10 BULLETIN 445, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
At the end of six months to a year, if grown in the nursery, the 
young trees are ready for transplanting. The tender growth is re- 
moved and the plant dug with a ball of soil around the roots. If 
they are to be kept any length of time before planting in permanent 
locations or are to be offered for sale in the markets, as is often the 
case, the trees are placed in small baskets, about 6 to 8 inches in 
diameter and 8 to 12 inches in depth, made from splints from the 
woody leafstalks of the dendé palm (/laezs guineensis Jacq.). These 
baskets take the place of the clay flower pot and are widely used. 
PLANTING AND CULTURAL PRACTICES. 
The cost of uncleared lands suitable for orange culture near the 
city varies from $10 to $100 per acre, and farther away, from $3 to 
$15 per acre. The expense of clearing is frequently more than met 
by converting the natural growth of timber into charcoal, which can 
always be sold at a remunerative figure. Immediately after clearing, 
the orange trees may be set and mandioca (J/anihot esculenta Crantz) 
planted between the rows, or the ground may be cultivated to man- 
dioca for a year before the oranges are set out. Mandioca matures © 
in one year. The cost of planting, cultivating, and harvesting the 
crop is about $20 per acre and its value from $30 to $40 per acre, 
leaving a sufficient profit as a rule to cover the cost of planting and 
caring for the orange trees during the first few years of growth, after 
which the cultivation of mandioca in the orchard is discontinued. 
Tt is customary to plant from 80 to 100 trees to the acre, though 
on rich soils this may be increased to 120. The market price of 
budded trees varies from 65 cents to $1 each, according to size. In 
planting, the crown of the roots is barely covered with soul. In dry 
seasons it is sometimes necessary to water the young trees by hand 
for a few weeks, but beyond this little or no irrigation is practiced. 
In most groves the only cultivation consists in clearing the land of 
weeds two or three times a year with a heavy hoe. Labor for this 
purpose costs 30 to 60 cents a day. Sometimes the work is let out on 
contract at the rate of $3.30 per acre for each cleaning. Hoeing is 
usually done during the dry season, when conditions are most favor- 
able for killing the weeds. 
The most healthy, vigorous, and productive orchard observed in 
Bahia was planted to Angola grass (Panicum barbinode Trin.; PI. 
IV), which prevents soil erosion and is at the same time an important 
source of income as a green forage. Manure is frequently applied 
to stimulate the growth of the grass, the oranges, no doubt, sharing 
in the benefits of this practice. In most of the small groves little or 
no manure is applied directly to the trees; in some of the larger ones, 
however, the practice of applying manure or other fertilizers has 
become common in recent years. Several groves in which the trees 
