The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1882-03-29


moval from nursery, and seventh, a
grove of sweet seedlings.
q. How soon after planting will
the tree bear fruit
Il. That depends upon the method
you adopt in planting. A sour tree
budded where it stands, with proper
management will bear fruit in two
years. Sour stumps planted in a
suitable location, budded properly
and treated with care, will bear in
three years. Sweet seedlings bud
ded will begin to bear in from four
to six years. The trees however,
which attain the largest size and
yield more abundaDtly are the sweet
seedlings unhudded. If very care
fully treated they will commence to
yield in eight or ten years, and in a
year or two alter that will furnish a
tar quantity OF fruit.
@. About how many different
varieties OF oranges are grown in
Florida ?
A Authorities differ. In some
publications. as many as sixty yarIe
lies are mentioned. Growers, how
ever, claim that here are a good
many more. In fact, almost every
large grower has two or three varieties
OF hlS own.
Q. Are orange tree, subject to
any kind of disease?
A. They are less liable to dis
ease than most other kinds OF fruit
trees. The most formidable disease
which attacks them is the" die-back.'
The symptom is the dying back OF
the new wood to the old. The cause
OF the disease may come from the
sting of an insect, or may originate
near the roots.
Q. Are the trees liable to attacks
from insects ?
A. But very few insects trouble
our orange trees Tie insect which
at one time was considered the most
troublesome, and which threatened
TO destroy our groves, Is called
AspidiOtuS GioUerii 1t is very dis
ml"uLlve and under pow erlul q ass
has the appearance OF white louise.
1t develops mo dImlnutlve fly, and
sucking the Vitality out OF the Leaf
or branch to which it clings, kills il.
There is another insect Which preys
OH the bars OF trees from one to four
years old. The woodluuse, or white
ant, frequently does serious damage
to young trees. An Insect thai is
apt 10 attack trees starting young
shoo at tunes OF the year when the
grove is not generally making new
wood is the E'mhOcthu Guieotor.
This insect inh.ct> a speedy lnjury,
there are simple remedies, however,
Tor the destruction OF all these IN
SpctS.
@ Is there what is called an
''olan4e belt?"
A The expression is frequently
used, but oranges Can tie grown in
any part Of Florida with suitable
cultivation and proper protection
from frost. The tros line is placed
usually at the 18th or Goth degree of
latitude. TIE severe winter OF 1880
81 did not iujure groves south OF
this line, Whlle ii inflicted very
severe damage on the groves north
OF it.
@ Do orange groves require much
cultivation?
A. They do-both careful and in
tellig,n Mt cultivation.
Q Can the land be sown in crops
While the groves are coming to mas
tur'ty ?
A. Garden crops OF all kinds may
be cultivated, and the groves may be
used tor sheep pastures. Orange
trees are greatly benefited by Ger
tain kinds of tertlllz rs, aud the drop
pings OF sheep are very advantage
Gus 70 them.
Q. Is there any danger Of over
doing the orange business
A. No. The business offers now
greater inducements than ever be-
fore. The field is lllimitable. We
produce an orange that is eagerly
sought after ID the market, and
should our production ever exceed
the demands oil our own market We
can find market in Europe, in fact,
we have already made the expert.
ment Of shipping oranges to Europe,
and with encouraging results. There
is 10 immediate DANGER however, OF
Cutting our market. 1t is estimated
that i'll 1879, in addition TO our Flor
ida crop. 77I,UUU,UU0 oranges were