74 PROCEEDINGS OF THIRTY-SIXTH FRUIT-GROWERS ' CONVENTION. 



Much of the land is hilly and ravines and "draws" are formed 

 between the hills. These ravines and "draws" have been made by 

 erosion. In most cases the land is composed of strata of different 

 degrees of hardness. The deep soil is generally on the higher places. 

 In cutting out the ravines or "draws" by erosion, several of these strata 

 are cut through and on the sides of these slopes one or more of the ends 

 of a hard stratum is very near the surface, so the trees planted on the 

 brow of the hills sometimes do not thrive as do those lower down or on 

 the top. The result is, if no heed is paid to these conditions, many trees 

 will not reach the productive age except in a feeble and sickly condition. 

 By blasting and excavating, and giving good drainage, such places will 

 give good results. Successful growers after preparing such places, fill 

 the hole with water, and if it drains readily plant the tree. If not. then 

 another trial is made. The saying that "an orange tree must not have 

 wet feet," is a maxim in citrus growing and must be heeded, always. 

 It may be said that every step taken in planting, budding, and caring 

 for an orchard of citrus fruit must be performed by labor skilled in 

 this line of work, and nowhere is it of greater importance than in pre- 

 paring and planting an orchard. The most important thing after plant- 

 ing is the caring for the tree. Nature has been generous in this par- 

 ticular in this State. She has put into the ground a sufficient capital 

 for a good working basis ; but this capital must not be all withdrawn 

 before deposits are made. As the tree draws on this capital, the soil 

 must be supplied with new deposits. Here it requires the greatest 

 knowledge to do this and keep the trees working at their best. Many 

 an orchard of fine promise has been ruined by irregular cultivation or 

 "hit or miss" fertilization. 



Irrigation is a matter of supreme importance. It must be governed 

 largely by the character of the soil and the mode of application. The 

 main idea is to give the soil a sufficient amount of moisture to supply 

 the root system with all its needs before the next irrigation. This 

 implies that the irrigation must be abundant, but not too frequent, and 

 the water must reach to the depth of the lowest roots while the surface 

 soil must be kept dry and sufficiently stirred. 



Another matter which has much to do in reducing the yield in many 

 orchards is the fact that so many trees are not the type of the true navel. 

 It will be difficult to find an orange grove in the whole orange belt of 

 the north which has not suffered to a greater or less degree because of 

 the presence of such trees as the Australian navel and similar types. 

 These in our most productive orchards are all budded over as soon as 

 discovered. In three years from budding these trees will begin to pro- 

 duce fruit, and in five years the fruit will not only have paid for all 

 cost, but will begin to bring in an income. In ten years such an orchard 

 becomes the type of those which bring in the large incomes of which 

 we read. 



When our orchards shall have reached the age of ten years under the 

 conditions which have been hinted at above, then the grower may exploit 

 his trees according to his pleasure. If he wishes fabulous returns, he 

 may spend a hundred dollars an acre for fertilizer, and he will not be 

 disappointed. If he desires a more moderate and perpetual income, he 

 may spend ten dollars an acre and receive from his grove a very satis- 

 factory return. Mr. Mills of Riverside calls an orange tree a machine. 

 Supply it with material and run it at high speed and it will turn out a 



