PROCEEDINGS OF THIRTY-SIXTH FRUIT-GROWERS ' CONVENTION. 75 



large product. Mr. Boalt of Palermo calls an orange tree a cow. Feed 

 her high and she will yield the butter fat, but she will not last long. 

 So, also, does high pressure speed wear out a machine. When $3,000 an 

 acre can be made by this high pressure principle, the temptation is so 

 great that it will be done if it kills the cow or bursts the boiler. An 

 orange tree, however, is not a cow or a machine. It is a self -perpetu- 

 ating, ever growing plant with self -regulation forces of plant organisms. 

 It renews, its fruit bearing organs every season and regulates its root 

 system to meet all demands of fruit and foliage, provided it has the 

 materials which it needs and its root system has the fullest freedom to 

 do its work. 



But the wiser method adopted by the majority of growers is to supply 

 the fertilizing materials according to the normal demands of the tree. 

 Stable manures and cover crops furnish the humus that every orange 

 grove must always have, if satisfactory returns are expected. Added to 

 these a liberal use of commercial fertilizer of any w r ell known brand, 

 the orange grove will keep in a good thriving condition for a whole 

 generation. 



Another important thing which must never be overlooked is the 

 matter of pruning. The orange tree is so self -regulating that it requires 

 little pruning. The most successful growers advise keeping the dead- 

 wood cut out, removing the suckers and pruning back excessive growth 

 which may to some extent destroy the symmetry of the tree and allowing 

 the branches to grow low. More fruit is gathered from the lower third 

 of the tree than from the upper two thirds, and is less subject to injury 

 by the moving branches. The cutting out of dead twigs gives oppor- 

 tunity for more fruit to grow inside the tree, and this fruit is the finest 

 of all. 



During the whole life of an orange tree, deep and thorough cultiva- 

 tion is the command of every successful grower. This must be done to 

 keep the lower soil loose and free from the so-called "hard pan," which 

 always prevents the root system from performing its functions unhin- 

 dered. Nearly ever} T so-called disease of the orange tree can be traced 

 to some soil condition which destroys the action of some portion of the 

 root system. 



The limits of this paper do not permit references to the methods of 

 successful growers which would give more force to general statements. 

 Each statement properly treated would be a topic for a separate paper, 

 but it can be eonfidenth' affirmed that citrus growing in the north is 

 destined to become a much more important branch of industry than it 

 is at present. Indeed, with all other branches of fruit growing which 

 have reached such a high degree of excellence, citrus culture of the 

 north must become the overshadowing industry of our great common- 

 wealth. A no more inviting field of usefulness can be offered to any one 

 who loves his own State than that of establishing a citrus nursery in 

 the north which shall have for its prime object to produce the typical 

 navel orange tree ; for this fruit can not be modified by changes of the 

 embryo, but by adaptation of the bud development only. 



The late lamented Lelong has said, "There is a subtle and delicate 

 citrus quality that must be associated in all the qualities of an orange. 

 It can only be described by saying that it appeals to the intellectual 

 perceptions as that natural goodness and excellence inherent in the 



