The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1881-05-04
A California Grove.
-, R;rerside Press.

have Just visited, by invitation Of
Lotspeic6 Bros, their orange orch
ard, and believing that your readers
wonld be pleased TO read descrip-
ton of their model farm, l have
nenn ed the following, together with
heir method of culture, eto. They
have fifty acres devoted to fruit cui-
ture. The soil is composed OF a rlc4
loose gravel; their place is situated
biob up in the mouth OF the Santl-
aGo CANYON. 1t is protected on the
north east ard south by high foot
hills, with an open exposure toward
the ocean on the west. pom lhe
premises they have 1000 hudded Or
appe trees, embracing nine different
varieties, about 500 lemon trees, and
two hundred deciduous fruit trees III
variety. Their orange and lemon
trees were set three years ago from
the nursery OF one yeal-old buds,
and at this writing I have never seen
an orchard of finer, healthier or
bandsomer trees. The frultage this
year numbers
ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND ORANGES
and fifteen to twenty boxes OF lem
ons. Their fruit is entirely free
from fungus, is of q deep golden col-
or large, thin rind, ana to the taste
deliciously rich and juicy. They
shipped a number of boxes OF the
Navel variety that when thoroughly
packed contained but 60 oranges to
the box. They have not a single
unhealthy tree in the orchard, not
one affected with smut or scale, and
have never seen an Orch ard where
the trees were more uniform IN
growth and size. They are nearly
all of buds on the orange root.
After this brief description the
chief interest to the horticultural
will be centered in their
METHOD OF CULTURE.
The first two years after setting
their trees they plowed and cultiva-
ted their orchards; but they have be
come satisfied from Observation and
experience that blowing the land is
at least unnecessary if not positively
hurtful and have abandoned the
practice. They argue that blowing
mutilates and Injuries the small fbrous
roots which grow near the surface
and whose Office is to supply nutri-
ment to the tree. That the devel-
opment and growth of the tree is
thereby injured and its productive
ness diminished They now cult
vate their orchard about once a
month, using one OF the iron riding
cultivators, and by this means keep
the ground perfectly clean and loose
to a depth of about six inches. Their
method af irrigation is 10 run the wa.
ter down the spaces between the
trees in burrows made by light
plow and about four inches IN depth.
They do not believe in flooding land
in orchard; they assured Inc that The
method OF irrigation in burrows is
much more effective and does not re-
quire to be followed by blowing.
They do not irrigate but twice i'll d
year, but think that thorough cultiva-
ton and less irrigation should be the
rule. In reference TO pruning they
express themselves as utterly
OPPOSED To THE PRACTICE.
They would not prune even in nur-
sery, and never in the orchard I'M
less it was some obnoxious branch.
They are of opinion that pruning
Injuries the vitality of the tree to an
extent from which it never entirely
RECEIVERS.
l have omitted to speak of the
protection against winds which was
a noticeable feature in this orchard.
They have rows of the pepper tree
set about eight feet apart and divid.
ing their ranch into blocss of two
and half acres. This gives the
ranch very fine appearance and will
make when grown an effectual wind
break.
This orchard is one of the best in
Orange and challenges the admira'
ton of visitors.
The Messrs. Lotspeick are gentle
men of intelligence and culture, and
having paid much attention to fruit
culture, their opinions upon horticul~
ture are of value.
pVrpthrUm.