252 



THE ORAXGERY. 



GENERAL TREATMENT WHEN IN THE HOUSE. 



Oranges have been ver\^ successfully cultivated by being planted out in 

 prepared borders, either as standards, trained as espaUers, or against a 

 wall. We, however, thinking that none of this family will ever be considered 

 as worth cultivating in this country for the fruit they may produce, would 

 prefer to grow them in pots or boxes, so that they would be portable, and 

 capable of being used as objects of decoration, either in the house or 

 during summer, when placed upon the lawn, SiC. 



The orange is not sufficiently hardy to stand in the open air of this 

 countr}% generally, although there are instances of their existing in that 

 state in the warmer parts of Devonshire, but they do not require artificial 

 heat beyond what is merely sufficient to keep the temperature about a 

 degree or two above the freezing point ; indeed, when subjected to a few 

 degrees of frost they do not appear to sustain any particular injury. 

 During T\inter, therefore, if they be kept cool, supplied with abundance 

 of air, and a limited supply of water, they will do very weU. Henderson, 

 whom we have already quoted, says, " The general management of orange 

 trees, from the middle of March till the 1st of October, may be discussed 

 in a few words. I give the trees a good watering all over the leaves 

 once a-week, with the engine, excepting when they are in flower. Till 

 the end of May, this watering is given about eleven o'clock in the fore- 

 noon ; after the end of ^lay, I give them a good dashing over the leaves 

 twice a-week vrith the engine, and now, I do it in the evening. In very hot 

 weather, I repeat the engine watering thrice a-week. I never set the orange 

 trees out of doors in summer ; for, from thuty-eight years' experience I 

 find it is much against them. In the chmate of Scotland, in hot weather, 

 I keep them in the back of the \inery, under the shade of the vines, or 

 behind the stage of the greenhouse. Orange trees delight to be in the 

 shade in sunny weather ; they here grow freely, and keep a fine dark- 

 green colour. From October till ^larch, I give them a gentle sprinkling 

 over the leaves once in two or three weeks, but only in fresh [jnild] 

 weather, taking the opportunity of a mild day, when there is httle sun, 

 and always in the forenoon." Such is the practice laid down by this in- 

 telligent cultivator in the Memoirs of the Caledonian Horticultural 

 Society, Vol. III. p. 303. This rule is apphcable to the chmate of 

 Scotland, and differs from that practised by some excellent cultivators in 

 England, and by all continental gardeners whatever, who make the 

 placing of these trees, not only in the open air during a portion of sum- 

 mer, but placing them in the most exposed situation possible, where they 



