The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1879-11-19

is, evidently, the best and safest OF
all, but cannot always be put IN
practice, 1t is quite job to cover
oOO orange trees every year, espec-
tally if they have reached any size,
not, however, being large enough to
withstand 'the:: frost altogether.
Another safe way is to smoke the
orchard constantly during frosty
nights, but such plan is both ex'
pensive and laborious. We, in FIRES
no, have sometimes frosts, AMI heavy
ones too, for three or four weeks In
succession, and, of course, smoking
is out of the question entirely. 10
smoke vineyard or orchard in the
spring, during occasional frosty
nights, is very effective, and is re-
sorted to on many places, especially
in France, but to keep smoking dur
ing several weeks is not practicable.
A very general practice in France
and Spain is to make long, heavy
ropes of straw, wet the same and
carry them over the trees, tying
them here and there to the branches,
and at last insert the ends OF the
rope in large tub of water. The
rope will keep constantly wet and
attract the frost.
Now we have always been taught
that irrigation of the trees in fall
and winter is very injurious, and
should never be resorted to. Alas
for the theorists those Of my neigh
bors who followed their advice last
winter lost heaviest. Myself and a
friend of mine, Mr.. McNiel, had bet.
ter luck, and will now shortly tell
you how it was. Last summer had
planted large circle in front OF the
wine cellar with rather tender trees,
such as Araucarias, ETC., which gen.
orally are supposed to be unable to
withstand our winter climate. Not
knowing any better, Of course, l
kept the water away from the trees
from the LIST of October, and the
ground got well dried up. AS you
know, we had very severe frosts
about Christmas time, and the trees
had been left uncovered. The day
before the heavy frost there was a
large break in our irrigation ditch
near by. The water flowed down,
and, to my great dismay, covered
part OF the circle where had my
tender trees. OF course | thought
thew were all gone. The water,
standing around the trees, troze solid,
and lust as far as the water had Oeen
the trees were saved The irrigated
ground kept moist the whole winter,
and after every frost presented the
appearance of heavily frozen sur
face.
One day in the early spring Wis
tied MIR. McNiel and incidentally
told him OF my experience. "Why,"
said he, 6. that is just mine too, come
along and you will judge tor your
self" And 50 we went out through
the peach and almond orchard, one
half a mile OF so down to the orange
trees. Last tall Mr.. McNiel had SOO
orange and lime trees alive, all bud
ded, and about five years old. Now
there were only $50 lett alive.
"Well," said my friend, ga day or So
before the heavy frost, the boys on
Chapman's 40 acres took a notion to
irrigate their sheep pasture, and did
not care a bit for the big break IN
their ditch. Accordingly l found, to
my great vexation, half OF my orange
trees flooded next morning. The
water had run here and there in the
lowest places, OF course, and, look
here, you may see it plainly, wherev-
er the water did go there the trees are
alive. The dry places were occu-
pied by trees which you now see
dead to the roots" And indeed my
friend was right, the water had
saved our trees, no mistake about
that. And now, why cannot every
body, with facilities tor irrigation, do
the same? My advice is keep your
trees dry in early autumn, so green
wood can get ripe, but give plenty
of water before the frost comes, and
you will save your trees as we did.
How IN MSnaOA C,rftinUS