11 



As soon as >ou have discovered that you haveforc-d an early spring- 

 in your trees, but still have doubts as to their likelihood of bearing- 

 fruit, you may girdle them. This may be done in three ways, n unely : 



(1) Cut the outer bark in a ring to mee: round the trunk and 

 large branches, avoiding the severance of the inner bark. 



(2) By tightening a piece of wire round the stem of the tree, with 



a twist in order to check the circulation. 



But what I think best in the tropics is this : — 



(3) Drive sevend old nails or pieces of iron into the tree round 



the stem about 3 feet irom the ground. 

 Every tree that has not blossomed by January should be girdled. 



Destruction of Blossom. 



To meet the destroying effects of the February and March droughts 

 and winds upon the blossom, treat the trees with lim^ in December. 

 This will cause the potash on the soil to become soluble and thus help 

 the trees to a large extent to resist adverse conditions. 



I estimate the cost of treating as 1 suggest, at 4Jd. per tree. 



Finally, it is necessary that all trees whic i shade your orange trees 

 in such a way that the morning and evening light cannot fully act 

 upon them should be removed ; otherwise those portions of your trees 

 which are exposed to light, only, will bear. 



Discuss tor, 



Mr. Upton asked if it was absolutely necessary to pick the fruit in 

 November to get early » ranges ? 



Mr Sharp explained that although early fruit could be obtained 

 otherwise, picking oh* the whole crop by the end of November would 

 give the tree time to store up food for an early crop next season. 



Mr. Upton asked how they could get a middle year crop ? 



Mr. Sharp said that they did not get a middle year crop as a rule. 

 In Manchester they would see a fe* oranges ripe at the middle of the 

 year and by studying the conditions under which those were produced 

 they would get a larger number. 



Mr. Levy disagreed with Mr. Sharp that Seville orange stocks were 

 the best for budding on. He found rough lemon better The trees 

 grown from rough lemon stocks threw out more fibrous roots and 

 altogether were more healthy. He disagreed with cutting back stocks 

 as it was best that the plant should have as much ^ap as possible to 

 support it. It was likely to die back if it was cut. In regard to early 

 fruit, he could only get fruit in April and May. 



Mr. Sharp was gratified to know that Mr Levy's experience showed 

 that the season of ripening was amenable to change. If Mr Levy cal- 

 culated the time oranges took to mature from flower to fruit he could 

 regulate them. Supposing that fruit took seven months and he wanted 

 oranges in A ugust, he would have to see that the trees flowered in Feb- 

 ruary. If they flowered earlier, knock off the flowers, and they would 

 be sure to flower again six or seven weeks later. 



Mr. Levy said he had tried them in several months, but the plan 

 had not worked. 



Mr, Cradwick asked if all the 200 or so trees that fruited early were 

 of one variety. 



