11 



in this manner, the fruit a rernain good for many months, almost 

 till the next orange season oomes round. The skin looks di^y, 

 but the pulp remains juicy and sweet ; in fact , it gnins in 

 sweetness by keeping. 



Ciiltivation of Oranges in the United States 

 Propagation 



Orange stocks are grown from seeds, which are cleaned and 

 stratified in sand or other material, until sowing time. The 

 seeds are not allowed to become hard and dry. Some prefer to 

 let the seeds sprout in the sand and then sow them in the nur- 

 sery, hut they must be carefully handled. The seeds are 

 usua,lly sown in seed beds, and the seedlings are transplanted 

 the next autumn or spring into nursery rows. Ca^re must 

 always be exercised in handling orange plants, as they are 

 often impatient of transplanting. Oranges grow readily from 

 cuttings, althoug?i cuttage is not often practiced. Layers 

 ar e s ome t iitie s mad e . 



The named varieties are shield budded upon other stocks, 

 Grrafting can be practiced, but it is often unsatisfactory. 

 The nursery stocks are comrionly budded in the spring, after 

 liaving grown in the rows one year, which is two years from tte 

 sov;ing of the seed. If thorn-bearing varieties are to be 

 propagated, a thorn with a bud in its axil is often cut with 

 the bud, to serve as a handle in place of the leaf stalk, 

 which is used in summer budding. Many stocks are used for 

 the orange. The leading ones are sweet or common orange 



