The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1881-09-28


the 1st of July, else the young
growth produced will be certainly
cut off by the first frost, and in case
OF a severe freeze in the early Win
ter, the tree will probably lose its
top. But if the ground around the
stunted and weakly looking orange
trees in the yards and gardens III
New Orleans, was stirred up III
some such way next Spring. grea'
many of them would revive and
bloom out atresh. The loosenlng OF
The dirt moreover facilitates the APP
ulication of the fertilizer, most OF
them so much need.
; An orange grove should be wen
ditched, and the drainage looked
after very carefully. In Louisiana
do not think a cross ditch every
three rows OF trees too much. L
have the weeds and high growing
GRASS scythed tor space OF ten or
twelve feet on every side OF my trees
in order to give them sun and air
aronnd the trunks. The vines and
wild peas are serious enemies OF all
orange tree it permitted to run op
into the top. They choke the tree
and retard it's growth.
Moss is dreadful thing IN an
orange tree. 1t requires great deal
of work to remove it, and if not
taken out the moss will certainly be
shroud to dead orange tree before
long. Therefore all moss bearing
trees growing within three or four
hundred yards of an orange grove
should be cut down. i have seen
one miserable unproductlve pecan
tree ruin the owners orange grove
and that of his neighbor with the
moss that the winds tore from Its
branches. All such trees should be
converted into fire-wood as quickly
az axe and saw can do it.
have not space to speak OF all the
various diseases to which the orange
tree is liable and the methods oil
treatment, but having been particular
w free from that malady known as
the skin or collar diseased call atten-
ton 10 what ] think has given my
trees immunity therefrom. l refer
to that very common disease which
attacks the trunk just at the surface
of the ground, rotting the bark and
girdling the tree. l nave always
taken great pains to keep the dirt
from being thrown up close to the
bodies; and moreover to have the
first. eight or ten inches of the large
roots that leave the trunk, uncovered
and exposed to the sun and air. In
the great majority of cases where l
have seen this disease, / found the
dirt pulled up and packed around the
BODY of the tree as we would plant
fence post-not particle of the root
to be found except by digging
several inches deep. l have seen trees
affected with this disease cured ny
having the earth taken away literally
from around the trunk and roots, all
lowing the sun to strike in upon them
My experience and observation lead
me to the conclusion that at least
it is much safer TO keep the dirt away
from the tree as above indicated.
In former article alluded to the
subject OF the gradual decentralization
of the orange tree to colder ATTITUDES
than those where it is indigenous. 1t
is generally known that most OF the
| trees in Louisiana sprung originally
from seeds Of Havana oranges. Some
! five or SIX years ago planted row
OF Havana along side of a row OF
; Louisiana seeds. They grew equally
well, but the first severe frost in the
5 tall cut the Havana seeding down to
} the ground while their Louisiana
cousins did not shed leaf. l there
: tore advise those planting nurseries
to select fruit from trees 10 the most