New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-08-02
SOUTHERN AGRICULTURE.
BY sOLoN ROBINSON.

OF OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES WINE
Tn writing about a branch of Southern agrlcul-
ture which has lately absorbed more interest III INC
minds of many Northern people than any other
subiect IN the Southern States, unless u is southern
politics shall not say anything that VIII increase
nsomewhat dangerous fever Whlcn mas peen "a
ci+od nv, IettorNrlters who have conveyed the idea
that Florida was almost covered with orchards OF
natural groves of trees bearing golden fruit"
and yielding golden harvests to owners, ana
nainting "the land of flowers" in such vivid
colors that dwellers among the snowy hills nave
longed after its enjoyments deyOees have longed
after the Joys of Paradise. assure my readers that
Florida has climate which, in contrast with Can
ada. may seem somewhat Ike Paradise but there
the comparison ends. 1t is much more lana OF
wilderness than land of flowers; and Its natural
groves of orange trees, though beautiful 10 the eye
bear fruit that is not pleasant to the palate ioi
most of IL "a sour a. lemons and these wild orange
roves are TO be found only in favorable situations,
and upon only one acre in thousand Ana the
cultivated groves of sweet oranges OF more than ten
years growth are almost few and far apart as the
wild groves. Within ten OF twelve years the num-
her of sweet orange trees that have been planted is
simply immense These are just now COM
ing into profitable bearing, though 1t VIII
take nearly ten years more for them to reach
their full capacity of productiveness, and then
with only moderate care they will continue to bear
every wear through mans lifetime; longer. even'
than ample trees usually bear fruit. And notwlth-
standing the abundance that the trees already grow
ing Will produce, the product OF an orange orcnaIu
will probably always afford moro profit than an
eonaI area of apple trees regions where the latter
flourish which is not in Florida, nor in any part OF
the Southern States south of latitude $50 or 34'.
and not rs far south that, unless at consider
able altitude above sea level. The orange grows
we'll within ten feet Of the tide level fresh water
level provided it has dry standing place III
porous soil, naturally rich or artifcially made so,
and well supplied with potash and lime The wild
trees appear to grow most naturally upon land
largely composed Of shells. else in black hummocks
WHERE TIE ORANGE CAME FROM
Although il Is common for people to speak OF
"natiye orange trees' doubt whether there are
any such in Florida 1t is more likely that the
seed was brought into the State by the early
Spanish settlers, and by them and their Indian
allies was scattered and grew wild. as many Gull
tivated plants have grown at the North. Samuel
b. Parsons of Flushing Nurseries, New-York' VINO
is probably rs wcll-read and well-informed as
traveller in Europesand this country as any man.
told me recently that the Chinese sweet orange
was undoubtedly introduced into Spain at a later
period than the first settlement of Florida; that
strong resemblance to some that are cultivated IN
Seville and that the several varieties Of wild oranges
an Florida have probably all originated from the sour
Seville orange, first introduced by the Spanish
500 years ago, which gives ample time for the
change and deterioration. A vast number Of these
wild orange trees have been transDlanted for the
purpose of breeding with the sweet varieties but
with but limited success. Indeed, do not suppose
that one in ten is living Yet few trees are less
difficult to transplant if tits done with proper Gaze
The common practice is to cut away all the tops
and nearly all the roots, and the few remaining are
often pretty thoroughly dried before reseting, be-
sides being removed from shady woods to open
ground, and planted by unskful hands The won
der is not that they died, but that one IN ten
should 1--we.
VARIETIES OF THE FRUIT.
Many of the wild trees nave UvOt ~---Ss-1 .''--
sweet buds where they grew naturally, and Thus
made valuable orchards, which produce some fruit
the third or fourth year. and into full bearing
three or four years sooner than trees grown from
the seed, and, ] think, are generally moro thrifty
and hardy. which Is not the case with transplanted
stumps. Ten years ago II was exceedingly difficult
to get Seeding trees; now nurseries are abundant
and profitable Many people prefer to buy budded
stock because the impression prevails that the trees
will come earlier INTO bearing than seedlings. The
greatest advantage however is being pretty sure OF
Il
a choice in oranges as we'll as apples. really
pleasant cordial, called orange wine, is sometimes
made with wild orange juice and sugar, aud few
wild oranges are used IN making maImalade,
but the great bulk Of them go to decay. l think
have seen a thousand bushels at one view thus per-
Ishing almost unseen, and quite uncared for by
man.
Occasionally a wild lemon tree is found in the
woods but have never seen lemon trees growing
In large groups like the orange trees. once made
careful estimate of wild grove found in the woods
far from any habitation, and found $4,000 trees,
of two TO four inches diameter, growing upon few
acres of land. In preparing such grove for bud
ding and growing the sweet orange, it would be
necessary to seven-cghhs of the trees andto
cut the others back TO stumps about four feet high
As an evergreen, ornamental tree, nothing
exceeds the sour orange, which is extensively
used in yards in Jacksonville and other Florida
towns. and is beginning to be used for street shade.
The trees are easily grown from seed. l have sew
eral now only seven years old, beautifully filed
with fruit. Even without fruit, the rich green of
orange trees makes them always beautiful. Unlike
some other trees their habits ceanly that they
do not create nusances. The leaves are eaten, but
only in limited degree, BY large worm seldom,
seen. called the orange puppy" which is not a
very handsome animal, though the butterfly pro-
tuced from il is really beautiful, and quite Orna
ment to our grounds during the Summer.
PEsYs OF oRASGE-GROWERs.
The most dangerous pest of the orange trees is
"the scale insect" which is sometimes dostruc-
tive that large trees have been ruined. The best
remedy is a caustc wash, good cultivation and ma
nuring to keep the trees vigorous The "die-bark"
Is another danger that the orange-grower has TO
contend with. This is the same kind of disease
tbot hos des.roved such immense numbers of ample
trees all over New-England and other Northern