356 



THE GARDEN AND FIELD. 



Janaary< 1914 



Ckrus Cultivation in Victoria. 



The suitability of the soil is a 

 most important feature in connec- 

 tion with th« successful cnlt'ix at'ion 

 of the Citrus family. Perfect drain- 

 age is an absolute essential. Care- 

 ful consideration is, therefore, ne- 

 cessary in the selection of a soil 

 for the successful <rrowth of Citrus 

 trees. Generally speaking, a suit- 

 able soil for Citrus culture should 

 be a deep loamy soil, overlving a 

 porous subsoil, which in turn over- 

 lies a gravelly wash. ,Red soils, 

 as far as mv experience goes, do 

 not make anv diffefenoe in the 

 deeper red colour of the rind. 



Tests of the subsoil of anv area 

 to be planted should always be 

 made before planting, so as tho- 

 roughly to understand its charac- 

 ter, auality, regularity, and free- 

 dom from anv ha'rdpan or impervi- 

 ous lavers of cement. Its porosi- 

 tv can be determined bv digging a 

 hole 4 feet square and 2 feetdeiep, 

 under absolutelv dry conditions in 

 the summer months, January or 

 February. The hole .should then 

 be filled to the surface level with 

 water, and in two davs this water 

 should have thoroughlv drained 

 away naturallv, if it does not do 

 this, the soil requires imder- 

 drainage. 



— Situation. — 

 The aspect of the orchard should 

 be well considered. Citrus require 

 a sheltered and warm situation. 

 The irenerallv flat surfaces of the 

 suitable areas do not lend them- 

 .selves to much choice, but advan- 

 tage should always be taken of 

 anv eminence. The orchard should 

 be triven, as near as possible, a 

 northorlv and an easterly as]>ect, 

 and should be protected from the 

 south and west. The climatic 

 conditions of the north and east 

 are conc^enial. The cold winds of 

 th'e south and the west are verv 

 severe on young trees, as well as 

 the vounir prowths of old trees. 

 On the nlains of the north frosts 

 are rarelv s'cvere enouirh to do anv 

 serious damaee. Anv f-ill of tem- 

 ntrature Iwlow 2q degrees Fah. 

 mav iniure the lemon, but the 

 oran'rc will stand more severe con- 

 ditions of frost. 



Tn the midlands and the south, 

 althonirh every advantarre is taken 

 of soil and situation, the orange 

 produces a fruit of thick routrh 

 rind, with much rag, and poor 

 fitialilv. The lemon docs much 

 better, and can be grown, practic- 

 ally, all over the State under con- 



genial soil cond tions — Doncastcr 

 and some parts of Gippsland being 

 especially favourable. The suit- 

 able irrigable areas of the north 

 successfullv ]iroduce all classes of 

 Citrus fruits. 



Under irrigation, and on Closer 

 Settlement blocks, mixed culture is 

 the general practice. Blocks are 

 as a rule small, and the holder 

 has to produce many varieties of 

 produce-lucerne, fodder crops, veg- 

 etables and fruit. Wherever prac- 

 ticable, suitable areas should be 

 given over wholly to the produc- 

 tion of special crops. There should 

 be Citrus areas, deciduous areas, 

 vine areas, distinct from, lucerne 

 areas, and m xed fodder crops. 

 This would modify to a lar^e ex- 

 tent, the danger of over-irrigation, 

 and imder seepage, so iniurious to 

 Citrus trees, caused bv the. laying 

 out of closier settlement blocks on 

 wrong lines. Utider intense cul- 

 ture. Citrus trees should be plant- 

 ed on the hi^-hest portion of the 

 land. The hi"-hest portioti is usu- 

 alb- the sandiest and best drained, 

 and along the highest points the 

 irrigation channels are brought to 

 command the block. 



Citrus trees reauire miore fre- 

 qu'ent irrigation than deciduous 

 fruit trees or and, economic- 



alb-, the planting of the highest 

 land with Citrus follows as a na- 

 tural deduction. " Lucerne requires 

 more water than fruit trees and if 

 planted on the hif^h rrround, and 

 the fruit trees planted adjacent 

 to and below the lucerne, under- 

 seepage is likely to occur with 

 r^reat damap-e to the orchard block. 

 The older irrigators of this State 

 will have recognised these condi- 

 tions long ago. 



To shelter the orchard from the 

 south and west it is advisable to 

 aid the situation by suitable wind 

 breaks. Sucrar Gums and Pepper 

 trees planted, alternately, at a dis- 

 tance of 2o feet apart will make a 

 suitable break wind as far as shel- 

 ter is concerned. The Suffar Gum 

 p-rows hitrh, and the Pepp^etr tree 

 has foliage right to tTie groimd. 

 These trees should never be plant- 

 ed nearer the orchard than so feet. 

 Tagasaste (Tree T/Ucerne) is most 

 suitable, and can be planted half 

 a chain away from the orchard. 

 It is a quick grower, long lived, 

 makes a den.se hedges, and can be 

 trimmed, nor is it a robber of the 

 soil. These trees .should be plant- 

 ed in the earb- spring (Augusfl at 

 a distance of 8 feet anart. Olives 

 can also be used as a break wind. 

 They do not grow rapidly, but 



form a valuable adjunct to the 

 orchard, and should be planted 30 

 feet apart, half a chain away from 

 the orchard. Varieties suitable- 

 Black Italian, Blanquet, Bouquet- 

 tier, Yerdale, Lucca, Manz.anillo, 

 Hardv's Seedling No. i. Cork Oaks 

 (Ouercus Suber) could also be 

 used, planted 30 feet apart, and 

 half a chain away from the or- 

 chard. They are evergreen, and 

 should eventually 1>e of commercial 

 value for the cork they produce. — 

 S. A. Cook, Orchard Supervisor, 

 Victorian Journal of Agriculture. 



TURNER, RORERTSON & CO., 



Electrical Engineers, 

 Contractors and Suppliers. 



126, GRENFELL STREET, ADELAIDE 



(Basement of Robert Harper's). 



Estimates Given Free for all 

 Electrical Work. 



NOTE.— SPECIAL QUOTATIONS for 

 BUILDERS and ARCHITECTS. 



Ring up Telephone No. 996 (ceiitral). 

 Mr. Turner, late Elevator and Motor 

 Foreman, Messrs. Unbehaun & John- 

 stone ; Chief Electrician Zino Corpor- 

 ation, Broken Hill. 



!26, GRENFELL ST., ADELAIDE 



G. A. PREVOST & CO., 



25-27 Steamship Buildings, 

 CURRIE STREET, ADELAIDE. 



COLONIAL PRODUCE EX- 

 PORTERS, 



on Commission Only. 



Special attention given to the 

 Export of Fruit to English, Ger- 

 man, and other Markets. 



Woodwool, Apple Wrapping Paper, 

 Apple Cases, Pear Trays — in the 

 regulation Export Sires. 



All Orchardists' requisites suppled 

 at Lowest Rates. 



Agent for — 



The Harvey Orchard Ploughs and 

 ■ Cultivators. 



BAVE-U Motor Power Spray Pumps. 

 On view at our North Terrace Store. 



