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Pomona College Journal op Economic Botany. 



through some mistaken idea that this operation would help the trees by 

 causing them to take deeper root. Thus, the feeders were largely 

 destroyed. The following year, when the trees were five years old, the 

 orchard produced its first carload of fruit, which topped the New York 

 market by 85c per box above any other California fruit, and 75c above 

 any Arizona fruit. When six years old, the trees produced five carloads of 

 fruit that .sold for $2.66 a box on the trees. This orchard is about 185 

 feet below the sea level, planted on a loose, sandy loam, with apparent 

 traces of salt and alkali. It now receives fortnightly irrigation in the 

 summer, with double cultivation after each irrigation. It has had some 

 fertilizer and pruning. The trees are thrifty in appearance, of good size, 

 and have set a fair crop of fruit this season. Pomeloes in the same orchard 

 are producing good crops of excellent fruits. 



In the Imperial Valley are oranges, lemons, tangerines, and pomeloes, 

 though very little has been done in the way of orchard planting. The Wash- 

 ington Navels, Valencias, Mediterranean Sweets, and tangerines have gener- 

 ally proved to be shy bearers, though the early sea.son, high coloring, and 

 superior quality rather offset this character. One horticulturist at Braw- 

 ley thinks that the Navalencia is the coming orange for that locality, as it 

 produces three times the crop that the navel does, and is of excellent flavor. 

 Lemons thrive, if in a frostless locality, but produce only one crop a year. 

 Near El Centro one Villa Franca lemon tree, five years old, produced, in 

 one crop, over seven boxes of fruit that sold for over $30. The grape fruit 

 seems to be more productive than other citrus fruits. There are several 

 young orchards started in the valley, and high hopes for the future of the 

 industry are entertained by many of the ranchers. 



At Yuma are fifty-five acres of eighteen-year-old citrus trees. Here 

 Washington Navels, Mediterranean Sweets, Valencias, and pomeloes have 

 been planted. The trees were set too deeply when planted, the buds being put 

 some 2-3 feet below the surface, and they have since had irregular and 

 unskilled care. They have had some fertilizer and water, but poor cultivation 

 and pruning. At present a cover crop of weeds and grass is thriving, as 

 it is thought that this keeps the ground cool, and protects the roots from 

 the hot summer sun. In the winter cultivation is practiced. Here, as else- 

 where, salt and alkali can be traced in the soil. Of these trees the Mediter- 

 ranean Sweets, Valencias, and pomeloes are fairly prolific, but the navels are 

 shy bearers. Accurate reports on the number of boxes produced were unob- 

 tainable. The fruits all ripen for the Thanksgiving market, and have never 

 been injured by frost, with the exception of leaf damage to some lemons 

 in the winter of 1911-1912. The trees are thrifty, clean, and of good color. 



In general, citrus trees show remarkable possibilities and seem well 

 adapted to these localities, provided that proper selection of soil is made 

 where there is no frost damage, and that wisdom is shown in the planting 

 and subsequent care. Little scientific work. has been done as yet; no frost 



