84 BULLETIX 813, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
For two or three rears after top-working, great care must be 
used in order to remove all growth other than that from the buds 
inserted in the limbs, otherwise the new top is likely to be made up 
partly of sprouts from the trunk and limbs instead of wholly from 
the selected buds, and the object of top-working be thereby defeated. 
Under normal conditions the growth from the selected buds in the 
top-worked trees will begin bearing lemons in the second year 
and during the third and fourth rears will produce profitable crops 
&g. 21). 
REPLACING UNDESIRABLE TREES IN BEARING ORCHARDS. 
In some instances it is desirable to remove the unproductive, 
unhealthy, or otherwise undesirable trees in full-bearing orchards 
and replant with reliable trees grown from selected buds rather than 
to top-work them. Until recently such replanting has frequently 
been unsuccessful. Experience has shown, however, that such 
undesirable trees can be removed and reliable trees substituted for 
them, when careful attention is given to a few fundamental require- 
ments in providing the proper conditions for the young trees. 
The trees selected to be taken out should be removed during the 
late summer or early fall. Excavations should be made for the new 
trees immediately after the older trees have been taken out. In this 
work holes should be dug about 5 feet in diameter and from 2 to 3 
feet in depth. The holes should be filled with good topsoil, mixed, 
if possible, with well-rotted manure. They should be left in this 
condition during the winter and early spring so that the loose soil 
and manure in the holes will settle into position. The holes should 
be filled so that after settling the filling will stand at least 6 or S 
inches above the level of the land in the orchard. In this way any 
future settling will be provided for, and the new trees will eventually 
stand hi the same position with reference to the surface of the land 
as the remainder of the trees in the orchard. 
In the spring when the young trees are planted hi the places pro- 
vided for them, care must be taken to see that they are given sufficient 
water during each irrigation. This is usually best done by making 
a special irrigation furrow alongside or around each tree. It is also 
advisable to give the replanted trees small applications of some 
quickly available nitrogenous fertilizer, in order to stimulate early 
growth. 
With large, well-prepared planting holes, adequate irrigation, and 
additional fertilization, the replanted trees will grow in bearing or- 
chards about as well as though planted alone. Sometimes it is advis- 
able, particularly in the case of close plantings, to dig trenches midway 
between the bearing trees and the replanted ones and fill them with 
manure. This precaution will enable the young trees to establish 
themselves without competition with the roots from the older trees. 
