Cultivating and Fertilizing Citrus Trees. 
J. D. Bell. 
Mr. President f Ladies and Gentlemen: 
It is not to be expected, since horticul¬ 
tural science has become a lifetime study 
in what may be called) the producers col¬ 
leges, established by our government all 
over our country, that much that is new 
can be brought you by a lay member 
of our brotherhood. I shall endeavor 
to remind you anew of well known facts, 
upon the principle that line upon line 
and' precept uppn precept is needed in our 
business as in all others. Cultivation is a 
word having a vast range, applying not 
only to the every day business of the hor¬ 
ticulturist but to every department of 
human activity. In the limited sense in 
which we are to consider it today let us 
call to mind why we cultivate. First, to 
conserve moisture; second, to put the soil 
in good tilth; third, to kill grass and 
weeds which are taking tree food from 
the soil; fourth to decrease evaporation. 
During the months of 'March, April 
and May in Florida the orange grove 
should be cultivated 1 every ten days. In 
the fall the grove should be plowed shal¬ 
low, this being the best method of put¬ 
ting it in a clean condition for winter 
and thus reducing danger from cold. As 
to the tools and minor particulars of cul¬ 
tivation every grower should judge by 
his own experience what is best for him¬ 
self or follow the example of his most 
successful neighbor. In the dry weather 
of spring and early summer cultivate 
shallow, cultivate often. During the 
rainy season cease cultivation. 
Prof. Hume says “the horse and cul¬ 
tivator are often a most excellent sub¬ 
stitute for an irrigation plant.” Some 
one has said “cultivation is fertilization.” 
Theory and practice strongly enforce the 
necessity of frequent and thorough cul¬ 
tivation during our dry season. An 
equally important duty of the orange 
grower is a liberal use of fertilizers. 
Citrus trees amply repay good care and 
attention. Not less than one ton of the 
best quality of fertilizer should be ap¬ 
plied to each acre of bearing grove. A 
good way of guaging the quantity of fer¬ 
tilizer for a bearing tree is to increase 
your applications until your tree has a 
good crop of oranges and is at the same 
time making a good growth. Look over 
your grove and endeavor to make every 
tree in it as good as the best one. Scat¬ 
ter fertilizer broadcast through the grove, 
except for young trees, then scatter upon 
the feeding roots. Some successful grow¬ 
ers fertilize in January, May and Octo¬ 
ber. Others in February, June and No¬ 
vember. Three applications are better 
than a less number, having the same 
amount of fertilizer. Work in fertilizer 
soon after it is applied. Always be lib¬ 
eral with your trees, a stingy man can¬ 
not make a great success in orange 
growing. 
Join the Horticultural Society and 
