The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1878-06-12

teem, but st present there are few
bearing trees in Florida, and many
native born F'loridians have never
tasted nor ever seen it. Others have
tried hard to raise the trees, but with
discoursging lack of SUCCESS. The
reason probably is that they have not
planted in congenial soil. 1t appears
not to do we'll on our high and dry
sandy lands, such as are usually select
ed for orange growing, neither is it
reliable upon very low heavy ham
mocks. In some cases it utterly re.
fuses to grow at all in others, often
dourishes for time, it gradually be-
comes diseased, the leaves drop off,
branches wither, the bark cracks and
peels from the trunk and the tree
finally dies out. The fruit also, il it
bears any, is generally small, mis-
shaped and defective. But when
plsnted in moist heavy pine land, this
tree succeeds admirably, growing rap
idly and producing large and regular
crops of fine fruit. The experiment
is worthy oftrial whether suficiepcy
Of clay applied under and around
tree on dry sandy land would not
remedy its nstural defect. The
much abused low fiatwoods pine lands,
with dark compact subsoil hsrdpan
or stiff clay underneath seem perfect.
ly congenial. In "A favorable location
this tree is said to attain large size
and to live many years. The only
insect enemy that / have observed
are the leaf rollers, which must be
carefully picked from the young trees.
These are worms which feed Wpon and
roll themselves I'D in the leezse, apa
Ca. 0oo sl1S eSS ssiaiIiai DIGs ciIlss ae,1iIs.
ing the growth. They also eat into
the young fruit causing it to drop
The tree is able to withstand much
greater degree of cold than the orange
and on account of the beauty of its
foliage, and the fragrance and long
continuance of its bloom, Is often
planted for ornament far north of a
latitude mild enough to perfect the
fruit. While blooming it can endure
considerable frost without injury to
the incipient crop. bat after the fruit
is partly grown such an exposure is
hazardous. For this reasons in order
to be profitable, it needs a mild stu
alton where there is little risk of hard
frost in Tdid-winter or spring. For
the same reason the late blooming
sorts are the most certain, since be-
fore the fruit becomes large enough to
sustain damage, the danger is nearly
over. Fruit forming very early is also
liable to destruction by the worms,
that disappear as cold weather sets in.
/ have not as yet heard of any sys-
tematic attempts to improve the Japan
plunh by originating, naming and per.
petusting by budding, varieties of an
excellence above the average. Ger
tain it is, however, that the product
of sorae seedlings is far superior to
that Of others, and when horticultu-
rists turn their attention to its inn
provements as ardently rs they have
other fruits, we may expect surprising
results. / prefer the long stemmed
kinds, for although they may not
make such compact and showy clus-
ters, yet any unripe or imperfect ber-
ries are more readily clipped off with
out injuring the others. After attain
ing the height of foot or two, tree
becomes quite hardy, and with good
culture viii grow off very rapidly,
but while very young it is delicate,
careful nursing and protec-
tion from the scorching sun. The
soil about the roots should be kept
moist, lightly mulched and frequently