The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1879-08-06
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orange rowing in this State is no
myth but a decided reality. l be-
lieve it has become we'll settled fact
that the oranges grown in this State
are superior in quality to any pro.
duced elsewhere. What is known
as the orange belt is as we'll defined
as the cotton belt; it extends from
280 to 290 30f of latitude. The Or
ange tree will grow both north and
south OF this belt, but not with the
same result.
There seems to be something Pc
culiar., about the soil and climate of
this favored district which we cannot
fullyi comprehend, but we know it
grows oranges superior to all others.
There are other countries where the
climate approaches very nearly to
ours, but their oranges will not COM
pare with those grown here.
Many seem to have the impression
that it is necessary to 60 beyond the
frost line to grow oranges success
fully In that I am we'll convinced
they are mistaken. 1t is true, there
is point or degree of cold
which no orange tree can withstand,
but if the tree is in proper con-
dition, that is dormant, 200 above
zero will not hurt old trees, and
young nursery stock will endure 250
unharmed. If the sap is active and
the tree is growing, much less de-
gree of cold will injure them. Ihave
seen trees as much affected from cold
ninety miles south of Lake George as
l have ever witnessed here. l do
not pretend to say that the degree of
cold is as great there. but the trees
never become so passive there, and
grow more during the winter, and it
takes less cold to affect them. Or
anges grown in Cuba entirely be-
yond the frost line are decidedly in
terior to our best oranges, and will
not. sail 4fa9.- laalt.-4as much in the New
! A0rkulaIkeI
Orange growing IN s,.sls S0unTry IS
in it's infancy; we are only Beginners,
and have much to learn,yet as we gain
knowledge our success will become
greater
1t is very amusing to read articles
written by many persons who have
little or no experience many are
misled by them, and utter failure is
the result. Some will tell you that
all the land in Eastern and Southern
Florida is adapted to the orange, but
they know not what they say. All
the land will not grow oranges sue
cessfully - in fact, comparatively
speaking, there is only very small
portion that is we'll suited to the or
ange, aad yet this country is so vast
there is enough good orange land to
grow oranges for the world, it yields
so bountifully.
AS an evidence of what l say, go
through the country and you will find
some beautiful groves entirely
healthy giving large and remuner-
ative crops, while you will meet with
many others badly diseased with
"die- back" and ''scale" insects. Read
the proceedings of our horticultural
meetings and conventions, also our
newspapers, and you will see my as
sertion we'll substantiated.
1 have no doubt many will say: Is
there no remedy for these evils? l
answer, yes but it will take time
and patient labor to educate the peo-
pie so they will fully comprehend
these difficulties. My view of the
subject is, in order to carry our trees
through the winter safely we should
not cultivate late in the season to
stimulate the trees into active growth.
If we would SOW oats in our groves
the last of October they would
check the growth, and the trees
would ripen up their tender, succu.
lent growth and become dormant.
There is nothing we can put on land
that will so efectually exhaust the
moisture and check the growth Of
trees as oats. I find this method
much in practice in Illinois, where
they have very extensive apple and
peach nurseries.
Early in February the oats should
be turned under with a good steel
plow, which should be done very shal
low; never plow deep in an orange
grove.