The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1919-09-12

I Lne trees so you VIII nave khrA All
straight rows, and thus be able TO use
improved tools, implements and ma
chinery. / think IS feet each way is
the best distance, and / would plant
them in squares, commencing IL II /;
feet from the outside line Of your
plot to be planted This gives you
about Is trees to the acre, and when
ia good bearing you will find they
will occupy most Of the land giving
your grove with your tractor, wagons, i!
etc. II you nave a few weeks Or y !
month or 50 before you plant your I
trees you should spade up the ground
for the trees, puIycrizing the soil ard !
take out al roots, stones and Other /,
foreign matter, then you may put the
earth back IN the hole until you are !
ready to put out your trees. The
winter months Of December, January |
and February js the best time to do |
the planting, but if necessary you |
can plant your trees earlier and even
later, but best not later than Febru- |
airy, for it is harder to make your
trees live if planted after the sap be-
gins TO flow Try and get your tree
| planted while in dormant state Dol
not leave too much top. Cut away all
mutilated roots. Do not plant tn~
trees too deep in the ground Plant
them just about as they originally
grew Use plenty Of water and have
the earth well packed around the
roots, especially the tap root You
can do this better with your hands |
Re- you have water with force you can
set your tree in the hole the proper
depth and turn the nozzle Of your
hose on the roots, sDading in good, |
clear earth. The force of the waite
will carry the earth into every crcr-
ice and pack the roots better than
any other method. Be careful mad keepl
the roots out straight. and that the
| fibrous roots are nicely spread out.
Do not let the roots Of your trees be
exposed to the sun and air before
planting; better have your trees
packed in Spagnum moss when ship
ped Have this done even if you
have to pay higher price. IL you
have any mulching, or can get it,
| mulch your trees as well as you can
before the moisture dries out Of the
ground. Ifsyou can't get any regular
mulching, give your trees good
wetting down with water and mulch
land Do not pack the sand and
mulching up against the crown OF
your tree; leave it away couple of
| inches so as to give your tree breath
ing space. If you have to water your
trees at any time rake the sand
mulch back or away from the tree
and after watering put it back around
! the tree. This mulching even Of sand
or loan will help to conserve the
moisture in the ground after your
| trees are well rooted and growing,
Then take away the sand mulch and
| leave your tree planted about as
deep as it originally grew. You are
more apt to plant your tree too deep
than too shallow. If you have plenty
of water use it freely III planting
your trees. You now have your land
planted with citrus fruit trees and il
money is no object you can let it go
at that, and allow your citrus fruit
trees to have the benefit Of all there
is in the soil.
II were making the grove | would
plant a good variety of peach trees
between the orange trees in rows
running one way. You should get a
paying crop from your peaches the
third year after planting and the pro-
ceeds from your peach crop will help
out in the expense Of making the
grove. After eight or ten years you
can take out the peach trees.
If your location is immune from in
furious frost you can plant guava
bush of the old smelling variety be-
tween the peach and the orange tree,
! and when you take out the peach
tree plant one or two guavas in its
place, and you will be able to grow a
lot of guavas in your grove and not
interfere with your citrus fruit crop.
You can do this for a long while after
the citrus fruit trees have been in |
bearing.
consider the .guava one OF the
most delicious fruits grown, and Flor
ida can nroduce millions of hnShalS |