The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-08-18

their groves were heavily fertiiized up 70
and between the freezes " Decen Der t,si
and February. 1855, that therefore tnrA
trees do not need any fertilizer now. nor
viii they untH they again commence 10
bear oranges.
groves around DeLand took me out 70 see
IT, u certainly was fine and very gro
vey." Said the owner
Anything the matter Win this
replied: yes: It needs a good fertll-
[ izing at once"
Il believe you are right" came the i'm
mediate answer. The trees were largely
sweet seedlings, closely set. / prescribed
twenty 70 thirty pounds 81 Mapes trult
ana vine manure" for each Tree II IS
fatiacy TO think that fertilizer put on the
I ground eighteen months ago, Iea upon ug
I grasses and weeds. shore upon by semi
I tropical sun, ana poured upon by torren-
tai rains. has remained unaltered In
| abundance and form ul-l the present.
| Most, II not quite al. the available am
mOnla has either escaped VI been USED.
me soluble potash and pI05pnOric acid
have percOlated through the soil, In solu-
uon with the rain-water, far below the
presence Of hOrous roots, never again 70
be OF any possible service, except some
long drought shall bring them TO the sur
face, and make them temporarily avail
/ repeat, the orange growers OF Florida
VINO intend to resuscitate their groves are
making great mistake IN not at once
tertLzing their trees. Nature has done all
she viii do I'm having determined the linn
its OF dying back which mas now ceaS-
ed. The caAus has formed at the delimita-
ton of dead wood, whether Of root or
trunk. and the fibrOus roots with their
root-hairs are in condition 10 absorb nu-
triment and apply IL 20 the needs OF the
tree. Fertilizer Fertile at once, II
there is any settled purpose 70 restore the
grove is the advice give an my inquir-
ing friends.
know OF one series Of groves-visited
them-Which need this immediate fertili-
cation The parties owning those groves
have 100 tons of fertilizer in a warehouse
on the premises. As to this matter Of
bringing OUT a grove ! have no advice
10 give, save this, If one is going to do II,
II should be done with a will" No half
way work will accomplish anything.
Around DeLand the most progressive
growers have an excellent showing for
their past years work Next year there
probably Will be from this place the re-
neWal OF shipments Of o1nges-a few
hundred boxes. 1t Is difficult 10 say in
exact terms just what Is the condition of
the groves. The Well-cared for, in fertill-
ger ana culture, are doing finely. They
nave made large new growth. Since
June rains have been timely and abund
amt they sun continue. The temperature
mas been abnOrmally high. Insect and
Iuhel enemies Of the trees are not so ac-
The trees which have received half
hearted treatment are doing as well as
their opportunities will permit. The neg
lected trees are making an effort To mt
Iorth growth, but the sight thereof is sad
enough North Of a line run from Tampa
on the west coast TO Daytona on the east
coast am persuaded that one-haIf of all
the orange groves frozen down I'm Febru-
airy, 1875, will intimately be abandoned
NOT that this is made necessary by the sit
uatlon or probabilities Of the climate: hut
because the majority of the owners are
so dlspirited and at a loss, for various
reasons, what. they ought to or can do
MY personal conviction is that the grove
owner who can and will bring out his
sIoNe IN the promptest manner will reap
a rich reward of satisfaction and money.
nave been asked what Is the best way in
winch TO accomplish this desired result
dont know, and haven't met or heard
OF any one that thought possessed infal-
lible knowledge on this subject Successes
Iul orange growers, under normal condi-
tons, are apparently as much at sea as the
Verlest tyros In the business. 1 make the
Following suggestions, based on my own
studies and observations:
FOR the most part l have left the dead
tops as supports to the new growth break
NE on only the dead side limbs 10 permit
OF close culture to the trees. In case OF
sweet stocks I have not pruned away a
single green twig or sLrout as thew
are needed to insure the amplest and most
healthful development OF the roots shall
not bud my sweet stocks. but sour stocks
only by putting in dormant buds I'm Oc-
toDer. Builders generally have not been
very SUCCESSFUL the past spring and sum-
mer. The conditions Of buds and stocks
ana not seem TO be right. Then, too. where
buds seemed to take, grasshoppers and
bud. '
Dormant buds Of last October. that toor
nave made fine growth the past sum-
mer. If any one is minded to bud over
ms ms sweet ys stocks. he should bear in
mind that pruning must be done to a
moderate extent only, as sweet stocks
VIII not bear cutting away as will the
sour stocks. Some sweet groves have
been hopelessly ruined by neglecting
TINS fact: As to varieties of oranges
which viii be raised in the restored
groves II would seem that very early.
centennial, 'Parson Brown and En-
terprise Seedless;" medium, "Homosa ssa''
and 'Magnum BOnum," and late. Harris
Iardln, Will be the ordinary varieties.
IN specialties. "Tangerine" and Crane
Fruit have had a very large planting
or budding nonresident owner Ia
lady) sent orders 10 have her grove bud
ued 10 only two Notwithstanding" and
russets.' Perhaps she was as nearly
right as some more particular owners
The fact is, Florida orange will be a
FLORIDA orange, and it's specific variety
VIII cut small figure for years to come
The main question is how to produce
oranges in the quickest manner Some
of the growers around DeLand are solv-
ing the matter very rapidly This bean
tituI town, with its surrounding acreage
OF me orange groves, will soon be re-
stored to its aforetime prosperity
Aug. TO- 1896 '''''S