The daily morning journal and courier., 1904-05-09

so regulated that the water just reaches the last tree at the end of the orchard, Tor that seetion under irrigation. hen the young trees are first set out they must have enough water, and when the orchard comes into bearing the trees must be copiously ,watered or the fruit will be small. Much of the success is dependent upan thorough cultivation. The orange does best upon irrigated lands. and irrigation and cul- tivation must go hand in hand If wa ter is applied to the orchard and it Is left without cultivation the soil bakes hard, cracks, the moisture escapes and the trees suffer. It is a rule to culti- vate after each irrigation, just as soon as the ground is sufficiently dry to per nit a horse to travel over 1t, which Is usually in two or three days after the application of water. The soil must be kept mellow and free from weeds at all times. The term irrigation hardpan" is quite generally used in the orange growing district to describe the condi- ton of some small areas in orchards where irrigation and subsequent culture have been careless, or where sufficient attention has not been paid to the diff ference of treatment required by lighter and heavier soils. In order to achieve the highest results the growers must keep the soil in the most perfect condi- ton, applying all needed water and plant-food in sufficient, but not in ex- i cessive amounts. and pay especial at fnE ha te oc Inrr as practicable and to prevent the for
 nation of what is called "hardpan,' but is only the well known ''plow-sole" az gravated by shallow irrigation. A l question of vital importance to the pro- duction of high grade of fruit is that of fertilization. If the necessary plant food is withheld the fruit and tree of 1 course suffers greatly. The size, quali- l ty and quantity being so dependent upon the proper use of fertilizers, it be- hoves each grower to replace in part the elements nature has withdrawn for the production of tree and fruit. Oranges have to be picked with great care each
 one being clipped from the branch with
 shears and placed in a patent canvas
 bag which opens from the bottom. The picker carries this sack over his shoul- der. The oranges are ploced loosely in lordinary orange boxes, which have been lpreviously distributed at convenient places throughout the orchard When l filled they are placed on the team and
 taken to the packing house. As soon
 as the oranges are all picked, the trees are pruned, which usually consist in re-
 moval of dead wood and any new
 growth that would tend to make the
 tree unsymmetrical. There is consider able skill required in removing the sur
 plus inside growth and limbs without
 destroying the natural shape and size of
 the tree. The tree should be so trimmed
 that the sun does not strike the inside
 wood and foliage, as it is sure to scorch
 the bark, and if done diseased tree is apt to result. Without entering upon
 scientific discussion of the various
 diseases and insect pests affecting citrus trees, 1t may be interesting to mention
 a few of those having caused the most trouble.
 l Three diseases of the orange tree are
 widely known in California. First in
 importance is the .so-called gum dis
 ease" There are various forms of this malady. One attacks both young and
 old trees at the crown and roots of the tree, while another appears on the large
 limbs in the form of "scab" and an
 other on the trunks and main branches
 The most deadly of these is the "rooi
 form" This particular form of the
 disease Is first detected on the trunks
 of trees close to the ground, and Is ar
 exudation of the sap, which breaks
 through the bark and congeals in the
 form of gum The second serious trouble Is exanthema, or "die-back. 2 This name is given to a weakness af- lffeeting orange, lemon and other or Ichard trees. Trees thus affected make
 an apparently healthy growth in the spring and early summer, but the young shoots soon turn yellow, the leaves
 drop off and the twigs die back to the older wood, from which brown gran lular substance exudes Closely related lin it's cause to the "die back" and lsometines accompanying it, Is the s'mottled leaf trouble. This disease
 may be detected when a thrifty growing ltAcC SuodCilJ SbOpo olt0 bCSAto tO otlc " nnottled leaves. This may not be due to lack of nourishment in the soil, but
 quite probably to other unfavorable conditions affecting the roots, such as
 alkali, mari or hardpan. Among insect lpests may be mentioned the Six-Spot-
 ted Mite, and the numerous species oi scale insects. The species most com
 monly infesting citrus trees in Califor- mia either past or present are the first five in the following list: Black scale red scale, yellow scale, oleander scale cottony cushion scale, soft scale, hemi- spherical scale. purple scale and long scale. In no other part of the world
 has the value of parasitical insects beer more fully demonstrated than in Cali.
 fornia The cottony cushion scale has rANnTgnvANnvA nvAHnrA7nS@Nn<7lC