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-with soil to a depth of about 1 inch. Some sow the seeds from one 

 half to 1 inch apart in rows about 1 foot apart. (1) 



After planting, the seed bed must be either mulched or covered with 

 ifl shelter of some kind to protect the young seedlings from the sun 

 when they first appear. The cover may be made of brush supported by 

 a suitable frame, or of some thin cloth, like cheese cloth or burlap, such 

 as is used in making fertiliser sacks. The practice of protecting the 

 bed with some such cover is more commonly followed than mulching, 

 and is apparently the preferable method. January is probably the best 

 month for planting [in Florida], although any time will do if care is 

 taken to keep the seeds moist. If planted late in the spring, the dry 

 seas-m [in Florida], of April and May comes before they are thoroughly 

 rooted and is liable to seriously injure them, so that watering may be 

 required. Seeds planted in boxes usually appear in from ten to twenty 

 days, but when planted in open beds they do not appear for about six 

 weeks, although less time may elapse if the beds are artificially watered. 

 The success of the seed beds depend very largely upon cultivation and 

 fertilisation. (2) 



Previous to planting, the soil should be fertilised with some non- 

 heating manure, such as well-rotted stable manure or some of the 

 commercial manures for vegetables. Heating manures, like blood and 

 bone or cotton-seed meal, should be avoided, as they are liable to injure 

 the young seedlings. The soil should be fertilised a second tinae w!ien 

 the plants are from 4 to 5 inches in height, and probably again a third 

 time before they are removed to the nursery. Cultivation should be 

 very thorough, aa in the case of vegetables, no weeds being allowed to 

 grow. 



The seedlings may be left ' in the seed bed for a year or more, until 

 they are about the size of a lead pencil at the collar and from 12 to 14 

 inches in height. Probably the best time to transplant to the nursery 



(1) The method found to be the best at Hope Gardens, Jamaica, after extensive 

 experiments, is as follows : — Thoroughly fork up a bed, in virgin soil if possible, 

 four feet wide and as long as necsssary, make the soil as fine as possible, spread 

 the seeds not closer than two inches apart on the surface of the bed, which should 

 be about two inches above the surrounding soil. Cover the seeds with fine soil 

 of the best quality to a depth of about an inch. The beds should always be kept 

 moist, but not wet, and free from weeds. As soon as the seedlings have matured 

 their first pair of leaves, transplant the seedlings into other beds similar to those 

 used for the seeds, cut off about a third of the tap root at the time of transplant- 

 ing so as to cause the plant to send out a large number of fibrous lateral roots. 

 By this treatment a plant two feet high, with a mass of fibrous roots can be grown 

 in about eight months. W.C. 



(2) The time of the year for sowing orange seeds must be regulated entirely by 

 the conditions of the local rainfall. The seeds must be sown im aediately after 

 the heavy rains, and the transplanting done before the succeeding rainy season. 

 If this is done, and the young plants have recommenced growth af cer transplant- 

 ing, there is no danger of their suffering from the heavy rains. But untrans- 

 planted seedlings are very liable to be damaged by the rains. No shade whatever 

 is given at Hope Gardens, the seed beds and plants are exposed to the full rays 

 of the sun ; great care being taken to keep the seed and nursery beds as far as 

 possible from trees. 



When the young plants are two feet high they are quite reauy to oe agaia 

 transplanted, in the case of sweet seedlings to the Grove, and sour seedlings to 

 where they are to be budded. At the second transplanting care should be taken 

 to shorten back all the large roots, especially those inclined to grow straight 

 down. W. C. 



