The danger is not in planting too 

 shallow but too deep. The deeper and more suitable the soil the deeper 

 the hole may be dug. Holes dug deeply in hard soil with an under- 

 lying layer of clay mean death to the trees. Practically they are not 

 holes, but wells in which water accumulates and stagnates, causing 

 decay of the roothairs first and eventually of the tree. When the 

 drainage is good tliere is less danger on this score. In digging the 

 holes the top soil should be c;irefully placed on one side and the bottom 

 soil taken out and placed on tlie other side of the hole, the bottom of 

 which should be loosened to the full depth of the spade. 



Much has been said and written lately about the use of dynamite 

 for blasting out holes. Given suitable soil — and the orange should not 

 be planted in soil which is unsuitable — no necessity should arise for 

 the use of dynamite. If unfortunately, a ridge of rock should occur 

 across the position of an orchard site, then, perhaps, an excuse exists 

 for blasting a few holes in order to preserve the symmetry of the rows 

 of trees. 



In order tlia( the rows should correspond exactly to the stakes 

 forming the lay-out of the orchard, it is a good plan to use a " planting- 

 board." This may be made from a piece of flooring 5 feet long by 



n r A A~1 



5 or 6 inches wide. A notch is made exactly in the centre, and a 

 corresponding one at either end as shown. 



In the operation of hole-digging the centre notch is placed close 

 against the stake which represents the spot where the tree is to be 

 planted. Other stakes are placed closely against the end notches, the 

 board removed, and the hole dug. When planting time comes the 

 board is again placed with the outside notches set closely against the 



