308 THE TROPICAL AGEICULTURIST. [Nov. 1, 1901. 
HINTS ON PLANTING CITRUS TREES. 
Bv HcN. T. H, Shakp. 
The Holes— Dig holes 2 feet wide by 1 foot deep, 
'20 feet apart each way a week before planting 
if possible. The earth out of the holes sh' uld be 
iilaced in two heaps, on either side of the hole. 
See that the land is well drained. 
Planting. — Expose the roots of the plant as 
little as possible. Examine and cut away all in- 
-ed and broken roots. Dip the roots of the trees 
•"^a bucket of thick wood ashes and water and 
l*^ ve them th°re. Draw the surface earth surround- 
ing the hole mto it, leaving the two heaps intact. 
When the hole has been filled add a little from 
PBch he-ip so as to make a large mound— place 
thP nlant to stand on top of the n ound and lay 
all the roots out in their natural position, then 
nnpu the mound, place the tree in the earth, break- 
ina down one side of the mound so that your 
Viand can set under the tree— get hold of the end 
of the tap root and see that it is not bent— press 
the- earth firmly around it and ram with the band 
f settle it Then carefully raise the roots with the 
h ck of your hand, placing them in their natural 
nn^ition ramming in earth all the time under the 
nnts until you get to the base c.f the tree. Should 
Home of the roots be longer than the widt;h of the 
whole be careful not to bend them in, but break 
ThP land with a fork and lay the roots out at full 
1 neth covering them with fire surface earth about 
two inches deep. When you have finished plant- 
■ B the crown roots or part of the tree which 
nriein'i-llv joined the earth, should be four to six 
inches above the surrounding land, because the 
rnnnnd will gradually subside, and it is fatal for 
thP tree to sink below the level of the surrounding 
Pflrth so as to be in a hollow. Nine out of ten 
nitrus plants are planted too low in the first in- 
t nee Be sure to press the earth above the 
rnots and around the tree with the naked feet, for 
nnless the tree is firmly set in the earth, the 
wind will start it shaking, and as it begii.s to 
Rhake a little space will appear between the earth 
and the tree leading down to the roots, and the 
air will get in and kill the tree, Be sure to press 
fhe earth around the roots and around the tree 
nfter planting ; it is absolutely necessary. Be very 
parpful to see that fine earth is pressed against 
every part of every root, or small cavities will be 
Ipft aeainst the roots and the foul air will stare 
to rot that portion of the root and injure the tree. 
After planting put one basket of stable manure 
around the top of the mound, and water- Do not 
IpV the manure be within six inches of the stem 
of the tree. After watering throw some light trash 
over the mound, then examine the top of the tree, 
and cut back to within one inch of the first joints 
which show good buds. The stem should be with- 
■ in three or four feet above the level of the eround. 
Do not wrap paper or anything around the tree 
to shade it from the sun, because it will offer such 
rpsistance to the wind as will cause it to shake 
th« tree Be careful not to cut back your tree too 
mnrh • if YOU cut below the s&ft wood and succulent 
buds i'twill not live; better to leave too much 
than too little on the tree. 
After Pl.^nttng.- As soon as the tree starts to 
grow do not go fooling with it by cutting and 
Pruning and disturbing its system, remember that 
pverv le»f it puts out has its corresponding root, 
and what >ou want is to create growth with 
vieour Placing manure or anything but fresh, 
fine sweet earth in the hole before planting is a 
rnistake • the tree cannot feed oa coarse manure at 
its start, and it congests around the new roots, 
and very often starts acidity at the base of the 
trPP It no rain falls, water every third day after 
nlanting until the tree starts to spring. The citrus 
fomilv are not great water drinkers, and after 
Bt^tiDg them ^hey do not require very much more 
than the rain they get. When practicable plant 
two Castor Oil seeds about four feet from each 
hole; they will grow and form a good shade for 
the trees and keep off insects. Two weeks after 
planting throw on the balance of the two heaps of 
earth to cover cracks. — Journal of the Jamaica Agri- 
cultural Sociey- 
Eltham I'ark, Jamica. 
RAISING TURKEYS. 
1. Never let the young turkeys get wet. The 
slightest dampness is fatal. 
2. Feed nothing the first twenty-four hours afler 
they are hatched. 
3. Before putting them in the coop, see that it 
is perfectly clean and free from lice, and dust them 
three times a week with insect powder. 
4. Be sure the hen is free from lice. Dust her, too. 
5. Look out for mites and the large lice on the 
heads, necks, and vents. Grease heads, necka, and 
vents with lard, but avoid kerosene. 
6. Nine-tenths of the young turkeys die from 
lice. Remember that. 
7. Filth will soon make short work of them. 
Feed on clean surfaces. Give water in a manner so 
that they can only wet their beeka, 
8. The first week feed a mixture of one egg i beaten) 
and sifted ground nnts, mixed with lalt, to taste 
and cooked as bread ; then crumble for them, with 
milk or curds, so that they can drink all they want. 
Feed every two hours early and late. 
9. Give a little raw meat every day ; also, finely 
chopped onions or other tender green food. 
10. After the first week, keep wheat and ground 
bone in boxes' before them all the j, time, but feed 
three times a day, on a mixture of cornmeal, wheat 
middlings, ground oats, all cooked, and to which 
chopped green food is added. 
H. Mashed potatoes, cooked turnipe. cold rice 
and such, will always be in order. 
12. Too many hard boiled eggs will cause bowel 
disease. 
13. Kemove coop to fresh ground often in order 
10 avoid filth. 
14. Ground bone, fine gravel, ground shells, and 
a dust bath must be provided. 
15. Finely-cut fresh bones, from the butcher's, 
with the adhering meat, is excellent. 
16. They must be carefully attended to until well 
feathered. 
17. Give them liberty on dry, warm days. 
18. A high roost, in an open shed, which faces 
the south (north here), is better than a closed house 
for grown turkeys. 
19. A single union of a male and female fertilizes 
all the eggs th» hen will lay for the season ; hence, 
one gobbler will suffice for twenty or more hens. 
20. Two-year-old gobblers with pullet*, or a year- 
ling gobbler with two-year-old hens is good mating. 
Gobblers and hens of the same age may be mated, 
but it is better to have a difference in the age. 
21. Turkeys can be hatched in an incubator 
and raised to the age of three months in a brooder, 
but only in lots of twenty-five, as they require 
constant care. 
22. Capons make excellent nurses for turkeys 
and chicks. 
23. It is not advisable to mate a 40-pound gob- 
bler with common hens, as the result will be in- 
jury. A medium, sized gobbler is better. 
24. Young gobblers may be distinguished from the 
females by being heavier, more masculine in ap- 
pearance, more carunculated on the head, and by 
a development of the "tassels" on the breast. A 
little experience may be required at first. 
2.5. Adult turkeys cannot be kept in cnfinement, 
as they will pine away. By feeding them in the 
baruyard a little, night and morning, they will not 
'tray cff very far, but they cannot be entirely pre- 
vented from roaming, and the hen prefers to make 
her ov?n ne^ii,'— Poultry Keeper, 
