CONSERVATORY PLANTS— ORANGES. INSECTS. 223 



must be picked from the roots, have these lightly pruned, and the plants then re-potted 

 or re-planted, taking care not to give too much root room this time. In every case 

 afford ample drainage and make the soil moderately firm. Trees in tubs and narrow 

 borders may be kept in a flourishing state many years by top-dressing every spring. 

 Eemove the old soil carefully down to the roots, and top-dress with compost a little 

 richer than that recommended for potting. Never bury any portion of the stem. 



Newly-planted or potted trees must be very carefully watered to avoid souring the 

 fresh soil. When well established, they ought never to become dry, though they should 

 be kept a little on the dry side during the winter. Always supply sufficient water to 

 moisten the soil throughout, but on no account give water recklessly, or a wholesale loss 

 of leaves may result. Liquid manure, weak and clear, can be given to well-rooted plants 

 bearing fruit. During the warmer parts of the year syringe the trees daily, unless 

 they happen to be in flower, when syringing should cease for a time. 



Temperatures in conservatories cannot, as a rule, be specially regulated to suit 

 orange and other trees, but if they could be forced so as to bring them into flower in 

 January, February, or March, the chances are the fruit set would ripen towards the end 

 of the same year, whereas ordinary conservatory-grown fruits do not often ripen before the 

 second season. It is no uncommon occurrence for orange trees to be carrying ripe fruit, 

 green fruit, and flowers all at one time, but this is a great strain on them. Some 

 varieties are disposed to overcrop, but this ought to be prevented by timely thinning. 

 Not much pruning is necessary. Those very young ought to be headed down freely in 

 March, if bushes or conical trees are wanted, and farther topped the same season. If 

 the free-bearing varieties are grown, these young trees will fruit freely in 6-inch or 

 larger pots r and prove most ornamental. They could be prepared in a forcing house. 

 Larger trees must be pruned to form a head ; afterwards shortening irregular shoots in 

 March, and freely thinning dense heads of weakly growth will only be needed. 



Orange scale, white scale, and mealy bug are the principal enemies to orange trees. 

 The trees may be cleared of these by forcible syringing with a mixture of water heated 

 to 120°, soft soap, and petroleum. In every three gallons of hot water dissolve a 

 lump of soft soap about the size of a hen's egg, and then add 6 ozs. of pretroleum, 

 measured with the aid of a medicine bottle. Every second syringeful must be returned 

 to the can, and the mixture ought to be applied in dull weather. Sponging the leaves 

 is a tedious process, and, if done carelessly, results in the loss of many of them, thus 

 impairing the beauty and health of the plants. 



