194 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULI  URE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER, 
August  29,  1896. 
marriage  as  an  institution  seems  to  serve  as  a  rock  on  which  the 
stability  and  prosperity  of  a  nation  largely  depends. 
Thus  far  I  have  endeavoured  to  show  that  there  is  a  steady 
demand  for  a  certain  flower,  and  not  a  proportionately  steady 
supply.  I  have  also  advanced  points  which  go  to  show  that  this 
demand  is  likely  to  continue  so  long  as  humanity  shall  last.  Let 
me  now  proceed  to  give  a  few  practical  ideas  as  to  how  the  demand 
shall  be  supplied.  I  am  aware  that  to  a  great  extent  French 
Orange  blossom  is  used,  but  I  am  continually  informed  by  those 
who  are  in  a  position  to  know  that  the  British-grown  article  is 
always  preferred,  and  if  possible  obtained.  Everything  therefore 
seems  to  look  promising  for  the  establishment  of  a  going  concern 
to  supply  the  future  brides  of  Britain  with  British-grown  “  Orange 
flowers.” 
Hitherto  the  culture  of  Orange  trees  in  Britain  has  not,  except 
in  a  few  instances,  been  conducted  on  systematic  lines.  In  many 
places  a  few  old  plants  may  be  met  with  among  mixed  collections 
of  greenhouse  plants  or  in  vineries.  In  neither  case  has  any  special 
attention  been  given  them,  nor  are  they  regarded  as  being  of  much 
value.  In  some  old  gardens  the  primitive  type  of  orangery,  con¬ 
structed  with  a  ceiling,  roof,  and  high  front  lights,  or  to  speak 
more  correctly  windows,  may  still  be  met  with,  and  can  only 
be  considered  interesting  as  relics  of  the  past,  for  it  is  seldom 
that  healthy  Orange  trees  can  be  found  in  them,  insufficient  light 
and  a  low  damp  atmosphere  during  the  winter  months  being 
antagonistic  to  the  attempts  to  preserve  such  trees  in  health  and 
vigour. 
In  a  few  places,  however,  well  appointed  orangeries  may  now 
be  seen,  where  plenty  of  light  and  heat  are  at  command,  and  where 
the  trees  are  principally  grown  for  supplying  freshly  cut  and 
luscious  Oranges  for  dessert.  Similar  types  of  houses  would  do 
perfectly  well  for  the  cultivation  of  Orange  blossoms  on  an  extensive 
scale  ;  indeed,  there  are  many  old  glass  structures  which  are  too 
lofty  for  the  successful  growth  of  sof twooded  plants  which  might 
be  turned  to  excellent  account  for  the  purpose  above  indicated. 
This  is  a  point  which  is  well  worth  the  attention  of  men  who 
have  rented  private  gardens  for  market  purposes.  Such  cultivators 
often  find  to  their  cost  how  utterly  unsuitable  the  structures  they 
have  to  deal  with  are  for  the  growth  of  plants  and  flowers  of  the 
superior  character  necessary  to  insure  a  ready  and  remunerative 
sale  in  the  open  markets,  and  I  am  strongly  of  opinion  that  they 
would  be  taking  a  wise  step  were  they  to  convert  at  least  one 
house  into  an  orangery.  No  difficulty  would,  I  think,  be  found  in 
procuring  a  sufficient  stock  of  trees  for  a  start,  as  there  are  plenty 
of  private  places  where  old  trees  might  be  bought  at  a  trifling  cost, 
as  they  are  not  considered  sufficiently  ornamental  to  compensate 
for  the  room  they  require,  employers,  and  therefore  gardeners  now¬ 
adays  requiring  something  that  will  “  make  a  show.”  When  trees 
of  this  description  are  obtained  many  of  them  would  doubtless  be 
in  a  somewhat  stunted  condition,  but  if  the  proper  treatment  can 
be  given  it  is  not  difficult  to  bring  them  into  a  healthy  state 
again.  It  is  only  where  stunted  Orange  trees  have  perforce  to  be 
kept  in  cold  dark  houses  that  the  difficulty  of  improving  them 
comes  in.  In  a  house  devoted  entirely  to  their  culture,  a  hotbed 
of  manure  and  leaves,  or  tan,  and  a  few  hot-water  pipes  beneath, 
might  be  arranged  in  the  centre  of  the  house.  The  pots  or 
tubs  containing  the  trees  could  then  be  plunged  in  the  bed, 
and  by  maintaining  a  warm  moist  atmosphere  and  giving  a  little 
shade  a  vastly  improved  state  of  affairs  could  soon  be  brought 
about. 
Should  a  large  span-roofed  house  be  at  command  a  row  of  trees 
might  be  planted  out  along  the  centre  in  a  properly  prepared  bed 
and  the  sides  occupied  by  plants  in  pots  and  tubs.  In  preparing 
the  central  bed  the  soil  should  be  excavated  to  a  depth  of  2  feet  or 
more,  according  to  the  width  of  the  border.  One  foot  of  rubble 
placed  in  the  bottom  would  form  ample  drainage,  the  remaining 
space  being  filled  up  with  a  compost  formed  of  the  following 
ngredients  : — The  bulk  should  consist  of  good  fibrous  loam,  in¬ 
clined  to  be  heavy  rather  than  light  ;  if  this  is  red  in  colour  so 
much  the  better.  When  chopped  up  roughly  to  every  3  bushels 
add  half  a  gallon  of  crushed  bones,  the  same  quantity  of  bonemeal, 
1  gallon  of  charcoal  broken  into  lumps  about  the  size  of  marbles, 
and  a  6-inch  potful  of  soot.  Mix  thoroughly,  and  if  necessary 
turn  several  times  so  as  to  have  it  rather  dry  before  being  placed  in 
the  bed.  When  this  is  done  some  of  the  fibrous  portions  should  of 
course  be  placed  over  the  rubble  to  keep  the  soil  from  clogging  the 
drainage.  Before  turning  the  trees  out  of  the  pots  or  tubs  a  layer 
of  soil  of  the  required  thickness  ought  to  be  spread  evenly  over 
the  bed  and  made  moderately  firm.  None  but  healthy  and  well 
rooted  trees  should  be  planted  out.  The  crocks  should  be  removed 
from  the  base,  and  if  possible  a  few  roots  disentangled  and  care¬ 
fully  layered  in  the  soil,  as  undisturbed  balls  are  often  the  cause  of 
unsatisfactory  progress.  On  the  other  hand,  old  Orange  trees  are 
rather  impatient  of  having  their  roots  greatly  disturbed ;  the 
matter,  therefore,  requires  to  be  conducted  with  judgment  and 
caution.  When  filling  in  the  bed  the  soil  should  be  placed  in  layers 
and  rammed  firmly,  especially  around  the  balls  of  the  trees. 
If  the  trees  are  thoroughly  moist  before  being  turned  out  of  the 
pots  it  is  better  not  to  water  the  bed  for  a  few  days,  but  to  rely  on 
frequent  syringing  and  heavy  shade  to  keep  the  foliage  from 
showing  signs  of  distress. 
When  the  trees  become  well  established  the  general  manage¬ 
ment  would  be  simple  enough,  and  would  consist  of  keeping  up  a 
slightly  higher  temperature  than  is  as  a  rule  given  to  Orange  trees. 
During  the  growing  season  a  night  temperature  of  from  65°  to  60° 
should  be  aimed  at,  with  a  considerable  rise  during  the  day  from 
sun  heat,  with  a  little  air  constantly.  Daily  syringings  should  also 
be  given,  and  the  application  of  liquid  and  artificial  fertilisers  have 
proper  attention.  During  the  autumn  and  winter  months  a  rather 
drier  atmosphere  ought,  of  course,  to  be  maintained,  and  a  night 
temperature  of  50°  or  55°  be  kept  up.  If  a  large  house  was  divided 
into  two  compartments  a  supply  of  flowers  might  be  maintained  at 
almost  any  season  of  the  year  by  keeping  one  compartment  at  a 
lower  temperature  during  the  winter,  and  thus  starting  the  trees 
into  growth  later  in  the  spring. 
In  addition  to  the  income  derived  from  the  sale  of  the  flowers, 
I  am  of  opinion  that  a  considerable  amount  might  be  obtained  by 
the  sale  of  fruits  if  they  were  grown  to  a  superior  point  of 
excellence.  Large  English-grown  Oranges  with  a  few  healthy 
leaves  attached  should  become  a  special  feature  for  dessert  in  the 
samfe  way  that  the  gigantic  Pears  grown  in  Jersey  are,  and  I  am 
informed  by  a  grower  of  these  that  none  of  his  produce  ever  finds 
its  way  into  a  public  market,  as  orders  come  in  faster  than  they 
can  be  executed.  But  to  return  to  the  Oranges.  Let  us  assume 
that  the  bulk  of  the  flowers  would  be  picked  as  soon  as  opened 
and  disposed  of  in  various  ways,  leaving  a  very  thin  crop  to  set 
and  develop  into  fine  fruits.  In  this  way  specimens  of  great  size 
could  be  obtained,  and  few  fruits  can  approach  in  point  of 
showiness  a  thoroughly  well  grown  British  Orange.  In  flavour  and 
lusciousness,  too,  the  imported  article,  which  is  usually  gathered 
green,  is  many  points  behind.  Let  it,  however,  be  clearly  under¬ 
stood  that  I  do  not  contend  that  Oranges  can  be  grown  in  this 
country  in  sufficient  quantities  to  compete  with  the  enormous 
numbers  sent  from  sunny  lands.  I  have  rather  attempted  to  show 
that  we  can  supply  a  superior  article,  place  it  upon  the  dessert 
table  in  fresh  and  perfect  condition,  and  thus  command  the 
patronage  of  the  wealthy  ;  for  it  is  an  axiom  in  all  commercial 
speculations  that  anything  superior  and  uncommon  will  always 
command  a  ready  sale. 
Another  department  in  this  Orange  industry  might  be  created 
by  devoting  low  houses  or  pits  to  the  business  of  raising  and 
growing  young  plants  for  sale.  If  seeds  were  sown  each  year 
young  plants  might  be  raised  in  quantity  to  supply  stocks  for 
grafting  or  budding.  The  seedlings  would  be  large  enough  for  the 
latter  operation  in  the  second  year  of  their  growth.  A  large  per¬ 
centage  of  the  stocks  should  be  budded  with  the  small  Tangierine 
