THE ACID LIME FRUIT IK HAWAII. 



7 



of sterilized soil and covered to a depth of about one-half inch, or 

 dropped about 2 inches apart in shallow drills laid off 6 inches apart. 

 The sand should then be well packed down. Eich soil should not be 

 used because it is likely to harbor fungus spores, which may attack 

 the seedlings and cause them to die. 



Propagating boxes should be kept in a somewhat sheltered place 

 where there is good light and a reasonable amount of moisture. The 

 seed germinates in a few weeks when it is kept at the right tempera- 

 ture and sufficiently moist. 



As soon as they are about 2 inches high the seedlings should be 

 separated and transplanted, each to a 3-inch pot of rich sandy loam. 

 An inexpensive pot can be made from quart cans having holes perfo- 

 rated in the bottom to allow for drainage. The holes should be 

 covered on the inside^ with pieces of pottery or Oe to prevent the 

 soil from washing out! As soon as the roots fill the soil the plantlets 

 should be transferred to larger containers. Pot-bound plants are 

 likely to make stunted growth. When they are 10 or 15 inches high, 

 which is usually 10 or 12 months after the seed is planted, the plants 

 should be set in their permanent place in the ground. From 30 to 

 50 per cent more seeds than are needed should be planted to make 

 allowance for loss or for weak and inferior seedlings. 



Root sprouts. — In many countries, particularly where the West 

 Indian or Mexican lime is grown, young trees are obtained by plant- 

 ing root sprouts that are taken from older trees. The Kusaie lime 

 occasionally produces such sprouts in Hawaii. The grower may 

 induce lime trees to send up root sprouts by digging out the surface 

 roots, severing them either wholly or in part from the parent, and 

 planting them with one end left protruding above ground. 



Cuttings. — Cuttings of sound, matured wood may be rooted in 

 regular cutting benches. The cuttings should be 6 or 8 inches long, 

 bear several matured buds, and be set firmly in the ground with about 

 2 inches of the upper ends protruding above ground. Rooted cut- 

 tings usually do not have very desirable root systems. 



Layering. — This method of propagation consists in removing a 

 ring of bark from a branch just below where it is desired to have the 

 roots start and covering the branch with soil until such time as it 

 has developed new roots. The branch is then removed to its perma- 

 nent location and established as a new tree. 



Grafting and budding. — Methods of grafting and budding have 

 given great satisfaction at the experiment station for rapidly propa- 

 gating good standard lime trees. (PL III, Fig. 2.) Ten and twelve- 

 month-old seedlings attaining a height of 3 to 4 feet and the diameter 

 of a small pencil were used as rooted stocks for grafting purposes. 

 They were repotted several times in the course of a year to promote 

 a steady, vigorous growth, and about two weeks before budding time 

 f were given an abundance of water in which a small quantity of 

 nitrate of soda had been placed to improve grafting conditions. 



The rooted stock should be vigorous and resistant to adverse condi- 

 tions if a new-budded tree having health, vigor, and quality is to be 

 established. The varieties of citrus that have given great satisfaction 

 at the experiment station for grafting are the rough lemon, sour 

 orange, pomelo, and shaddock. The station has bearing trees of these 

 varieties which furnish seeds for the production of seedlings for ex- 

 perimental purposes. 

 45087—23 2 



