154 QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. [1 Juny, 1901. 
The principal characters in favour of the worked tree is the earliness of its bearing 
also its reliability of its being true to name, and further it does not grow nearly tht 
amount of the troublesome thorns to which the seedling is naturally prevalent. 
The seedling has its good qualities also, the principal being the size it attaim 
and the consequent size of its crops, and again its wonderful longevity of life; Dut 
compared with the worked tree it has more serermmertiad qualities. The chief of these i 
that it can never be relied upon as favouring the parent tree; true, it may do so, but 
at the same time it may turn out a valueless mongrel. Again, the worked tree mi 
bear several years before the seedling; in addition, there is always the troublesome 
thorns above spoken of to contend with. 
Now, to consider anything detrimental to the ultimate value of the worked tree, 
First, it can never be expected to attain the size of a healthy matured seedling. Thuy 
the crops can never be as large; and, moreover, will it always remain true to its working 
or will it in course of years degenerate into its original stock ? 
We know the apple-tree will in time deteriorate, also the rose-tree, if not kept i 
constant cultivation. Is it not, therefore, possible as well as probable the orange-tret_ 
may do likewise? Of course I admit that the art of working the trees has got W 
a really wonderful stage; but, upto the present, they have not stood a test any 
length of time to show how jong they will remain true. 
To give anillustration: Suppose a young man in his twenties were to plant at 
orangery all of worked trees, and they answer satisfactorily until he was getting on M 
years. He naturally thinks he has made a good provision for his son; but, when thi 
son takes possession, in a few years all the trees commence to deteriorate, or, in othe 
words, go back. Well, it would, to say the least, be ‘‘rather hard lines on the son.’ 
I really think we should be prepared for such a catastrophe, and I would certainh 
advise intending planters to adopt an intermediate course—that of planting work 
trees and seedlings alternately : one row of worked, the next seedlings, and so forth. 
PLANTING YOUNG TREES—POSITION AND SOIL. , 
When planting young trees, a few of the following particulars may perhaps be 
found useful :— 
The orange-tree likes anice gradual slope with an easterly aspect, and if possibk 
sheltered from the strong westerly winds. 
They will grow in almost any soil, but that which suits them best is that of the 
nature of a red sandv loam with a good natural drainage. It is of the utmost 
importance that the soil should be well drained, for the trees will not thrive for any 
length of time in a soil of a stiff and retentive nature, although it is often noticed they 
will thrive exceedingly well in a soil of this Gemerineion for the first few years, Dut 
apparently when the tap root touches the clayey subsoil, they invariably commenct 
to turn yellow, and they gradually die out. 
The best time for planting young trees is from the middle of March to the middk 
of April. This will give them a fair chance to take a hold of the soil before the coll 
weather sets in, and will also give them ample time to get thoroughly established 
before the hot weather arrives. 
The ground should have been well prepared beforehand, and the holes dug a 
least three months previous to planting to allow the soil to get well seasoned. 
In good soil, seedlings will require to be planted on a square of 30 feet apart. 
Worked trees do not generally grow to nearly the size of the seedling, and cat 
thus be planted much closer, 25 feet by 25 being mostly found sufficient. 
In poor soil they can with safety in each instance be planted much closes 
Seedlings, it will be found, will always do much better in a district where the orange 
were grown and the seed raised than those which may be obtained from another part 
It is also much better to obtain plants from a good stock, as they are nots? 
susceptible to disease as any obtained from trees which might be infested. Por this 
reason it would pay any grower who may happen to have a good tree to work his stock 
from the same. 
Care should be taken when planting to place the young tree in the ground no 
deeper than it has been in the nursery bed, and it should be planted firmly with the 
roots well spread. 
The orange-tree is a surface feeder, and does not, therefore, require to be planted 
to any depth. 
NECESSARY CARE AND ATTENTION OF YOUNG TREES. 
Having accomplished the planting, we will now turn our attention to the young 
trees as they grow. ‘This is a matter of the greatest importance; for the first few 
years the trees require every care and attention. 
