The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1902-12-20

One Of the most successful methods
in raising oranges in Honolulu is to be
seen on the premises of William Phil
ips, corner of Fort and Kukui streets,
all his trees being heavily laden with
big, highly coiored fruit, mostly of the
Kona seeding variety.
Many years ago Portuguese resi-
dent had a small orchard on the slopes
of Punchbowl and seemed to be sue
cessful beyond general experience in
the raising and cultivation of oranges
and lemons. Before returning to Ma
deira he gave a practical Illustration
of his method of propagation.
Several of Mr.. Philips trees were SO
close to the fence that small boys play
ed havoc with the product and the
owner decided to transplant the trees
to a small enclosure far away from
the fence. His method was novel, for
when the tree was moved away, the
roots and a few inches of the trunk
were left in the ground. The trunk
thus removed and again planted is
f1ourishing today in a manner to bring
smiles to the horticulturist.
Two inches above the ground Mr..
Philips cut through the bark circling
the trunk. Four inches above this an
"a how o;ro,1,,o farapco uac ont rTha ha rtx
between the two lines was removed and
the exposed wood cleaned off. Then a
mixture of fine earth was applied to
the exposed part, and covered with bur-
lap, making what might be termed a
plumbers joint. More earth was add
ed Then box with one side and the
bottom removed was placed about the
tree, the fourth side nailed up and
bricks placed underneath it. Earth
was packed in and around the box, and
every day for months the ground was
carefully watered. At the end of four
months, the bricks were removed and
with a saw the trunk just below the
lower edge of the originally exposed
place was cut through. The tree was
steadied by helpers and then lifted from
it's stump and carried into another yard
A deep hole, large across the opening,
was made and the tree again planted.
The box was then knocked away and
several healthy roots were exposed, all
growing from the upper circumference
rim.
The tree thus transplanted never fail
ed and the fruit then growing upon the
branches ripened, and it still bears with
increased yield each July and January.
This method Of cutting away the bark,
Mr.. Philips calls "girdling" From this
same transplanted tree Mr. Philips has
made several .'girdlings." A plumb
er's joint" is made upon a branch any
where on the tree and the earth is held
to it by tin wrapped about it. When
the time is ripe the branches, with the
fruit hanging thereon, are cut away and
transplanted. One such branch from
the transplanted tree was taken to
Kewalo and the fruit from it is rich
and juicy, and ''girdling" will be per-
formed upon the Kewalo tree.
I don't know that many people
would want to take the trouble of
growing trees and raising the fruit in
this manner" said Mr.. Philips yester-
day, but when it comes to raising a
tree from seed and waiting several
years for the fruit, feel pretty certain
that 'girdling' is the best. The stump
and root left after 'girdling' does not
destroy the root, for from every one of
the roots in my yard new trees have
SDrung nm -