298 



It is important that the g ound for oranges should be thoroughly 

 pulverised and carefully prepared ; time is lost rather than gained 

 by putting out plants in soil that has not been worked into condition 

 suitable for their growth, and, moreover, they are likely to become 

 diseased and stunted. The removal of stumps is not absolutely neces- 

 sary, but renders subsequent culture much easier. In a word, every- 

 thing is to be gained by careful cultivation at the start. 



Work was commenced in the latter part of October 1895, by en- 

 closing a portion of the land with a substantial wire fence. Since then 

 150 chains of wire fence have been erected. This fencing was neces- 

 sary, as the property is surrounded on the east, south-east, south and 

 west by small settlers, on the north and north-east by Coffee proper- 

 ties, and the Parochial roads passing through the property necessitated 

 a good deal of extra fencing. As the cultivation extends, further 

 fencing will be necessary. About 80 chains or 1 mile of roads have 

 been made; mules have been purchased for the carriage of manure 

 from Cinchona and other work ; a small office for the use of the Su- 

 perintendent, sheds for tools and for stock have been erected. The 

 ground was cleaned End prepared for planting, and nearly 1,000 plants 

 of all the best kinds of oranges, lemon, grape-fruit, shaddock, citron 

 and lime have been planted out in permanent positions. These plants 

 were obtained from England, Florida and California. 



Seed be Us on a very extensive scale huve been specially prepared, 

 and large quantities of Sweet orange, Sour orange, Lemon, Gra^ e- 

 fruit, Shaddock and Lime seeds sown. 



During last orange season quantities of the best fruit procurable were 

 purchased, and sufficient seeds sown to produce over 400,000 plants. 

 The exceedingly dry weather experienced from the end of December 

 1896, to the end of March 1897, has retarded the growth of the young 

 plants and although they were shaded and watered regularly they will 

 not be ready for pricking out for some time yet. This work has to be 

 very carefully done, and the plants have to be shaded and watered 

 during dry weather till they again take good hold of the soil, then the 

 beds must be weeded and kept clean. 



The Sour oranges and Lemons are to form stock plants for budding, 

 and this work is being carried on as quickly as the lemon and sour 

 orange plants arrive at a suitable size. Already a large number of plants 

 have been budded with the very best kinds of grape fruit, navel orange 

 and choice shaddock, and many of these have been planted out in per- 

 manent positions. At present we have to depend on the generosity of 

 owners of the best kinds of grape fruit and other trees for supplies of 

 buds, but in a few years our own plants imported from England, Florida 

 and California ought to be large enough to supply all the buds required ; 

 indeect this is what the plants were imported for. 



In addition to the plants of the Citrus family about 150 fruit trees 

 have been put out at Resource. These include Olives, Persian Grape 

 vines ; Figs, Peaches, Apples, Pears, Plums, Pomegranate, Mulberry, 

 Loquat, etc. As there is plpnty of land available, Resource should 

 become a valuable property for experimenting with, and propagating 

 fruit and other plants from sub-tropical and temperate climates, which 

 would be likely to succeed at elevations from 2,000 feet upwards. 



