The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1880-10-20

ingly; and if the inch of soil covering
them is Kept finely pulverized, con-
stitutipg thereby mulch. and also
frequently stirred by hand process,
or cultivator, keeping it constantly
in its proper mechanical condition,
those roots are in far better condl-
ton to absorb the gases and vapor
from the atmosphere than IS possible
by the large and deep seated roots a
foot or more beneath the surface.
Can the above proposition be ques.
toned? 1t is supposable that the
entire root mass OF tree PERFORMS
one and the same function If not,
why work against, rather than with
Nature +?
What advantage is sought by this
unnatural process OF forcing upon one
set OF roots the functions that natui.
ally belong to another set, and that
can only properly be performed by
them? 1 can see no good philosophy
or sound reason in thus adopting or
continuing in this most questionable
practice. My success comes not by
pursuing it, but by an innovation.
Deep orchard blowing, root mang>
ling and drowning abbor, as much
as we all would deplore and repudi-
ate practice OF hall drowning a per-
son every two or three weeks, and
then pump the. excess Of water out
and warm him into life again, alter
mating occasionally by cutting away
all the capillary channels of clrcula-
ton; and then seek to restore normal
action and vigor by artificial means,
only that it may again be repeated
al 5'si'aiietna.
Change not your present method
OF rearing your orchard trees, is the
universal expression Of scores of fruit
growers from almost all parts OF the
State, as they remark their thrifty
and Clearly appearing, And my
success | attribute more to thorough
and frequent surface cultivation and
preservation OF all the roots from
disturbance, than to the soil or other
Causes; and from the !act OF so many
OF my seveu-year-old seeding trees
exhibiting such prolific tendencies
this season in the pronslon OF their
blossom, am led to believe that |
can now set out three,year-old seed
lug trees and bring them into sue
cessful bearing by the eighth year by
this simple, easy, inexpensive and
natural mode of treatment. And as
the seeding is regarded 1yas much
more prolific than a budded tree
and, also, to the present time main
tains an equality, if not superiority,
in market value to any bndded fruit,
and, moreover, is much more hardy
and less liable to injuryby frost, etc,
my preferences are, therefore, decid-
edly in favor OF the seeding tree and
natural treatment. TO permit the
young budded tree to fruit is to the
sacrince OF top growth; and to pick
it off until time has enabled the top
to grow, and there is but little, if
any, advantage as to time of first pro-
fit over the Seeding, and ever alter,
it is conceded by all, the seeding is
much more prolific than the bud.
The claim set by few OF the
superiority Of the budded over the
seeding orange. is not yet borne out
by the FACTS, after close and exhaus-
tive tests. And it is also fact that
no imported variety, no matter how
sweet OF thin rind it may be, will
maintain any Of those foreign peculi-
arities after two Or three years fruit
ing on our stocks and in our climate,
nor are they found TO possess pro-
pertles in any particular materially
varying from the seeding produced
along side OF it. Those under exam
nation from China lemon stocks are
particularly noticeable Tor their ex-
cessve acid properties. That stock
is yet too local tavorlte to be dis
cussed i'll connection with permanent
orange groves. believe the future
welfare OF the orange interest OF this.
country demands more critical
study than it mas received IN the
past.