19 



with fruit. The crop is "borne ^vlth less "breaVarre of lxrQ"bs, 

 and not so raucl- fruit is injured, "by the wind. After they 

 arc in full bearing, there seems to be no pruning that will 

 promote th^ he.alth of the trees or improve the crop, other 

 than cuttin?^ oiit limbs that project abruptly from the side , or 

 those that make a sudden sk^nvard growth, and the constant 

 trimming out of dead or stunted v^ood that is found on the 

 inside of the trees. 



If too close, the branches of a tree should be thinned 

 out from the inside until the sunlight has had free access. 

 This does not make any noticeable difference in the appearance 

 of the tree, but makes it bear fruit on the inside. Siich 

 fruit is safe from simburn and frost, and packs aa "fancy" 

 grade. By early attention to pruning, the. tr'ees need never 

 be allowed to grovr too close in the centre. 



Renewal of Tops, There are some groves of old orange 

 trees that do not respond to the best treatment that the own- 

 ers can give them. Under such c irc^imstanoes the most effec- 

 tive way to stimulate neiv life and vigor is sometimes to 

 remove the entire top, leaving enough of each of the main 

 limbs to distribute equally the suckers that will afterwards 

 make the new top of the tree. An old oi-ange tree will rapidly 

 proiuce a new top, e^ren vihen cut back to a mere stump. It is 

 soon in a condition to bear again at its full capacity. When 

 the roots are healthy and the soil is properly cultivated and 

 fertilize*, the orange tree appears able to produce several 

 generations of tops on one stock. But it will generally be 



