The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1883-03-21

Twelve Ie0G on Cu6 uillSIucS, \1iUuOuSu
most of the old groves have seen
are under twelve,) and in some the
trees are srx feet apart. The mod
ern system of planting, too, is in
diamond or quincunx, instead of
squares, by which plan, with the
same space to each tree IL per cent
is gained to the acre. The latter
system, too, is to bud the tree only
after having been transplanted to its
place in the grove. The cultivator
is generally employed to stir the
earth around the trees TO the depth
of six inches, three times year and
as before said, great Importance is
attached to the keeping down of the
surface roots.
vi. MANUR1.
Until the tree bears, the growth OF
its wood is promoted by abundant
supplies of manure of strong, active
character two and three times year,
according to age and soil. When
in bearing, manures OF slower decom'
position are applied from once year
to once in five years according to soil.
1t is applied to the surface over the
roots, and especially at their extremiN
ties, supposed to be bounded by ex~
tent OF branches. This is turned up
in the autumn ten or twelve inches
deed liquid manures are applied In
the summer when vegetation is the
most active. Water applied to the
roots or over the trees at regular
periods Of six or eight days, is a
great fertilizer by reason OF the
various salts held in solution, as well
as a remedy against drought, Plaster
lof Paris is sometia s2IIa klad e:;s'
y rus sops d No 1s's tFsss and IS apsorbes
I ! by the leaves to theirbeneit.
! VII. REMEDIES AGAINST DROUGHT
With FIVE summer months devoid
: of rain the means Of obviating the
0 effects of drought are all important
# to the cultivator. Irrigation is gene
+ rally practised, and is called aoet cul
d tire, in contradistinction to dry caL
y tasre in vogue at Naples, Sorrento, etc,
Il This most expensive method consists
}, in deep trenching. l have seen
r groves trenched eight and half feet
v deep. Constant culture OF the soil
II and sometimes mulching are employ
l. ed to retain the moisture below the
,s surface. In irrigation, which is uni
IS versaI in Sicily and the Liqurian
/ kcoast, steam and horse power, and
y sometimes extensive hydraulic works
o in sinking and conducting springs
from the mountains depth are en-
ployed. Care is taken that the water
be of the temperature of the air; it
e is applied weekly during the dry
}, }, season (lrom May in Sicily and June
d in Northern Italy and France) till
: September, and at night; in autumn,
3 however, in the morning, the cnltiva
l, tor following a few days after.
Il Conduits of bricksor stone lead across
L the groves land crossing at right
= angles, from the reservoirs, and sup
q ply the numerous trenches which
: cover the soil around the trees 10
scientific order
:, VIII. PROTECTION.
e The wind is a greater enemy OF
r, orange trees than the frost, in Italy
IS and Sicily, either by their violence
n or by reason OF prejudicial character
d in itself, and in the location OF groves
d great attention is paid to protecting
i them, whether by mountains, woods
IS or artificial screens, (walls, planta
Ie ton or wooden structures,) on those
sides whence the most perniciou'
| winds come; Gin Italy N. and N. w.
IN in Sicily s. w. and S. S. W., whicl
D. is sometimes most destructive with
d its hot blasts from the African coast
j. Trees for this reason are frequently
y kept low by early pruning.
10 The sea winds--bri'a0-are IL
themselves noxious to the plant, al
j. are the African winds or sirocco, By
in reason of their heat. The stron:
le BriaaQte of 1878, declmated the or
A. anges arouhd Palermo, while tn
le mandarine, which is a harder fruit