Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1886-01-16
CULTIVATION OF THE ORANGE.
Interesting and Valuable Experience of
Sacramentan Upon the Subject.

Interesting and Valuable Experience of
a Sacramentan Upon the Subject.
EDS. REcoRD-U UNION: The old hypothesis
that a California Seeding orange is always
g a Seeding with thick rind is errone-
Gus. Cultivation and application of the
proper food to its roots will produce an
equal and often superior orange than the
parent tree. | planted seeds Of the Havana
or Loretto. the Java or Tahiti, and the
seeds of sweet orange imported by Chi
nese merchant, now eighteen and nineteen
years ago. AS | was DESTROYS of procuring
hardy trees, and not so particular as to the
number that survived my experiment las
was not in the nursery busineSs), l have
never protected them from the time first
planted.
The second year the temperature fell to
DO, the ground was frozen in the boxes an
eighth of an inch, IS per cent. of the trees
were killed. / considered that the orange,
being tropical tree, and like the human
family, some more hardy than others, /
might get some hardy enough to stand all
the vicissitudes of this climate, in course of
years. had about twenty trees left out of
200 planted. Although the thermometer
hanging on the trees has fallen TO 16o twice
during that time, it has done no damage of
consequence to the hardy trees left me.
The first year they fruited the oranges were
fairly good, and the rind reasonably thin.
and satisfactory to all who tested them.
But in wo seasons they had the proverbial
thick rind, quarter to three-eighths of an
inch thick, and became poorly favored
fruit Considering there must be some de-
feet in the soil, by applying manure in two
seasons more the oranges were better than
ever, with a rind the same thinness as
formerly, and flavor superior to the parent
orange.
Professor Brown says that about so per
cent of orange tree ashes, fruit seed, leaves,
stem and root is potash, lime and phos-
phoric acid. In the stem-Lime 55.I3
potash, 1l69; phosphoric acid. 3.27
Leaves-Lime, 56.03; phos. acid, 327.
Fruit-Lime, 24.52; potash, 3s.47; phos.
acid, 11.07. Seed-Lime, 1897; potash,
40 phos. acid, 1920. Root-Lime. 80:
potash, 1913; phos. acid, 1347
This shows that lime isa very important
food for an orange tree. An analysis of
our soil shows only .6S of l per cent. of
lime, and only OF of l per cent of phos-
phoric acid-a poor natural soil for grow
ing oranges. Wood ashes contain lime,
potash and phosphoric acid. Hen manure
has in its composition the stimulating
qualities of guano, nitrogen. phosphoric
acid, soda, lime, Sulphurlc acid, potash, etc.
Mixing this with lime and ashes one-third
each, and adding two gallons to a wheel
barrow load of COW manure, / applied that
quantity to each tree. The next crop was
thin-rinded, and success attended the ex-
pertinent
Some assert that with age an orange
grows thinner rind. That may be true in
some soils and in other localities, but is not
| the experience in Sacramento. The small
| oranges one sees here are growing on the
stock of the best imported oranges, and are
starving for want of manure, having ex-
| hausted the little food the soil contained.
| To keep orange trees in good condition re-
quires tact, patience and attention. Moth
| ing should be attempted on a poor soil
| where food cannot reach its roots Plant
seeds of native, hardy trees. and subject
them to the climate, and you will get
hardy trees. The orange THEORETICALLY
native of the hot tropics-has been grad
ually carried north, until it can survive
| great degree of cold. But not all even of
those seeds raised here would be hardy.
| Some would revert to their tropical pature
would perish; and if raised by protec-
| ton, would be worthless for open culture
] Like good horse, an orange tree requires
I care and attention. Respectfully,
S. H. GERRIsH.
Sacramento, January IA, 1886