100 
FLORIDA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY 
As most of the Florida soil is light and 
sandy the addition of vegetable matter 
should be given first consideration. 
In many cases it will be advisable 
to grow a leguminous cover crop 
such as velvet beans or beggar 
weed, and turn it under before the 
trees are planted. Cowpeas should not be 
used because of their susceptibility to 
root-knot which may be spread through¬ 
out the soil to attack the trees when 
planted. In some cases more than one 
such crop is desirable; as where there is 
but little humus in the soil and it is quite 
porous and lacking in plant food. Care¬ 
ful attention should be given to drainage 
and proper preparation of soil before 
planting. 
PLANTING 
Most of the trees will probably be 
purchased from a nursery. Florida nurs¬ 
erymen should be given preference as they 
are more familiar with the plants suited 
to Florida conditions. We have a num¬ 
ber of reliable ones which can assist much 
in the selection of proper varieties adapt¬ 
ed to a given locality. December and 
January are the preferable months for 
making the plantings. All broken and 
decayed roots should be cut away, leaving 
only clean cut surfaces, and as the roots 
must be very much reduced in transplant¬ 
ing, the tops should be cut back in pro¬ 
portion to the roots remaining. For 
most fruit trees they should be cut back 
from 18 inches to 24 inches, so when 
growth begins, a low headed tree will de¬ 
velop. In digging the holes for the 
plants they should be made large enough 
to receive the roots without bending or 
crowding together. The top soil should 
be placed to one side in digging, and after 
the tree has been put in place this top 
soil should be put in first about the roots. 
It should be packed closely and if moist 
no water is necessary, but the sub-soil 
should be rounded up to a height of 6 
inches to 8 inches about the stem of the 
plant. Careful cultivation should be 
given throughout the season up to about 
July 1st. After growth starts it is well 
to put one or two pounds of a good com¬ 
mercial fertilizer about each tree and 
work it in lightly. A cover crop should 
be grown after cultivation ceases. This 
latter should be worked into the soil in 
October or November to increase its hu¬ 
mus content. 
This home fruit garden is a good place 
to grow a few rare plants, as one often 
likes to grow things not ordinarily grown 
in the vicinity. New introductions may be 
tried out, thus securing valuable infor¬ 
mation regarding adaptability. Every 
fruit grower should feel a pride in in¬ 
troducing and growing successfully 
something that may prove of value and 
thereby adding to the list of those adapted 
to Florida conditions. 
Many, too, are likely to become inter¬ 
ested in propagating their own plants. 
The trying out of buds and scions and ex¬ 
perimenting in methods of propagation 
will add much to the interest in this home 
planting. 
PRUNING 
Since no two plants are alike, each 
plant presents a special problem to the 
pruner; as different kinds of plants bear 
their fruit differently he observes these 
