11 



Position of Buds. — The buds should all be set on that side of the 

 trees which is least exposed to the extreme heat of the afternoon sun 

 and placed at least 6 inches above the level of the ground. This is 

 necessary in order to keep the sweet orange variety as far as possible 

 away from the influence of any disease which may affect the roots, 

 and also to counteract to a certain extent the evils of too deep planting 

 when trees are set out in orchard form. 



After about twelve days have passed from the date of the budding 

 the buds may be examined to see if they have taken. The wrappings 

 must be unwound carefully and an inspection made of each bud. If 

 a good job has been done, under favourable conditions the biids should 

 look fresh and healthy, and, if the union between bud and stock is 

 satisfactory, and the buds taken well, the wrappings may be removed. 

 When buds look black and show a mildewy appearance arrangements 

 must be made to do the work over again. Wrappers should not be 

 allowed to remain too long round the buds, as there is a possibility of 

 them being overgrown by the bark of the stock, and their natural 

 attempt to push out young growth frustrated. 



As soon as signs are in evidence that the buds are about to shoot 

 out, the whole of the stock should be removed to a distance of some 

 three or four inches above the bud. As the young shoot grows and 

 attains a height of six inches or so it should be tied to the stub left 

 with a piece of raffia — this affords a little support and prevents the 

 tender shoot from being blown out by high winds. As the trees 

 increase in height this single support becomes insufficient and should 

 be supplemented in the case of each individual tree by a stake to 

 which it is tied. When at Whittier, in California, in 1911, the writer 

 realized, perhaps more than ever before, the extreme care with which 

 orange trees were grown in nursery form there. Each tree was staked 

 and trained to a single stem only. From the time the young buds 

 have a few leaves until the tree is about three feet high, and the time 

 for heading back comes, the appearance of each new leaf is the signal 

 for a raffia support, thus a young nursery tree appears to be tied to the 

 stake every couple of inches. Such work calls for a very large 

 amount of labour, but it results in the most perfect trees obtainable, 

 which sell readily at 4s. to 5s. each, and thus undoubtedly justifies the 

 expense, the great object being to obtain the vei*y best tree possible 

 and not to take anything but the best. 



It is necessary to rem.ove the " stub " some time before the young 

 trees are lifted from the nursery, and this should be done with a sharp 

 pair of shears by a cut made diagonally and not horizontally across 

 the stock. 



The importance of correct stubbing is considerable, as, if a 

 horizontal cut is made, the process of healing over occupies about three 

 times as long as when a diagonal one is used, and should the hori- 

 zontally cut stub be left and the tree planted just a little too deep 

 collar-rot promptly appears. 



After cutting off the stub the exposed surface should be painted 

 over with a little common paint — any colour will do. This precaution 

 prevents evaporation and consequent liability to rot. 



The trees should be ready for planting out in orchard form as 

 soon as the bark commences to grow over the cut and shows signs of 

 healthy granulation. 



