The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1881-01-19
Some Points III Orange Culture.
Written for The Florida Agricutturist By E. H.
Hart, Of Federal Point, Fla.
CONTINUED from page 273.)

. Written for The Florida Agricatturist By E. II.
Hart, Of Federal Point, Fla.
CONTINUED from page 273.)
In the warm season can any one
believe that the bare ground, heated
TO degree sufficient to cook eggs, is
grateful to the over sensitive surface
roots of an orange tree? And on
bright days in winter, it may, by ex-
posure TO the genial sun, be warmed
just enough to. start the tree into ac-
ton earlier than desirable, and rem
der it liable to be nipped by an un>
timely frost. And, finally after a
freezing night what is more destruc-
tive than the bright morning sun ?
We may safely recommend as the
golden means that moderate allow
ance of light and heat requisite to
promote the steady growth OF the
Tree, while avoiding that excess
which would put to the test its pow
ers OF endurance.
To show the great efficacy of shade
during freezing PERIOD may men
IlOl CCCH OuOuCS Ol IlIO
der guava, shielded by the over.arch
ing boughs OF immense live oaks,
which survived, and were laden with
fruit the following summer, while
their neighbors in the open close adj
joining were cut off to the ground
Mr.. M. L. Smith, of Daytona, who
planted grove III thick cabbage
tree hammock, and left the palms
standing, assured me that, during a
freeze, the mercury stood six or
seven degrees higher among them
than outside.
DR.. Davis says "the orange being
a great feeder, requires soil rich in
plant food" This question of fertili-
zation is delicate one, and needs to
be approached cautiously, for
whether the tree be voracie Cor no,
it is eartain that none is ifn ~ astidi-
Gus. Gs5lofsf Dancy once = remarked K
that sit needs manure, but don't
need much" and his neighbor, the
late DIR. Mays, whose walks and
talks among the citrus family covered
generation of years, observed that
mo fruit tree came so near produc
ing something out of nothing"
While it will flourish and bear we'll
for long time on ground too sterile
to develop ears of corn, few members
OF the vegetable kingdom will make
more generous response to even
the most scanty gift OF plant food.
The over exuberance of growth
caused by an excessively rich soil,
often ends in a diseased condition,
and the fruit OF such trees is not
rarely too delicately skinned for ship
ment. The slower growth and well
ripened wood of moderately fer
tile soil is preferable, and more con-
ducive to health and longevity. Some
OF us have seen the truth Of this ex-
emplifed in the pear tree of our
northern states, which, On rich bot
toms, is shorter lived, more liable to
blight, and productive Of less ex-
quisitely favored fruit than in sec
tlons proverbial Tor natural infertiIity.
Like tie watermelon, perhaps the
most desirable orange, all points con.
sidered, mi ght be expected from a
rather poor soil, judiciously fertilized.
say judiciously for it has been
abundantly proven that on some OF
our soils, manures, especially those of
a heating nature, need to be applied
with rare judgment, or dieback, and
other perplexing maladies will result.
Colonel Whitner found that in GER
tain grove in one of the northern
counties, he could use with benefit, a
quantity deletenous to the well be.
ing of another grove he atterward
owned i'll Orange county Where
soil is bare, a trifing amount of
strong, fresh manure, will often de-
velop symptoms Of disease, but un,
der a mulch liberal dressing OF the
same will prove highly efiicacious.
In poultry yards have seen trees in
woetul plight, almost as good as
dead, that were speedily brought to
tiourishing state by spreading straw
over space OF a dozen feet around
them, and contining it with pen of
logs or boards to keep the fowls
from scratching it away. in wet or
swampy lands trees are soon ruined
by clean culture. They gradually