THE CULTURE OF THE ORANGE TREE. 
57 
\\'ho never, perhaps, grew the plants they pre- 
tend to write about, to get rid of such foolish 
instruction altogether ; and so, because some- 
body once wrote a foolish thing, we are con- 
stantly served up with it, generation after 
generation, without the exercise of common 
sense. The notion we speak of is that of 
having dai'k orangeries, as if the tree flourished 
better in an unnatural state. The orange tree 
requires as much light as any subject in culti- 
vation, yet we were told, up to a late period, 
that the north wall of an orange house may be 
opaque ; and practically, this tribe have been 
treated as if the light were an objection ; 
many of the old orangeries have not even a 
glass roof. All this is a mistake. An orange 
tree will flourit-h nowhere so well as in the 
conservatory, which is glass to the ground, 
and all over alike light ; the principal object 
during the winter months is to keep the 
temperature at, or above, forty degrees. 
February. — Before the plants begin their 
summer growth, do what pruning is required. 
Shorten any branches that have grown out of 
form, and remove altogether such shoots as are 
in each other's way ; then cut the heads, so 
that light and air and sun can find their way 
through the branches : nothing conduces more 
to the health and vigour of the tree than these 
judicious prunings. If any require shifting, 
now is the time to perform that operation, and 
in doing this, remove such fibres as are matted 
close together, or rotted, or dried up ; and if 
the same tub or pot is to be used, some of the 
earth must be shook out of the roots, and the 
roots themselves be trimmed : but in this case 
the head must be considerably reduced also, as 
the roots after pruning would not keep up the 
nourishment required by the head, if left the 
original size ; therefore shorten the principal 
branches, cut out any that can be spared, and 
so lessen the quantity as to compensate for the 
weakening of the root, which will soon grow 
again and re-establish the head. Where the 
ball is to be put into a larger tub, do not dis- 
turb it any more than you are obliged ; merely 
remove any dead fibres, and take care to poke 
the compost down between the ball and the 
side of the tub, box, or pot, without hurting the 
fibres that are next the side. This may be 
done towards the end of the month, as well as 
all the pruning ; but if the weather be very 
cold and unfavourable, the only thing that 
need be done is to take care of the temperature, 
make hot-beds, and sow seeds. 
March. — Operations the same as last month, 
except that, whereas they inay be performed 
in February, they 7?ms^ be performed in March ; 
or rather, must not be delayed beyond it. The 
cuttings from the trees that are pruned should 
be used either for striking or grafting. Use 
good stocks not less than two years old ; but 
the more advanced the stocks are, the more 
vigorously will the graft proceed. Any seed- 
lings that, from the peculiarity of their foliage 
or habit, indicate superiority or novelty, may 
be grafted on healthy stocks of three or four 
years old, because the object is to try and get 
bloom and fruit before they would come natu- 
rally on their own bottoms. Grafted stocks 
should be placed in gentle heat, and the 
orangery generally must not be allowed to 
recede below forty. The surface of the soil 
in all the pots and tubs should be stiri'ed as 
well as it can be without disturbing the fibres, 
and the loose soil may be removed and fresh 
compost put on. Seedlings that have come up 
may be potted off, one in a pot ; and after 
being watered, to settle the earth about their 
roots, be replaced in the hot-bed, which, if de- 
clined in temperature to any extent, must be 
lined with fresh stable dung after the removal 
of the present spent lining, and the heat be' 
kept up for some weeks. Put in cuttings to 
strike under a bell glass. Syringe all over the 
foliage every morning, but be careful to keep 
up the temperature. 
April. — The grafting by inarching may be 
performed this month. It is only v/hen you 
desire to make a forward plant that this is 
worth while. In this case, you select a 
vigorous branch of the plant from which you 
are going to propagate, and a healthy stock of 
proportionate strength, certainly not less than 
two years old ; bring the stock and the plant 
into such proximity that they can be easily 
tied together, and then shave off the bark and 
a little of the wood, so as to make a flat place 
in the stock and a corresponding flat place on 
the branch to be inarched. Let these be fitted 
exactly, tied securely, but not too tight, and 
let them grow. There need not be any tongue 
made, as is usual with many hard-wooded 
plants. The two flat surfaces will soon unite, 
after which the branch is cut from the plant 
it originally belonged to, and the top growth 
of the stock should be also cut off. You have 
then a strong plant that will grow rapidly, and 
soon make a good tree or bush, as the case 
may be. If anything was omitted last month 
as to pruning and grafting, the error must be 
repaired, as well as you can repair it, by doing 
it now. The seedlings must be looked to ; 
any in the seed pans or seed pots must be 
potted off, and those potted off and growing 
must be tended. If the pots are filled with 
roots, give them larger pots, for seedlings 
ought not to be checked. If the plants are 
getting too tall for the glass, sink the pots into 
the soil, or, as the heat has by this time declined, 
you may sink them down to the rim, if neces- 
sary, in the dung itself. When they grow 
still taller, the frame must be propped up all 
round with bricks, turves, or some other con- 
