GIFT OF 
 Dr. E. B. Babcock 
 
TREATISE 
 
 AND 
 
 HAND-BOOK 
 
 OF ; j > ^ 
 
 ORANGE CULTURE 
 
 IN 
 
 FLORIDA. 
 
 BY 
 
 REV. T. W. MOORE. 
 
 SECOND EDITION, REVISED AND ENLARGED. 
 
 NEW YORK: 
 E. R. PELTON & CO., 
 
 25 BOND STREET. 
 
 JACKSONVILLE, FLA.: 
 ASHMEAD BROTHERS.- 
 

 
 DR. .:B,~B<xjcr 
 
 COPYRIGHT BY 
 
 E. R. PELTON, 
 
 1881. 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 PREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION v 
 
 PREFACE TO THE FIRST EDITION vii 
 
 CHAPTER I. THE PROFIT OF ORANGE GROWING 
 
 CHAPTER II. OF THE SEVERAL METHODS OF PLANTING ORANGE 
 
 GROVES 20 
 
 CHAPTER III. THE WILD ORANGE GROVE BUDDED 22 
 
 CHAPTER I V. GROVES FROM TRANSPLANTED SOUR STUMPS 30 
 
 CHAPTER V. PLANTING THE ORANGE SEED , , 36 
 
 CHAPTER VI. BUDDING 41 
 
 CHAPTER VII. ON SELECTING A LOCATION FOR AN ORANGE 
 
 GROVE 47 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. THE ADVANTAGES OF PARTIAL FOREST SHELTER 54 
 
 CHAPTER IX. u THE FROST LINE" AND u THE ORANGE BELT " 60 
 
 CHAPTER X. THE EFFECT OF FROST ON PLANTS 63 
 
 CHAPTER XI. TRANSPLANTING 68 
 
 CHAPTER XII. THE DISTANCE APART 72 
 
 CHAPTER XIII. CULTIVATION 74 
 
 CHAPTER XI V. THOROUGH CULTIVATION . . v 79 
 
 CHAPTER XV. PRUNING 85 
 
 CHAPTER XVI. FERTILIZING 90 
 
 CHAPTER XVII. SPECIES, VARIETIES, ETC 99 
 
 CHAPTER XVIII. THE LEMON AND LIME 116 
 
 CHAPTER XIX. THE INSECTS DAMAGING TO THE ORANGE TREE 
 THE NATURAL ENEMIES OF SUCH INSECTS, AND THE REME- 
 DIES TO BE APPLIED 120 
 
 : 
 
IV CONTENTS. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 CHAPTER XX. DISEASES TO WHICH THE ORANGE TREE AND 
 
 FRUIT ARE LIABLE, AND THEIR REMEDIES 128 
 
 CHAPTER XXI. RUST ON THE ORANGE 133 
 
 CHAPTER XXII. GATHERING, PACKING, AND SHIPPING THE 
 
 ORANGE 13 8 
 
 CHAPTER XXIII. CROPS THAT MAY BE GROWN AMONG THE OR- 
 ANGE TREES 144 
 
 CHAPTER XXIV. OILS, PERFUMES, EXTRACTS, ETC., FROM THE 
 
 CITRUS 147 
 
 CHAPTER XXV. CONCLUSION 149 
 
 APPENDIX 153 
 
 COMMENDATIONS . . 182 
 
PREFACE TO SECOND EDITION. 
 
 fHE author's reasons for publishing a second 
 edition are several : 
 
 1. The first edition of more than two thousand 
 copies is about exhausted, while orders for the 
 work are most active ; so that, to meet the demand 
 for information on the subject of orange-growing, 
 a new issue would be necessary even if there were 
 no need for emendations and enlargement. 
 
 2. A longer experience and continued observa- 
 tion now enable the author to write with more con- 
 fidence on certain points left in doubt in the former 
 edition, as well as to give new matter in almost 
 every chapter. 
 
 3. Hundreds of letters have been received, mak- 
 ing inquiry concerning matters not noticed in the 
 first publication, also asking for fuller information 
 on subjects briefly mentioned. To give the in- 
 formation desired, and to extend it to others who 
 doubtless would have asked similar questions had 
 they not been restrained by a thought of the trou- 
 ble and expense necessary to answer each individual 
 
vi PREFACE TO SECOND EDITION. 
 
 by letter, the author has availed himself of this op- 
 portunity to give, more thoroughly than he other- 
 wise could, the information asked. 
 
 To the Press, which has given so many favorable 
 notices ; to the public, who have given so hearty a 
 welcome ; and to the experienced orange-growers 
 who have noticed with more hearty commendation 
 than any others the little pamphlet first issued ; the 
 author would here extend his thanks, and again 
 send greeting and an earnest " God speed you/' 
 
 FRUIT COVE, FLA., October, 1881. 
 
PREFACE TO THE FIRST EDITION. 
 
 fHE writer for several years suffered greatly for 
 want of some reliable advice on Orange Cul- 
 ture. Could he have had such instructions as the 
 following pages contain he might have hastened 
 forward to profitable bearing by several years an 
 orange grove now crowning his labors with suc- 
 cess. He could have done this with half the 
 amount of money expended by him in experiment- 
 ing, in following unreliable advice, and in doing 
 what at the time seemed wisest. It is to save others 
 such useless expenditures and to help forward the 
 best material interests of Florida that he has un- 
 dertaken to give to the public the result of his ex- 
 perience and observation on ORANGE CULTURE IN 
 FLORIDA. 
 
 Nor has he undertaken this without the earnest 
 solicitation of many who are engaged in orange 
 growing, and have witnessed his success and dis- 
 cussed with him. his plans. 
 
 The writer has not only had ten years of actual 
 experience in orange growing, but he has had be- 
 fore him a wide field for observing the efforts of 
 others engaged in this business. He has had 
 throughout his life a passion for horticulture ; in 
 
VI11 PREFACE TO THE FIRST EDITION. 
 
 early life considerable experience as an amateur 
 cultivator of fruits. For twenty-five years he has 
 been accustomed to eat fresh from the trees the 
 orange grown in Cuba, in Central America, in Cal- 
 ifornia, in Louisiana, and in Florida. His admi- 
 ration of this " queen of fruits" has led him to 
 observe and inquire after the methods of culture in 
 each of these several countries. During the ten 
 years of his experience he has frequently travelled 
 over the State of Florida, visiting, at all seasons of 
 the year, the various sections engaged in growing 
 oranges, discussing with growers their theories, and 
 noting the results of their efforts. 
 
 This little work, therefore, is not the result of 
 the experience of a single individual confined to a 
 single location, but the result of the experiments, 
 the successes, and the failures of many, extended 
 over the entire State of Florida. 
 
 The Press of Florida has done much to help for- 
 ward the knowledge necessary to success in orange 
 growing in this State. Its appreciation of this great 
 interest, and the readiness with which it has devoted 
 its columns to growers for the interchange of 
 thought and the discussion of theories, both false 
 and true, has given to persons widely separated 
 the benefit of each others' experience. For this 
 work the Press of Florida, and especially the Agri- 
 culturist %x\& the Semi-Tropical, as more especially de- 
 voted to this interest, is deserving of all praise ; and 
 whosoever would keep up with the rapidly growing 
 
PREFACE TO THE FIRST EDITION, ix 
 
 knowledge of orange culture in our peculiar cli- 
 mate and soil must continue to read, as the Press 
 will continue to publish, every new light on this 
 subject. The Author here makes acknowledgments 
 to the Press of Florida as well as to the thousands 
 whom he has visited, and with whom he has dis- 
 cussed the contents of these pages. 
 
 All technical terms, as far as possible, have been 
 avoided in these pages. Where such terms have 
 been employed it has been solely to make the 
 meaning less questionable. This book is intended 
 as a manual for all who wish to best succeed with 
 the least expense in growing the orange. Such 
 terms as can be understood by the unlearned can 
 be also comprehended by those who can command 
 encyclopedias and the elaborate work of Gallesio. 
 
 With earnest desire for the success of the orange 
 grower in Florida, and with hearty good-will to 
 them and to others who may engage in this honor- 
 able and profitable business, this humble and little 
 book is submitted by the 
 
 AUTHOR. 
 
ORANGE CULTURE. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 THE PROFIT OF ORANGE-GROWING. 
 
 y r HEN compared to the profit from other kinds 
 of business, that derived from orange-grow- 
 ing is so large that a statement of facts is often 
 withheld because the truth seems fabulous to those 
 who have only had experience with other kinds of 
 fruits. Those engaged 'in the business consider 
 each tree, so soon as it is in healthy and vigorous 
 bearing, worth one hundred dollars. Indeed the 
 annual yield of such a tree will pay a large interest 
 on the one hundred dollars from ten to a hun- 
 dred, and in some instances one hundred and fifty 
 per cent per annum. Now if we take into consid- 
 eration that from forty to one hundred trees are 
 grown on an acre, the yield is immense. In the 
 quiet country, breathing its pure atmosphere, with 
 fresh fruits and vegetables from January to Janu- 
 ary, with milk, butter, honey, and poultry, the 
 product of his farm and accessories to his grove, 
 
12 ORANGE CULTURE IN FLORIDA. 
 
 the man who has once brought his trees into suc- 
 cessful bearing can enjoy all these and much more 
 besides, having at his command an income quite 
 equal to that commanded by owners of blocks of 
 well-improved real estate in our towns and cities, 
 with not one tenth part of the original cost of city 
 investments. Or, if the owner chooses, he is at 
 liberty to go abroad without fear of the incendiary's 
 torch or the failure of commercial firms. And 
 even if a frost should come severe enough to cut 
 down full-grown trees and but one such frost has 
 come in the history of Florida the owner of such 
 a grove has but to wait quietly for three years, and 
 out of the ruin will come a second fortune as large 
 as the first, and without the cost of brick, mortar, 
 and workmen. 
 
 The age to which the orange tree lives, from 
 three hundred to four hundred years, is so great 
 that Americans do not know how to consider it in 
 the light of a permanent investment. The fear has 
 sometimes been expressed that the business will be 
 overdone, that the supply will after a while exceed 
 the demand, and the price of the fruit so decline 
 that the orange will be unprofitable to the grower. 
 But those who entertain this fear have certainly not 
 considered the facts. The area of the States with 
 climate suitable for growing the orange is compar- 
 atively small. The southern portion of California, 
 a very small part of Louisiana, and the whole of 
 Florida, if devoted to orange culture, is but a trifle 
 
THE PROFIT OF ORANGE-GROWING. 13 
 
 compared to the vast sections of the United States 
 which will be well filled with inhabitants long before 
 the orange-growing sections can be brought into 
 bearing. The present yield of fruit grown in the 
 United States furnishes hardly one orange a year to 
 each inhabitant. Our population will likely double, 
 judging the future by the past, in the next thirty or 
 forty years. To furnish such a population with 
 one orange or lemon a day will require no less than 
 thirty thousand millions of oranges or lemons per 
 annum. The skill in gathering, curing, and pack- 
 ing the late and early varieties now appearing will 
 enable the grower to furnish for the market at all 
 seasons of the year either oranges or lemons. The 
 wholesomeness of the fruit, together with its medici- 
 nal qualities, will increase its popularity as an arti- 
 cle of food, until it will be universally used. At 
 present the production of Florida oranges is so 
 small that it is not known in the markets of many 
 of our largest cities. The foreign varieties offered in 
 those markets, even when fully ripe and eaten fresh 
 in their own countries, will not compare with the 
 Florida orange. But in order to reach this country 
 in sound condition they have to be gathered when 
 green, and hence are not only unpalatable but un- 
 wholesome. When the Florida orange becomes 
 generally known, and the supply is adequate, it will 
 exclude foreign fruit, and, because of its excellence, 
 become universally used. Such will be the demand. 
 Already successful shipments have been made to 
 
14 ORANGE CULTURE IN FLORIDA. 
 
 Europe, which at no distant day is to get its best 
 oranges in large quantities from Florida. 
 
 Now note the possibility of supply. Only a small 
 proportion of those sections with climate sufficiently 
 mild to grow the orange can ever be made avail- 
 able. The long dry seasons of California prevent 
 the possibility of growing this fruit in that State ex- 
 cept by irrigation, while the estimated yield per 
 tree is only six hundred oranges. In Louisiana the 
 possible area is but small. In Florida the climatic 
 conditions are more favorable, but the land and 
 location suitable are not one hundredth part of the 
 State. Another fact lessens the possibility of yield. 
 Orange culture belongs to the class of skilled labor. 
 Hundreds engaged in the business will fail, because 
 success requires intelligence, application, patience, 
 and skill. Hundreds have already failed, from one 
 or all of these causes, and have left the State, never 
 dreaming that they alone are to be blamed for their 
 failure. Men in the very communities thus aban- 
 doned have succeeded because they were more pru- 
 dent in the selection of soil and location, and used 
 their intelligence and the intelligence of others, and 
 persevered in the face of partial failure brought 
 about by ignorance. But those men who failed 
 took no advice except that of the landowner who 
 offered to sell land cheaper than any one else. 
 They read nothing that had been written by men 
 who had succeeded. They took no warning of 
 those who had failed. Stilted on their castle of 
 
THE PROFIT OF ORANGE-GROWING. 15 
 
 self-conceit they stood, nor deigned to look down 
 to the humble but prudent laborer for advice, till 
 their castle fell, and they left the State imagining 
 that the *' sand of Florida" had proven an unsta- 
 ble foundation and overthrown them and their cas- 
 tle. Such instances will repeat themselves. Who- 
 ever may succeed, such men will fail. Whatever 
 may be written, and wisely written on the subject, 
 and however published, whether in book or journal, 
 will not be read by them. But while the above 
 facts will lessen the general yield of oranges, it will 
 make the business vastly more profitable to the men 
 who possess the virtues necessary to success. The 
 orange will pay beyond any other fruit at half a 
 cent an orange on the tree. In Europe, where 
 lands are exceedingly high, a grove is considered a 
 most profitable investment, even when the fruit sells 
 at from two dollars to four dollars per thousand. 
 Ten years ago the Florida orange was considered well 
 sold when the grower could get one cent on the 
 tree. Few now sell for less than one and a halt 
 cent, and some average at their groves as high as 
 four cents per orange, and the price still advances. 
 
 In no business can a young man with pluck, in- 
 telligence, and application, so certainly lay the 
 foundation for a competency and fortune as in or- 
 ange-growing in Florida. With the exercise of 
 these he may in ten years be what the country would 
 call a rich man. 
 
 A young man from Middle Florida borrowed 
 
1 6 ORANGE CULTURE IN FLORIDA. 
 
 money enough from his father to buy a piece of 
 land. After paying for his land, located a few 
 miles above Palatka, he landed in Palatka with 
 three dollars in his pocket. These he paid for pro- 
 visions, and went to work growing vegetables on 
 about an acre and a half of cleared land. Six years 
 afterward he sold his place for twelve thousand 
 dollars cash, without owing a cent for anything. 
 Many instances could be given of young men, as 
 well as old men, who have done as well, and of 
 some who have done still better. Young men have 
 frequently written to the author to aid in securing 
 for them a clerkship. His advice has been invari- 
 ably given, " Go to work raising fruit in Florida, and 
 be independent and have a home. 
 
 ORANGE CULTURE IN CALIFORNIA. 
 
 We clip the following statistics of making an or- 
 ange grove in California from the address of Mr. 
 L. M. Holt, Secretary of the Southern California 
 Horticultural Society. It will be observed that the 
 rates are far above those charged in Florida in some 
 of the items, land for one : 
 
 " An orange orchard in full bearing will yield 100,- 
 ooo oranges to the acre. Five dollars per thousand 
 will pay all the expenses of taking care of the orchard 
 and picking and marketing the crop in San Francisco, 
 or to any other market to which the freights are no 
 greater. If the price should come down from the pres- 
 
THE PROFIT OF ORANGE-GROWING, ij 
 
 ent figure to ten dollars per 1000 jobbing rates there 
 will still be left five dollars per 1000, or five hundred 
 dollars per acre for the producer, which on a ten-acre 
 tract will satisfy the cupidity of the most avaricious. 
 There is scarcely a possibility that the price of good 
 clean oranges will reach so low a figure as ten dol- 
 lars per thousand yet, for years to come. 
 
 WHAT WILL IT COST TO GET SUCH AN ORCHARD? 
 
 "Asa guide to those who may desire to figure on 
 the probable expense of starting an orange orchard, 
 I give below some figures which are applicable to 
 Riverside ; they must be changed somewhat for other 
 localities. Land in Riverside settlement is compara- 
 tively high. One year ago good wild land could be 
 obtained for seventy-five dollars per acre, and even at 
 sixty dollars per acre under the canals. To-day there 
 is none for sale at a less figure than one hundred 
 and fifty dollars per acre, and choice land in good lo- 
 cations is held at two hundred dollars per acre firm. 
 Lower priced lands can be had in other localities, and 
 in no place in Southern California does it command 
 as high a figure as here in Riverside. In applying 
 these figures to other localities the price of land can 
 be figured all the way from twenty-five to one hun- 
 dred dollars per acre. Following are the figures for 
 a ten-acre tract : 
 
 COST. 
 
 Ten acres of land in Riverside $1500 
 
 One thousand trees, budded or seedling 75 
 
 Planting and caring for same first season, at 
 
 twenty-five dollars per acre 250 
 
 Caring for orchard second year, at fifteen dollars 
 
 per acre 150 
 
1 8 ORANGE CULTURE IN FLORIDA. 
 
 Third year, fifteen dollars per year 150 
 
 Fourth year, twenty dollars per acre 200 
 
 Fifth year, twenty-five dollars per acre 250 
 
 Other expenses incidental to work 550 
 
 Total for five years $3800 
 
 Interest on investment 1200 
 
 Total $5000 
 
 ' This is the expense account. There will be some 
 receipts. If good budded trees are planted, the third 
 year will give a little fruit, the fourth year still 
 more, and at the end of the fifth year there will be 
 quite a fine crop. In order to be safe in these calcu- 
 lations we will place the yield and prices at the 
 lowest possible estimate : 
 
 Third year crop, scattering orangesa few hun- 
 dred or thousand not counted. 
 
 Fourth year, an average of fifty oranges to the 
 tree 50,000 oranges at twenty dollars per thou- 
 sand $1000 
 
 Fifth year, 200 to the tree 200,000 oranges at 
 
 twenty dollars per thousand 4000 
 
 " If these prices are maintained the owner has his 
 investment all back again at the end of five years, 
 and is ready to ship oranges in large quantities every 
 year thereafter. 
 
 " All persons planting orange orchards do not do as 
 well as this, and some do better. Those figures 
 represent what can be done with good judgment and 
 thorough work. If a man thinks to save by getting 
 cheap and incompetent work, he may succeed in re- 
 ducing the cost a few dollars, and the receipts a few 
 hundred dollars, or even a few thousand dollars. If 
 
THE PROFIT OF ORANGE-GROWING. 19 
 
 he buys a poor tree he can get it for twenty cents, 
 instead of paying the market price for a good thrifty 
 tree, he will make another saving in cost of orchard, 
 and in cost of boxes in which to ship the fruit." 
 
CHAPTER II. 
 
 OF THE SEVERAL METHODS OF PLANTING ORANGE 
 GROVES. 
 
 fHE question is frequently asked, " Which is 
 the best?" The several methods are ist, 
 the budding of the wild sour trees without mov- 
 ing them ; 2d, budding them first and planting 
 afterward in some suitable location ; 3d, plant- 
 ing the sour stumps and budding afterward ; 4th, 
 growing the trees from sweet seed without budding ; ^ ^ 
 5th, planting the sweet seedling and budding either 
 before or after removal from nursery ; 6th, bud- 
 ding on sour seedlings either before or after re- / 
 moval from nursery ; and yth, a grove of sweet seed- 
 lings. 
 
 Each of these plans has some advantage over the 
 others. They all have advocates, but which of all 
 has the greatest number of advantages is question- 
 able. I have tried them all ; but, after stating the 
 advantages of each, must leave to the grower to se- 
 lect for himself as circumstances and inclination 
 may control. 
 
 If one is impatient for returns, let him choose the 
 sour grove, if he can find it, and bud the trees 
 where they stand. With proper management he 
 
SEVERAL METHODS OF PLANTING. 21 
 
 may begin to gather in two years. If he is still 
 impatient but cannot find a sour grove, let him buy 
 the sour stumps, plant them in some suitable loca- 
 tion, and he may begin to gather fruit in three 
 years from planting. But if he can wait a while 
 longer for fruit, with the hope of getting a longer- 
 lived tree and more abundant yield, let him plant 
 younger trees, either seedlings or budded stock. If 
 he wishes an early bearer and comparatively smaller 
 tree, he can select the sour seedling budded. If a 
 larger but later bearer, he can select the sweet seed- 
 ling budded. If he wishes an abundant yield and 
 the largest trees, and can wait a longer time, the 
 sweet seedling unbudded will suit. With good 
 treatment such trees will begin to yield in eight 
 years, and after a longer time, in ninety-nine 
 cases out of a hundred, give him a fair quality 
 of fruit ; but perhaps he will have as many varie- 
 ties or sub- varieties as trees in his grove. The 
 sour stock for a few years grows more rapidly, but 
 will finally make a smaller tree than the sweet. 
 The best quality of fruit can be insured only by 
 budding from the best varieties. 
 
 As to the relative advantages of seedling and 
 budded trees, each year's experience and observa- 
 tion increase my appreciation of budded trees. 
 Were I to plant again, I think I would plant no 
 other. 
 
CHAPTER III. 
 
 THE WILD ORANGE GROVE BUDDED. 
 
 fHIS grove yields so readily under so simple treat- 
 ment that we shall consider it at once. Of course 
 nature has already determined the location, and 
 in many instances the location has been wisely 
 chosen, not only with reference to best protection 
 from frost, but also in many instances with refer- 
 ence to cheap and easy transportation, on the banks 
 of navigable rivers and creeks. Wherever a wild 
 grove can be found so located, the purchaser can 
 afford to pay a liberal price if he has to buy, or the 
 owner can afford to improve by the most approved 
 methods. 
 
 Many, however, have been the blunders made in 
 attempts to improve such valuable property. I 
 know of many groves greatly damaged, and some 
 completely sacrificed, by bad management. The 
 two mistakes most frequently made in the treatment 
 of such groves are, first, the reckless destruction of 
 the forest trees furnished by nature for the protec- 
 tion of the orange, and, second, the continued pull- 
 ing off of the young shoots from the stumps cut off 
 for the purpose of budding. The first and second 
 buds having failed, the cultivator continues to re- 
 
WILD ORANGE GROVE BUDDED. 23 
 
 duce the vitality of the tree by pulling off the young 
 shoots, until at last the sap, for want of elaboration 
 through the leaf, becomes diseased, and the tree, 
 tenacious of life as it is, dies of the double cause of 
 exhaustion and disease. It may be well to caution 
 the orange-grower at once against the commission 
 or repetition of this frequent blunder. Few of our 
 forest trees will survive being cut down to a stump ; 
 still fewer will survive if the young shoots are kept 
 down for a few months. Every time the young 
 shoots are pulled off, the young rootlets, correspond- 
 ing to and starting at the same instant with the 
 shoots, die, and the effort of nature to restore vital- 
 ity is checked and weakened until the hardiest tree 
 is soon killed. In budding old stumps I have found 
 it of great advantage to allow a few shoots to grow 
 along the trunk, below the bud, pinching back 
 these shoots, allowing a few leaves on each shoot 
 to grow to full size, and so furnishing the tree with 
 healthy sap, encouraging the development and ma- 
 turity of new wood and new roots, and keeping up 
 an active circulation. Continue this until the sweet 
 bud has so far advanced as to be able to furnish the 
 tree with sufficient leaf to enable it to collect suf- 
 ficient carbon from the atmosphere to insure the 
 health of the tree. After this point has been reach- 
 ed you may then pluck off all the sour shoots and 
 keep them off. In some instances where a sweet 
 bud has made an early start, a more vigorous 
 growth of the sweet bud may be obtained by pluck- 
 
24 ORANGE CULTURE IN FLORIDA. 
 
 ing off all the sour shoots from the first, but this is 
 at the risk of the health of both the stock and the 
 bud. I will mention one other thing in this con- 
 nection : do not allow the sweet bud to grow too 
 long before pinching it back. If allowed to grow 
 two or three feet, as it will from a very vigorous 
 stump, it is liable to be broken off by the wind. 
 But even if it should be securely tied so as to pre- 
 vent such an accident, it should, nevertheless, be 
 pinched back in order to hasten the maturity of its 
 own wood and leaves. The mature leaves are nec- 
 essary to the health of both stock and bud, and 
 necessary to gain a controlling influence over the 
 circulation, and to draw it as early as possible to the 
 sweet bud. By this means also the mature wood of 
 the sweet bud is better enabled to resist the blight- 
 ing influence of both sun and frost. Still another 
 advantage is gained. By pinching back the bud it 
 is induced to branch near its junction with the 
 stock and thus enlarge and strengthen its connection 
 with the stock. 
 
 I again call the attention of the reader to the 
 other mistake mentioned in the beginning of this 
 chapter, and so frequently made by those who have 
 undertaken to improve wild groves. Nature has 
 not only planted these groves, found above the frost 
 line on the south side of bodies of water, but has 
 also taken the additional precaution to plant them 
 under the protection of forest trees. Thus doubly 
 guarded, these orange trees have grown, some of 
 
WILD ORANGE GROVE BUDDED. 25 
 
 them probably for a century. As the cold winds 
 from the north-west have swept down upon them, 
 the frost has been tempered by passing over a body 
 of water of higher temperature than the winds. 
 The spreading branches of forest trees, hanging like 
 canopies, have checked the radiation of heat pass- 
 ing from the surface of the earth, and inclosed the 
 orange grove in a vapor bath. And even if the 
 tempest has been too strong and cold, and swept 
 away the warm air-blanket thrown by nature over 
 the tender orange shoot, and the cold has frozen 
 the sap until the tender woody tissues have been 
 ruptured, still the forest trees have stood like foster- 
 mothers to keep off the rays of the morning sun till 
 these ruptured tissues and sap vessels could be heal- 
 ed by the efforts of nature. The mother who has 
 'suddenly plunged the body of her scalded child 
 into a bath of flour or oil to save the child from 
 suffering and death, has not shown a tenderer care 
 than the forest trees have extended for scores of 
 years over their charges. And yet the first thing 
 done by many of us who wished to improve our wild 
 groves was to cut down these natural protectors to a 
 tree. The wonder is, not that so many of these 
 wild groves have been destroyed, but that any have 
 been saved after such abuse. 
 
 But we will not now discuss the advantages of par- 
 tial forest protection. The subject is of too much 
 importance to be dismissed in a single paragraph. 
 We will consider this subject in a separate chapter 
 
26 ORANGE CULTURE IN FLORIDA. 
 
 further along. I have thus early noticed this sub- 
 ject lest the reader may do what I and hundreds 
 of others have done destroy these magnificent wild 
 groves when attempting to improve them. 
 
 Before beginning to bud a wild orange grove, first 
 cut down all the underbrush, and then the smaller 
 forest trees. This rubbish can be removed or 
 burned and the ashes used as fertilizer for the orange 
 trees, spreading a liberal quantity around the trunks 
 to keep off the " wood-lice" white ants which 
 frequently attack trees where there is much rubbish 
 left on the ground. Or, if lime can be had, sprinkle 
 this around the trunks and let the rubbish rot on 
 the ground. The decayed brush will add greatly 
 to the fertility of the soil and will soon be out of the 
 way. It would add greatly, however, to the ease 
 with which you accomplish your subsequent work 
 to take all this rubbish out of the way. 
 
 The ground cleared of underbrush and small 
 trees, pass through and -select at suitable intervals 
 the forest trees you wish to remain. Select a plenty 
 of these trees, and mark them so that they will not 
 be cut down. If afterward they are found standing 
 too thickly on the ground, some of them can be 
 felled. If felled too hastily, fifty years cannot re- 
 store them. The number of these trees which are 
 to remain is to be determined by circumstances. 
 If the place is well protected by water, fewer trees 
 will answer. But be certain to leave enough trees 
 to keep off the morning sun after a frost, as it is 
 
WILD ORANGE GROVE BUDDED. 27 
 
 the sudden thawing more than the freeze which kills 
 the trees. Trees intended for shelter should be of 
 habits the opposite of those of the orange. You 
 wish the orange to have low-spreading branches. 
 Select as their protectors trees so tall that their lower 
 branches will not interfere with the foliage of the 
 orange. The orange tree sends most of its roots 
 near the surface of the ground. Select as their pro- 
 tectors trees that send their roots deep. I have no- 
 ticed several varieties of live oak in the State. Only 
 one of these is in the habit of sending its roots deep 
 into the soil. Whenever I have found this variety 
 growing I could plant the orange close to its trunk 
 without damage to the orange. The persimmon 
 has this habit of deep feeding, but unfortunately it 
 drops its foliage in the winter. The pine has this 
 habit only when grown in a well-drained soil. 
 There are some individual trees whose habits are 
 an exception to the general habits of the variety*.' N 
 These can soon be discovered by the use of the 
 spade or hoe. But if trees without surface feeders 
 cannot be found, then select trees with other desira- 
 ble qualities and cut the surface roots by a trench 
 ten or twelve inches deep a few feet from and around 
 the base. After those trees have been selected and 
 marked which you wish to remain, you can now cut 
 next such trees as can be felled without damage to the 
 standing orange trees. The work thus far should 
 be done during the fall or winter, so as to be ready 
 for the spring and summer work which is to follow. 
 
28 ORANGE CULTURE IN FLORIDA. 
 
 In early spring, before the new growth of the 
 orange has started, begin to saw off the limbs of 
 the orange trees if they branch near the ground, 
 taking off all the top. If the trunks are long, cut 
 off the tree, leaving about two and a half feet of 
 stump. Immediately afterward fell the balance 
 of the forest trees that are to be cut. 
 
 So soon as the sap begins to flow freely, and the 
 bark to break by the springing of new shoots, insert 
 sweet ' ' sprig' ' buds, ranging from the top to six 
 inches below the top of the stump, inserting four 
 or more buds to the tree. I have sometimes has- 
 tened the development of the bud by inserting the 
 bud before cutting off the top, if the sap was flow- 
 ing freely, and so soon as the bud was known to 
 be living then cutting off the top. But this has 
 been with trees standing apart from others. Where 
 they stand thickly, as is generally the cas'e in the wild 
 grove, the felling of the tops usually knocks out or 
 so disturbs the bud as to cause it to die. 
 
 As the young sour shoots start, rub off all above 
 and in the immediate vicinity of the buds. Allow 
 a few shoots to remain along the trunk, but pinch 
 them back after growing a few inches. Be careful 
 to allow none to reach higher than the bud, as the 
 tendency of the sap is to flow in greatest abundance 
 to the highest point. I have already mentioned 
 some advantages to be derived from first allowing 
 sour shoots to grow and then pinching them back. 
 I mention one other advantage. This method 
 
WILD ORANGE GROVE BUDDED. 29 
 
 soon furnishes new and mature wood on which to 
 bud if the first buds fail. 
 
 After the sweet buds have grown ten or twelve 
 inches, pinch back, simply taking out the terminal 
 bud. So soon as the buds have started fairly a sec- 
 ond growth, you may begin to lessen the quantity 
 of the sour shoots below, until you can safely risk 
 the tree's health with the foliage furnished by the 
 sweet bud. You may have to occasionally pinch 
 back the sweet bud. It is safest to hold it in such 
 check as will hasten the maturity of wood, and thick- 
 ness rather than length of branches. 
 
 In the after-cultivation of such groves, if the de- 
 posit of leaves is sufficient to keep down the grass, 
 do not disturb the soil with plow or hoe for the first 
 year or two. Pull up or cut down with a scythe 
 any weeds that may spring up. I believe such 
 groves can be most economically and successfully 
 cultivated by keeping up nature's method. I have 
 had several letters of inquiry as to the proper culti- 
 vation of such groves, correspondents dwelling upon 
 the difficulties of plowing and hoeing while roots 
 were so near the surface. 
 
CHAPTER IV. 
 
 GROVES FROM TRANSPLANTED SOUR STUMPS. 
 
 fHE next most expeditious way of getting a 
 sweet grove is from transplanted stumps of 
 sour trees. It is sometimes the case that per- 
 sons improving wild groves, having budded all 
 the trees and rinding them too thickly set on the 
 ground, will sell those budded stumps at a fair 
 price. When this is the case a grove can be brought 
 into bearing in a short time. I have frequently 
 had such trees to fruit the same year of planting. 
 But this has been the case only where they have 
 been taken up with great care, with abundance of 
 root, and removed but a short distance. But even 
 where this early fruiting can be secured, the policy is 
 doubtful. The tree should not be taxed with efforts 
 to bear fruit so early after its removal and in its en- 
 feebled condition. It requires much greater effort 
 on the part of the tree to bear fruit than to produce 
 new wood. One of these budded sour stumps of 
 medium size, carefully taken up with good roots 
 and carefully cultivated, will begin the second year 
 to bear considerable fruit, if it has not been allowed 
 to fruit the year of planting. The third year such 
 
GROVES FROM SOJJR STUMPS. 31 
 
 a tree will begin to pay a good interest on the in- 
 vestment of purchase-money. 
 
 There are some objections to a grove of this kind. 
 These trees from old stumps never grow to be so 
 large as the unbudded seedlings, nor bear so 
 abundantly. They are believed also to be much 
 shorter lived. European writers tell us such is the 
 case, but I do not believe that our experience in 
 Florida has been of sufficient length to test the age 
 to which one of these trees will live and bear fruit. 
 Some of the oldest bearing trees in this State, of 
 such origin, are still fine bearers and in vigorous 
 health. One other objection I will mention. It 
 is generally believed that it is hard to make the old 
 stumps live. The sad experience of those of us 
 who, a few years ago, bought such stumps by the 
 hundred and had them die almost as fast as they 
 were set, has made this kind of business very un- 
 popular. But I am persuaded that most of this dis- 
 aster can be attributed to ignorance and careless- 
 ness. I am satisfied now that if I had handled 
 sweet seedlings as I and every one else then han- 
 dled sour stumps, the sweet seedlings would have 
 died almost as badly. There is no doubt that the 
 younger the tree the less risk there is in removing 
 it. But the early return to be gathered from these 
 sour stumps, budded either before or after removal, 
 will justify the risk in planting a few in every new 
 grove, and if the stumps can be bought at a fair 
 price and are near at hand, so as not to be damaged 
 
32 ORANGE CULTURE IN FLORIDA. 
 
 in transporting them, the grower would do well to 
 plant them liberally. In transplanting sour stumps 
 too much care cannot be exercised. 
 
 Many of the wild groves are found in low wet 
 land. The tap-root is small, and the laterals near 
 the surface, while reaching a considerable distance, 
 have few or no fibrous roots near the base of the 
 tree. They have also been accustomed to an 
 abundance of shade and moisture. One must see 
 at once that new and entirely different habits must 
 be formed by such trees transplanted into a drier 
 soil and with less shade and moisture. These new 
 habits have to be formed at a time when the tree is 
 least able to bear the change. It is better to select 
 trees grown in a drier soil. I have, however, suc- 
 . ceeded in transplanting trees from a swamp, at the 
 time of taking them up flooded with water. Some 
 such are now healthy and fine bearers. 
 
 In taking up large sour trees, have at hand a 
 sharp axe, a sharp narrow-bladed saw, and two sharp 
 spades prepared especially for such work. The 
 spades should be made to order, narrower than 
 usual, with handle and jaws sufficiently stout to be 
 used in prying. With such tools the work will be 
 greatly expedited and done much more satisfactori- 
 ly. The time saved in one day's work with such 
 tools will pay for their cost. 
 
 If ready to begin, saw off the top, leaving a 
 stump five or six feet high to be used as a lever for 
 bending the tree out of its bed. Now drive down 
 
GROVES FROM SOUR STUMPS. 33 
 
 the spade, cutting the roots in a circle two feet and 
 a half from the base or trunk. Shake the tree to 
 see if all the lateral roots have been cut. If not it 
 will be necessary to cut a trench the width of the 
 spade to enable you to cut deeper. In making the 
 second cut incline the point of the spade toward the 
 tap-root. Next cut the tap-root two feet and a half 
 from the surface and lift the stump from its bed. 
 Place the stumps at once in the shade and wrap 
 them well with wet green moss. Protect as far as 
 possible from the sun and drying winds. After 
 taking a stump from the soil plant it in position as 
 soon as possible. One great cause of failure has 
 arisen from keeping them out of the ground too 
 long, and allowing the roots to be exposed to wind 
 and sun. 
 
 In setting, have the holes freshly dug. Do not 
 allow the soil to dry before it is replaced around the 
 roots. Dig the holes, for resetting, five feet wide 
 and ten or twelve inches deep. If the holes are 
 dug too deep it is almost impossible to keep the 
 tree from sinking too deep in its position, as the 
 fresh soil settles. In the centre of the hole dig a 
 deeper hole the width of the spade for the tap-root. 
 With a sharp knife, and where the roots are too 
 large for the knife, with a sharp saw with fine teeth, 
 cut away all fractures and bruises from the ends of 
 roots. So set the tree that it will stand, after the 
 soil has been settled by showers, a little higher than 
 it stood in its original bed. It had better be higher 
 
34 ORANGE CULTURE IN FLORIDA. 
 
 by two inches than lower by one inch than it origi- 
 nally grew. You cannot be too cautious at this 
 point. If the tree is set too deep, it may live, but it 
 will not flourish for some time ; it may be not for 
 years, but certainly not till it has sent out fresh 
 surface roots to take the place of those which have 
 been smothered by having been buried too deeply. 
 The tree having been put in position, replace the 
 soil, packing it first firmly around the tap-root. 
 Now press down the ends of the laterals so that 
 they will have a slight dip, and fill in with soil, 
 treading it firmly upon the roots. Finally cover 
 over with two inches of light soil and leave the 
 ground level. When the ground is sufficiently wet 
 it is not necessary to use water. But if the ground 
 is dry, use enough water to settle the soil firmly 
 around the roots, and especially around the tap- 
 root, but do not wet the top layer of earth. I pre- 
 fer planting after showers to using water. If the 
 planting is done in spring or summer, mulch at 
 once with one or two inches of litter, and if the 
 trees have been set in the open ground shelter them 
 from the sun by setting a pine bough to the south 
 of the tree. If the stumps have been taken from 
 a dry soil the above is sufficient to insure their liv- 
 ing, but if taken from a very wet soil, be careful to 
 keep the ground moist till the new roots have well 
 started and penetrated well into the soil. The 
 stump should be cut off two and a half feet high. 
 If the stumps have been budded, and the buds have 
 
GROVES FROM SOUR STUMPS. 35 
 
 grown to considerable length, cut them back, leav- 
 ing here and there a few leaves to direct the current 
 of the sap into the sweet wood. If the stumps have 
 not been budded, so soon as the bark begins to 
 break with new shoots and separate freely from the 
 wood, insert three or four sprig buds near the top, 
 and treat the tree as directed in budding the natural 
 grove. Fertilizers should not be added till the trees 
 are well established. When fertilizers are applied, 
 do not place them near the trunk and above the 
 roots, but a little beyond their extremity. 
 
CHAPTER V. 
 
 PLANTING THE ORANGE SEED. 
 
 selecting seed for the nursery, if you intend 
 budding the young trees, you need not be 
 careful as to the quality of fruit from which the 
 seed is taken. The plant from the sour seed, 
 as already stated, will for a few years grow more 
 rapidly, but make a smaller tree than the plant from 
 the sweet fruit. 
 
 If you desire to grow your trees without budding, 
 select only from the best fruit, and from trees not 
 grown in the vicinity of any trees bearing sour or 
 indifferent fruit. All the varieties and even species 
 of the citrus family mix very readily, and if grown 
 in close proximity, seeds from the same tree will 
 give an endless variety of fruits, the tendency, how- 
 ever, being toward the kind produced by the tree 
 from which the fruit is plucked, as the pistils are 
 more apt to be fertilized by pollen from flowers 
 near at hand. 
 
 If sour seed are to be planted, the fruit may be 
 thrown into piles till rotted and the seed washed 
 out from the pulp. But whatever kind is used, do 
 not allow the seed to dry. Put them at once into 
 moist sand, to be kept till ready for planting. 
 
PLANTING THE ORANGE SEED. 37 
 
 The seeds may be planted either in boxes, or in 
 the open ground, or under glass, as quantity or 
 other circumstances may suggest. If fruit is eaten 
 in the early winter, the seed may at once be planted 
 in boxes and the boxes set in some warm place in- 
 doors, and the plants be so far advanced as to be 
 ready to set in the nursery early in the spring. 
 
 In preparing beds or boxes for seed, have the bot- 
 tom soil covered two or three inches deep with fresh 
 leaf mould from the hummock. Place the seeds 
 about one inch apart and cover with half an inch of 
 soil leaf mould. Finish by a covering of one inch 
 of mulching and a thorough watering. Keep the 
 soil moist, but not wet If the seed-bed is in the 
 open ground it is well to hold the mulching in 
 place by laying a few brush on the bed. 
 
 I have sometimes succeeded very well by allow- 
 ing the seed to remain in a box of sand till they 
 have started to sprout and then planting them di- 
 rectly in the nursery. In this case select a place 
 partially sheltered by forest trees. Prepare the soil 
 thoroughly for ten or twelve inches deep. Open 
 the rows four feet apart and eight inches deep. Fill 
 to within two inches of the top with well-rotted 
 muck, drop the seed three inches apart, and cover 
 with one and a half inch of soil. 
 
 In selecting a position for the nursery, if your 
 place is well protected by water on the cold points 
 you may risk your nursery in the open field. But 
 if you are not satisfied about the protection, select a 
 
38 ORANGE CULTURE IN FLORIDA. 
 
 position sheltered from the morning sun, to prevent 
 the too sudden thawing after a frost I would pre- 
 fer shade on the south as well, as the sun some- 
 times breaks out suddenly during a cold snap about 
 noon. Under such circumstances I have known 
 serious damage done to young plants. A still bet- 
 ter plan is to clear away a half or a quarter of an 
 acre of ground in the midst of a tall forest. Around 
 this half acre or quarter acre sink a ditch two feet 
 deep, in order to cut the surface roots of the forest 
 trees. Plow or spade the land deep. Open the 
 rows four feet apart and eight or ten inches deep, 
 fill them with good muck or leaf mould clear of such 
 litter as would attract wood-lice. Over this muck 
 place an inch or two of soil to keep the muck 
 moist. A dressing of ashes or slaked lime will be 
 of advantage, especially if the muck has not been 
 previously well rotted in heaps. Your land can 
 now stand till the trees are ready to be taken from 
 the seed-bed. Some prefer putting the muck, or 
 whatever fertilizer is used, broadcast over the land. 
 But my reason for advising the muck to be put in 
 drills is that if well rotted it will not heat, but will 
 serve to keep the roots of the young plant in a com- 
 pact body. A great deal is saved by this means 
 when you come to transplant to the grove ; the roots 
 having grown in a compact body, very little will be 
 lost by root-pruning. And where the distance from 
 the nursery to the grove is short, and the trans- 
 planting is done when the ground is wet, the en-. 
 
PLANTING THE ORANGE SEED. 39 
 
 tire ball of muck may be taken along with and ad- 
 hering to the roots, and the tree hardly feel the 
 shock of the removal. When the young plants in 
 the seed-beds are a few inches high and have four 
 or five leaves, they may be transplanted to the nur- 
 sery. In taking them up, cut off the ends of the 
 tap-roots so that they will not be apt to double up 
 in setting them. The setting is better done in 
 rainy weather. The ground should be thoroughly 
 wet in order to insure a good result. The rows can 
 now be opened four or five inches deep, and the 
 young plants dropped at a distance of six inches 
 apart. Let a hand follow, and before the roots have 
 time to dry set them in an upright position, care- 
 fully spreading out the roots and packing the soil 
 around them. -Be careful not to set the plants 
 deeper than they grew in the seed-beds. When a 
 row or two have been set, level off the ground with 
 a rake, leaving the sandy soil on the surface and 
 not the muck, as the latter hardens under the influ- 
 ence of the sun. If a shower does not follow soon, 
 it is well to water, in order to settle the earth well 
 around the roots. If the sun is hot, a little shade 
 for a few weeks would be beneficial. Pine boughs 
 can be laid over the ground, or palmetto leaves 
 stuck along the rows. The nursery should be 
 thoroughly worked and kept clear of weeds and 
 grass, and the soil frequently stirred to the depth of 
 two inches. 
 
 Eight or ten months before removing the plants 
 
40 ORANGE CULTURE IN FLORIDA. 
 
 from the nursery, root-prune the young plants. 
 This can be done by pushing a sharp spade eight 
 or ten inches deep on each side, and six inches 
 from the rows. This can be done more expedi- 
 tiously by placing a revolving cutter on a plow to 
 be drawn by a horse. This method of root-pruning 
 has all the advantage of replanting, with the addi- 
 tional advantage of great saving of labor and little 
 check to the growing plants. 
 
CHAPTER VI. 
 
 BUDDING. 
 
 .. HERE it is the purpose of the orange-grower 
 to bud his trees it is better that the budding 
 should be done before the trees are taken from 
 the nursery. The reasons are ist, the sooner in 
 the life of the tree the budding is done the earlier 
 and more thorough the healing of the wounds ; 
 2d, the budding is done with greater ease and ra- 
 pidity in the nursery than in the grove ; 3d, in 
 transplanting trees of considerable size it is. impos- 
 sible to take up all the roots, and as it is necessary 
 that the top should not exceed in proportion the 
 roots in transplanting trees, it is beneficial to cut 
 back the top considerably. If the budding has 
 been done but a few months before transplanting, 
 the wounds will have healed and the proportion be- 
 tween the roots and top will have become about 
 right for transplanting without the necessity of in- 
 flicting new wounds upon the branches at a time 
 when the tree is in its most tender condition. 
 
 A good time to begin to bud is when the trees in 
 the nursery are one year old. By budding every 
 alternate tree the budded trees can be set the fol- 
 
42 ORANGE CULTURE IN FLORIDA. 
 
 lowing season, leaving greater space for larger 
 growth of the trees left in the nursery. Those re- 
 maining can be budded when two years old and 
 set the season following. Where trees are to be 
 bought from the nurseryman it is preferable to 
 plant trees older than one or two years, as older 
 trees come into bearing sooner. But where per- 
 sons are growing their own stock, the sooner they 
 are set, after the first year, in position, the more 
 rapidly they will grow, if the trees are properly 
 cultivated. 
 
 In budding nursery stock, but one plan, that of 
 inserting a single bud, is practised. The graft has 
 not done well. Grafted trees will live, but they do 
 not grow so thriftily as the budded tree. Grafting 
 is sometimes resorted to when one wishes to pre- 
 serve a new variety, and he has obtained a cutting 
 of this new variety in winter when the sap is not in 
 condition for budding. Sprig budding is not re- 
 sorted to for nursery stock, as the stem is usually 
 too small to admit the sprig. Do not attempt to 
 bud except when the sap is flowing freely so freely 
 that the bud will readily lift the bark as you push 
 it downward into its position. The stock to be 
 budded should be trimmed so as to have as few as 
 possible of branches or leaves in the way of the oper- 
 ator. The trimming should be done several days 
 beforehand, so that the wounds may be in a healing 
 condition and the flow of sap not checked by too 
 much cutting at the time of budding. The bud- 
 
BUDDING. 43 
 
 ding-knife should be sharp, that it may cut through 
 the hard wood of the bud without splitting the fibre 
 of the wood or bark. 
 
 Select buds from healthy and vigorous trees of 
 the variety to be propagated. They should not be 
 too old or they will be slow in starting, nor too 
 young lest they perish. The wood from which they 
 are taken should be nearly mature, between the 
 angular and the round. Select buds with well-de- 
 veloped eyes. It is sometimes the case that insects 
 have eaten out the eyes. It is useless to put in 
 such buds. In cutting the bud from the branch, do 
 not hold the blade of the knife at right angles with 
 the branch, as in such a position it is likely to slip 
 in and out, following the grain of the wood, and so 
 giving an uneven surface to the face of the bud. 
 The face of the bud should be so level and straight 
 that when it is pushed into its position the cut sur- 
 face will at all points touch the wood of the 
 stock and so exclude the air. To prevent this ir- 
 regularity of surface, hold the blade of the knife 
 firmly in the hand and almost parallel with the 
 branch from which the bud is being cut. In cut- 
 ting, draw the knife to you, as the cut will be 
 smoother by this method than if the bud were sev- 
 ered from the branch by simply pressing the blade 
 through the wood. The knife should be inserted 
 half an inch above the bud and come out a half or 
 three quarters of an inch below. It is better to 
 insert the bud on the north side of the stock. The 
 
44 ORANGE CULTURE IN FLORIDA. 
 
 incision in the stock should be made with a down- 
 ward cut and about three fourths of an inch long. 
 At the top of this incision make a cross incision, 
 each time only cutting through the bark. With 
 the point of the knife, turning the back of the blade 
 to the wood so as not to dull the blade, raise the 
 bark at the top of and on either side of the first in- 
 cision, so as to enable you to insert and push down 
 the bud. If the sap is flowing freely the bud in its 
 downward motion will easily lift the bark, and as 
 it takes its position exclude the air from beneath it 
 and the wood of the stock. After the bud has 
 been pushed partly down with the fingers, place 
 the blade of the knife one fourth of an inch above 
 the eye of the bud and perpendicular to the line of 
 the first incision, press the knife through the bark 
 of the bud, and by a downward motion force the 
 bud down till the knife comes directly over the sec- 
 ond incision. Tie in the bud with strips of cloth a 
 quarter or a half inch wide, or, what is better, with 
 strings of woollen yarn, as its elasticity will not al- 
 low the strangling of the bud so soon. In tying 
 do not bring the cloth or string in contact with the 
 eye of the bud. So wrap as to hold the bud firmly 
 in its place, and to exclude the rain if any should 
 fall soon after budding. Revisit the buds eight 
 or ten days after they have been inserted. If they 
 are living, take the wrapping from that part of the 
 bud below the eye. The wrapping above the eye 
 may be loosened, but it should not be taken off so 
 
B UDDING. 45 
 
 soon. Where the bud is living, cut off the stock 
 three or four inches above. As the bud grows it 
 should be tied to this upper section of the stock for 
 support. After the bud has started on its second 
 growth, if the stock is small it should then be cut 
 off just above the bud ; if larger, a longer time 
 should be allowed before cutting off the stock close 
 to the bud. 
 
 Before leaving this subject, attention is called to 
 the importance of having the top of the bud fit 
 neatly against the bark above. The law governing 
 the growth of trees is this : the sap passing upward 
 through the pores of the sap, wood is elaborated 
 through the leaf. It is only after the new sap has 
 entered the leaf and absorbed carbon from the at- 
 mosphere that it is ready to make new wood. The 
 sap having secured its carbon descends the tree 
 mainly between the bark and the wood. As it de- 
 scends evaporation is carried on through the pores 
 of the bark, and the thickened sap makes a deposit 
 along the line of its descent and around the trunk 
 of the tree just under the bark. This thickened 
 sap presently hardens into wood. It is this fact, 
 that new wood is generally formed by this doom- 
 ward flow of sap, which makes it so important that 
 the top of the bud should come in close contact 
 with the upper bark. Placed thus it is put in con- 
 tact with and in the way of the direct current of 
 life. Placed otherwise, its chance of life is dependent 
 upon lateral circulation or absorption. 
 
46 ORANGE CULTURE IN FLORIDA. 
 
 If the buds are from the Mandarin or Tangerine 
 varieties, insert them during spring or autumn, as 
 they do not Jive readily when inserted during the 
 heat of summer. 
 
CHAPTER VII. 
 
 SELECTING A LOCATION FOR AN ORANGE GROVE. 
 
 fpECIAL reference should be had to drainage, 
 soil, water protection, forest protection, prox- 
 imity to fertilizers, and facilities for transporta- 
 tion. The soil for a grove should be thoroughly 
 drained, either naturally or artificially. Not only 
 should the surface water be carried off, but the 
 drainage should be so deep as to allow roots, and 
 especially the tap-root, to penetrate for several feet. 
 Some think that less than ten feet is not sufficient. 
 But there are in this State groves of fine old trees 
 and good bearers with considerably less than ten 
 feet of drained soil. The sour stock will flourish 
 on a much wetter soil than the sweet. And it may 
 be that these groves that have long done well in 
 such localities are sour stocks budded. Where 
 choice of location can be made, and especially if 
 sweet stocks are to be planted, select a soil well 
 drained by nature. Art and labor can accomplish 
 a great deal, but it costs something, and the effect 
 is not so permanent as when nature has done the 
 work. If no positive evil arise from a wet subsoil 
 in close proximity to the surface, still there are 
 reasons why a deep, dry, or moist soil is better. 
 
48 ORANGE CULTURE IN FLORIDA. 
 
 While it is true that the principal feeders of the 
 orange lie near the surface, yet whoever will take 
 the pains to examine the roots of an old orange tree 
 grown in a deep and well-drained subsoil will find 
 that these roots have penetrated for many feet deep 
 into the earth and in all directions from the tree. 
 Now if trees have been set twenty feet apart in the 
 grove and the soil is drained but one foot deep, the 
 roots of each tree have but four hundred cubic feet 
 of soil in which to feed 20 x 20 = 400. But if the 
 soil has been drained to the depth of ten feet, then 
 the feeding ground for the roots has been increased 
 tenfold, and instead of four hundred cubic feet of 
 soil in which to feed, the tree has four thousand cu- 
 bic feet 20 x 20 x 10 = 4000. This advantage is 
 more especially to be considered where the subsoil is 
 sandy, as in such a soil air and other nutriment for 
 the roots penetrate to a greater depth. But there 
 are some of these wet soils found in our State that 
 are positively poisonous to the orange, as they con- 
 tain a large per centum of salt chloride of sodium. 
 Such is the case with soils underlaid with " hard- 
 pan," a stratum seemingly of dark sandstone, un- 
 derlying many sections of our State, and generally 
 but a few feet from the surface. Analysis will 
 probably show this " hard-pan" to be a concrete of 
 sand, iron, and salt. The best surface indication 
 of the presence of ' ' hard-pan' ' is an abundance of 
 saw palmetto with an abundance of roots above the 
 surface. The palmetto feeds largely upon salt, its 
 
SELECTING A LOCATION. 49 
 
 roots containing an unusually large per cent. But 
 ' ' what is fun' ' and life to the palmetto is death to 
 the orange, as well as to the pockets of hundreds of 
 those who have attempted in vain to grow oranges 
 on lands underlaid with " hard-pan/' If your 
 land has on it an abundance of saw palmetto with 
 roots on the surface, do not select that location for 
 an orange grove until you have dug a few feet be- 
 . low the surface in search of ' * hard-pan. ' ' If you 
 wish to ascertain the depth of natural drainage, re- 
 visit the hole twenty-four hours after it is dug, and 
 measure the distance from the top of the water to 
 the surface of the ground. The distance is the 
 depth of the natural drainage of the soil. 
 
 The orange will grow in a variety of soils in 
 clayey, sandy, shelly, or loamy soils ; in ham- 
 mocks black or gray ; on pine lands or black-jack 
 ridges. It does well on soil underlaid with clay or 
 sand. It will even do well on a light soil underlaid 
 with white sand if fertilizers are annually applied. 
 But whoever wishes to plant an orange grove should 
 be careful to select the best available soil. Perhaps 
 the poorest soil suitable for orange-growing is that 
 underlaid with a white sand, as such a soil leaches 
 very readily the soluble manure. Perhaps the best 
 soil is found in our dark gray hammock with deep 
 soil underlaid with a yellow clay or yellow sand 
 subsoil. The natural growth should be tall and 
 large, with an abundance of live oak and hickory, 
 as such a growth would indicate an abundance of 
 
50 ORANGE CULTURE IN FLORIDA. 
 
 lime. Of our pine land, that on which the hickory 
 is found mixed with the pine, with yellow subsoil, 
 should rank first. Such a soil is really a mixed 
 hammock and pine. Next to this is the pine 
 mixed with willow, oak, and black-jack. Consid- 
 ering the ease with which such lands as the last 
 two classes are cleared and planted, and the readiness 
 with which the orange grows on them, they deserve 
 a high rank, and especially if fertilizers are close at 
 hand. In selecting a location in the purely pine 
 lands, select that which is thickly set with tall trees, 
 well drained, and with a yellow subsoil. Such soils, 
 if occasionally dressed with alkaline manures, grow 
 the orange admirably. 
 
 While with proper care the orange may be grown 
 successfully in almost any portion of the State of 
 Florida, still it is wise to select a location which 
 may combine all conditions favorable to the best 
 results. Among the favorable conditions we would 
 mention water protection. Whoever has travelled 
 over the State, not by railroad or steambpat, but 
 through the country, and noted the effects of frost 
 here and there upon the orange trees, and es- 
 pecially at the close of a severe winter, must attach 
 great importance to water protection. Its advan- 
 tages were known to the old settlers, as witness their 
 frequent advice to those who in later years have 
 gone into the orange business. Its advantages 
 were known to and made available by nature so far 
 back that " the memory of man knoweth not to the 
 
SELECTING A LOCATION. 51 
 
 contrary," as witness the many wild-orange groves 
 to the south-east of lakes and rivers. As our coldest 
 winds come from the north-west, the benefit of water 
 protection on any given location is in proportion to 
 the width of the water lying to the north-west, and 
 the proximity of such a body of water to said loca- 
 tion. There may be seeming exceptions to this 
 general rule. Air currents are governed by laws 
 similar to those governing water. Hence, when 
 any obstruction suddenly opposes a current, whether 
 of air or water, an eddy or circular motion is given 
 to the current. Bodies of timber with dense under- 
 growth standing on the north or north-west of a 
 grove and along the shore of the river or lake have 
 the effect of creating a rolling current of air like a 
 breaker from the ocean rolling over a sandbar, and 
 so, when the wind is from the north-west, bring 
 down upon the grove a stratum of freezing air from 
 above. The remedy for this is to clear out the un- 
 derbrush along the shore and allow the warmer air 
 from the surface of the water to flow through the 
 grove. The taller trees should stand to keep the 
 violence of the wind from the orange grove, and to 
 check the violence of the air current upon the moist 
 soil, which readily yields its moisture along with its 
 heat to a strong air current, and so intensifies the 
 cold. It is regretted that some good locations along 
 the St. Johns have been marred, and groves made to 
 suffer damage from want of attention to the above. 
 The above facts also account for the well-known 
 
52 ORANGE CULTURE IN FLORIDA. 
 
 fact that the frost sometimes " strikes in spots or 
 streaks. ' ' 
 
 Proximity to fertilizers is another favorable con- 
 dition to be considered. The orange tree is a rav- 
 enous feeder and an abundant bearer, and however 
 fertile the original soil may be, and even though it 
 should be sufficient to produce fine trees and sus- 
 tain them for a few years, any soil would finally 
 become exhausted and need to be replenished. 
 Commercial manures can be bought, but even when 
 transportation is cheap the cost is considerable. 
 The abundant and frequent deposits of muck in al- 
 most every locality have been shown by repeated 
 experiments to be a valuable fertilizer. It would 
 be well for the person looking for a location for an 
 orange grove to have an eye to such a deposit close 
 to the place for the intended grove. Leaves and 
 ashes from a hammock close at hand, a shell bank, 
 or limestone from which lime may be procured, 
 should also be considered. 
 
 Facilities for transportation is the last item to be 
 noticed in this chapter of favorable conditions to be 
 considered in locating an orange grove. One other 
 condition will be discussed in a separate chapter. 
 The orange will bear transportation well, whether 
 the expense of transportation or perishableness of 
 the fruit be considered. But it would be well for 
 the reader contemplating planting oranges to esti- 
 mate the cost of hauling, say five miles by wagon 
 or cart, an average crop of oranges grown on an 
 
SELECTING A LOCATION. 53 
 
 acre, before he locates too far from a navigable 
 stream or from a railroad. He can make the esti- 
 mate for himself, and it will certainly have some 
 weigfit in determining the location. 
 
 Some of the finest young trees I have seen in the 
 State stand upon a sandy loam the original growth 
 pine underlaid with clay four or five feet below 
 the surface, on which rested a thin stratum of marl. 
 I have seen trees six years from the seed on such 
 soils produce from four hundred to five hundred 
 oranges. 
 
CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 THE ADVANTAGES OF PARTIAL FOREST SHELTER. 
 
 fHE frequent discussion of the subject consid- 
 ered in this chapter among orange -growers, 
 its importance to all, and especially its impor- 
 tance to many portions of the State where suc- 
 cess must ever depend upon either forest or some 
 artificial protection, demands careful attention. 
 Many persons have heretofore considered it un- 
 necessary, and the idea even absurd. But years of 
 experience and observation, and especially the ex- 
 perience of the winter of 1876-7, have made many 
 converts. Let the reader consider some facts that 
 may be mentioned. 
 
 Wild groves have grown luxuriantly, have borne 
 abundantly, and lasted, no one knows how long, 
 not suffering, so far as the writer has been informed, 
 even from the severe frost of 1835 ; and all under 
 forest protection. Again, all through Florida 
 in almost every old settled community, and even 
 in the southern tier of counties in Georgia, there 
 are a few old trees standing and bearing well fine 
 fruit. Hundreds seeing these trees have thought 
 that what has been done once can be done again, 
 and have planted in the immediate vicinity of such 
 trees, but unfortunately in the open field, or, what 
 
AD VANTA GES OF FOKES T SHEL TER. 55 
 
 is equally fatal, where the morning sun would 
 smite the orange tree after a frost ; and have fail- 
 ed. They have failed to consider that these 
 trees that have survived so long and done so 
 well were planted in almost a dense forest, when 
 only a few forest trees had been cut to give place 
 to the cabin of the early settler ; or that they 
 were planted on the north or west side of the house 
 and thus never exposed to sudden thawing ; that 
 under some such protection of house or forest they 
 passed through the tender age of their early life 
 until their- own boughs could furnish their trunks 
 the protection needed. As to the questions of pro- 
 ductiveness and thrift under partial forest protection, 
 they are settled by the success of the few who in the 
 face of opposing theories have planted and succeed- 
 ed. Some of the most thrifty young groves in the 
 State, grown with less expense and equal to any of 
 their age in productiveness, have been grown under 
 the shelter of the pine or oak trees. Many groves 
 in a most flourishing condition, and supposed to 
 be well located with reference to protection from 
 frost, some far south and with considerable water 
 to the north-west, were seriously damaged in the 
 winter of 1876-7, and many trees beginning to 
 bear entirely killed ; but the writer has not heard 
 of a single instance of damage to trees in that win- 
 ter where they were protected by forest trees stand- 
 ing to the south and east of the oranges. 
 
 Even the lemon, in ' 76-7, much tenderer than 
 
S 6 ORANGE CULTURE IN FLORIDA. 
 
 the orange, was unhurt where so protected. One 
 other instance. On the south or south-east of Or. 
 ange Lake stood two beautiful and extensive orange 
 groves side by side. They were wild groves budded 
 and just coming into bearing. They both had the 
 same water protection. One grove was judiciously 
 protected by forest trees left standing at suitable in- 
 tervals ; the other grove was without such forest pro- 
 tection. All the forest trees had been cut down. 
 A few days after the severe frost of the winter of 
 1876-7 the sheltered grove was still as green as in 
 midsummer, while the other appeared as though a 
 fire had swept through it. Its leaves were dead or 
 fallen, while thousands of dollars' worth of fruit, 
 frozen and spoiled, hung upon the naked branches. 
 The owner estimates that if he had left a few forest 
 trees in his grove they would now be worth to him 
 twenty thousand dollars. Are not such facts suffi- 
 cient to check somewhat the reckless destruction of 
 our noble forest trees and nature's chosen pro- 
 tectors ? 
 
 In leaving trees for purposes of shelter for the 
 orange, the direction given in Chapter III. on bud- 
 ding sour groves should be attended to. Suitable 
 trees at suitable distances should be left. Three 
 things are especially desirable : ist, the rays of the 
 early morning sun should be kept from falling di- 
 rectly on the frosted trees. As the sun hangs far to 
 the south during our coldest weather, tall forest 
 trees on the south and east would materially benefit 
 
ADVA NT A GES OF FOREST SHEL TER. 5 7 
 
 orange trees standing from one to two hundred feet 
 from them ; 2d, the rays of the sun should be per- 
 mitted to fall, during some portion of the day, and 
 in summer during a considerable portion of the 
 day, upon each tree in the grove, as the rays of the 
 sun, direct or indirect, are essential to plant life and 
 health. But in our sunny climate and long sum- 
 mers, shade and sun alternating throughout the 
 day are found to be most favorable to many plants ; 
 3d, the roots of the forest trees should be kept out 
 of the way of the principal feeders of the orange. 
 Of course the orange trees should be as thoroughly 
 cultivated as if they stood in the open field. Fail- 
 ures in forest culture and there have been some 
 abominable failures have occurred only where 
 these points have been disregarded. 
 
 The following plan is suggested as one to which 
 it is believed no reasonable exception can be made. 
 Select a forest of tall and thickly set trees, whether 
 of pine or hammock. Clear out the underbrush 
 so as to allow a free circulation of air and to enable 
 you to lay off more accurately your land. This 
 done, lay off a straight line as the base of operating. 
 Allowing your land to be a plat of five acres lying 
 north and south, let this base line run east and 
 west fifty feet north of and parallel to your south- 
 ern boundary. Run a second line one. hundred 
 and five feet north of and parallel to the first ; so 
 continue through the plat, running these east and 
 west lines at intervals between, alternating from 
 
58 ORANGE CULTURE IN FLORIDA. 
 
 fifty to one hundred and five, and from one hun- 
 dred and five to fifty feet apart. Now begin on the 
 east side, and fifty feet from your eastern boundary 
 you can run your base line perpendicular to your 
 first base line. Go through the plat as before, alter- 
 nating the distances between the lines from fifty to 
 one hundred and five feet apart. You now have 
 your land laid off in smaller squares of fifty feet, 
 and parallelograms of fifty by one hundred and five 
 feet. The timber on these smaller squares and 
 parallelograms is to be left standing. You have 
 also a number of large squares 105 x 105, or about 
 one quarter of an acre each. These larger squares 
 are to be cleared of the timber and made ready for 
 planting orange trees, and each square will be 
 found to be surrounded on all sides by a strip of 
 timber fifty feet wide. Around these squares next 
 to the timber cut a ditch two and a half, or, if you 
 wish, three feet deep, so as to cut all the roots of 
 forest trees that would interfere with the orange. 
 T6 prevent this ditch from draining the moisture 
 from the grove, fill it with the litter from the orange 
 land and leaves from the forest. The next year 
 clear out this ditch, use the rotten leaves as a fer- 
 tilizer for your grove, and fill the ditch again with 
 leaves from the forest around. By this means you 
 can have an endless supply of manure close at 
 hand, and you can have the benefit of the sun and 
 the benefit of forest protection without any damage 
 from the roots of the forest trees. 
 
ADVANTAGES OF FOREST SHELTER. 59 
 
 In sections where the frost does not fall so heav- 
 ily these squares for the orange may be greatly en- 
 larged. But for the northern tier of counties in 
 this State, where there may not be sufficient water 
 protection, the dimensions given are large enough. 
 
 With such a system as the above no man in Flor- 
 ida who has the soil and the timber need hesitate to 
 plant largely of this valuable fruit, both for himself 
 and for market. 
 
 In the cut below, the dark lines represent the 
 forest which has not been cut away ; the white spaces 
 represent the spaces cleared for orange trees. 
 
CHAPTER IX. 
 
 ' * THE FROST LINE* ' AND ' ' THE ORANGE BELT. 
 
 fLFCH has been said and written in certain por- 
 tions of Florida concerning " the frost line" 
 and " the orange belt." I regret to put into this 
 treatise a single line that savors of controversy. But 
 justice and truth demand that certain statements be 
 corrected, and the public informed as to the facts. 
 There are so many good places in Florida that 
 many men who have places imagine theirs to be 
 best. Now it is very fortunate that there are so 
 many good places, but it is very unfortunate that 
 one section should be praised by its inhabitants to 
 the detriment of another equally good. No good 
 has come to the State at large, and I doubt if any 
 will come, in the long run, to the special community 
 that pursues such an unjust course. The climate 
 of Florida is so excellent, her soil so varied, her at- 
 tractions so great, that multitudes will continue to 
 come, as they are now coming, from the Northern 
 and Western States, and from Europe, till all our 
 goodly land is filled with a thrifty and contented 
 population. Do not let any of her citizens say 
 anything that would injure the adopted mother of 
 us all. 
 
"FROST LINE" AND "ORANGE BELT." 61 
 
 As to " the frost line," there is no portion of 
 the peninsula of Florida that is not subject to oc- 
 casional frost. I have seen the effects of frost as 
 low down as Fort Myers. Persons whose state- 
 ments are entirely reliable, and residents of the sec- 
 tion, have told me time and again that they have 
 occasionally had their vegetables killed on the ex- 
 treme southern capes of the peninsula. That frost 
 is modified by latitude there is no question ; that 
 the southern portions of the State are less liable to 
 frost than the northern portions there is no doubt ; 
 but do not deceive the immigrant by saying or im- 
 plying that any portion of the mainland of Florida 
 is entirely exempt from frost. And I do not know 
 that this is to be deprecated. For while " Jack 
 Frost" is an unskilled pruner, and by the little cut- 
 ting he does in Florida may do some hurt, yet I 
 think upon the whole both the orange tree and the 
 health of the inhabitants are the better for his visits. 
 I am sure my own orange trees were never so free 
 from insects and in so healthy condition as to-day, 
 eight months after the frost of December, 1880. 
 And the only trees of my grove now giving indica- 
 tion of rust on the fruit are those where the frost 
 left a few leaves, giving a wintering and start to the 
 rust insect. 
 
 As to " the orange belt," there is no " orange 
 belt' ; in Florida, unless those who so frequently use 
 that expression mean to embrace the entire State. 
 I do not mean to say that certain portions of the 
 
62 ORANGE CULTURE IN FLORIDA. 
 
 State are not more favorable to the growth of the 
 orange than other portions, but I do mean to say that 
 the orange is so hardy that it can be grown profitably 
 in any part of Florida where proper cultivation is be- 
 stowed and available protection given against the 
 effects of frost. No finer oranges are grown than are 
 grown in West Florida. On Fort George Island, at 
 the mouth of the St. John' s River, the thermometer 
 fell to 1 6, and yet the young grove of Mr. Stuart, 
 planted according to the diagram given in the last 
 chapter, is at present writing in fine condition. A 
 few trees have done well on the mainland across 
 the line dividing Florida and Georgia, while on the 
 islands along the coast old groves in good condi- 
 tion are to be found as high up as South Carolina. 
 The frost of last winter caused the leaves to drop 
 from the trees of the last-named groves, but the 
 owners with whom I have recently conferred report 
 their trees in good condition. 
 
 I do not wish to be understood as advising per- 
 sons who wish to come to Florida exclusively to 
 plant oranges to settle in Middle Florida. Other 
 portions of the State would suit better for this busi- 
 ness. But were I owner of some of the fine lands 
 of the above-named section, and had such excel- 
 lent protection as their fine forests and lakes afford, 
 I should not hesitate to plant largely of the golden 
 fruit. 
 
CHAPTER X. 
 
 THE EFFECT OF FROST ON PLANTS. 
 
 fHIS is a matter of such moment that it needs 
 to be closely studied, and, if possible, thoroughly 
 understood by all persons engaged in agricultural 
 or horticultural pursuits. Either extreme of heat 
 or cold is damaging to vegetation. Some plants 
 are hardier than others, and so are less easily affect- 
 ed by either extreme. Some families of plants are 
 so hardy that they extend over nearly the habitable 
 part of our globe. Some perennials are created 
 with reference to greater heat, and are so limited in 
 their natural condition to the tropics or the torrid 
 zone. Others are created with reference to extreme 
 cold, and hence are found in Arctic regions or on 
 lofty mountains. While others, annuals, reach 
 maturity within a few months, in order that their 
 growth may be extended over a wider area of earth. 
 These live in cold climates only during the warm 
 months. Some plants are limited to a very narrow 
 belt. Humboldt gives the natural limit of the or- 
 ange from 12 to 40 north latitude. Of course 
 the orange can survive in this higher latitude only 
 where the climate is affected by warm ocean cur- 
 rents. 
 
64 ORANGE CULTURE IN FLORIDA. 
 
 Cold and heat are nature's great agents in 
 breaking down rocks, disintegrating earths, and so 
 converting into soluble manures for the use of 
 plants what otherwise would be useless for plant - 
 life. In higher latitudes the effect of cold is to 
 suspend circulation during the winter months, in 
 order that the soil may store up during winter an 
 ample amount of plant-food for the great effort of 
 Nature to make fruit. It is owing to this that vege- 
 tation in cold regions puts forth more rapidly dur- 
 ing the short summers, and that fruit trees in such 
 regions are so uniform in the production of fruit. 
 This hint should be taken by the growers of or- 
 anges in the semi-tropics. When their trees fail to 
 put on a sufficient quantity of fruit, let them manure 
 in the fall or early winter sufficiently soon for the 
 manure to reach the roots before the buds begin to 
 swell. Thus stimulated, the bush that would only 
 put forth the less effort and produce a leaf or 
 branch may be forced to the greater effort to pro- 
 duce fruit. This fall manuring might prove inju- 
 rious to a young tree, with wood too immature for 
 the production of fruit, by forcing it to put forth 
 shoots so early as to be nipped by a late frost. But 
 it would have the opposite effect on a bearing tree, 
 by forcing the production of blossom and fruit in- 
 stead of tender branches, as both blossom and fruit 
 of the orange will stand much more cold than the 
 newly started leaves and branches. I have not infre- 
 quently seen considerable frost fall upon both bios- 
 
EFFECT OF FROST ON PLANTS. 65 
 
 som and young fruit without any damage. In re- 
 gions where there is no frost, the orange tree, when 
 sufficiently fed, is in the habit of fruiting continu- 
 ously. 
 
 When water freezes it expands. It is owing to 
 this law that cold is so fatal to plants fully charged 
 with sap, mainly composed of water. The sap, by 
 expanding, ruptures the cellular tissue the woody 
 cells containing the sap. The oxygen of the at- 
 mosphere penetrates these ruptures, and, combining 
 with the sap, induces fermentation. Unless pre- 
 vented, either by artificial or natural means, this fer- 
 mentation will extend itself to contiguous parts 
 until the whole plant is destroyed, when only a 
 small portion of the tender wood may, in the first 
 instance, have been frosted. Nature's method is 
 to close behind the rupture all avenues against the 
 penetration of the atmosphere by a deposit of glu- 
 tinous or gummy substance furnished by the inner 
 bark. When the old wood or bark decays or drops 
 off, this inner becomes the outer bark, and so the 
 damage is greatly and sometimes wholly repaired. 
 The artificial remedy is to cut off the frosted wood 
 and at once apply an artificial skin impervious to 
 the atmosphere. Many persons who have treated 
 frosted orange and lemon trees have failed at this 
 latter point. They have cut off a part or all the 
 frosted wood, but left a surface to be cracked by 
 the sun or drying of the wood, and so only opened 
 fresh avenues for the penetration of the atmosphere. 
 
66 ORANGE CULTURE IN FLORIDA. 
 
 It is better not to cut at all unless the wound is to 
 be covered at once. Shellac dissolved in alcohol, 
 or a coating of whitewash, or a soft paste made of 
 lime and fresh cow-dung, are good applications. 
 When a plant is frosted, the direct rays of the sun 
 will suddenly thaw and so contract the bark as to 
 enlarge the avenues to the atmosphere and make 
 the cold more fatal in effect. Hence, shading a 
 frozen plant, or thoroughly drenching with water, is 
 often a preventive of injury. I have seen orange 
 trees saved by setting a pine bough or other shelter 
 on the south and east, and when the thaw occurs 
 in the afternoon, on the west side of the tree. 
 
 It has before been mentioned that the sowing of 
 oats thickly upon the ground in the fall will check 
 the circulation of sap during winter by taking up 
 the soluble manures. Nature has two methods of 
 fortifying perennials against the effects of severe 
 frost. One method is to deplete the tree of sap 
 during winter. Deciduous trees are so rendered 
 hardy. Their wood during winter contains so lit- 
 tle sap that the expansion by frost is not sufficient 
 to rupture the cells. Another method is to so com- 
 mingle oil with the water of the sap as to counteract 
 this law of expansion universal to frozen water. 
 While frozen water expands, frozen oil or hydro- 
 carbonates contract. The clockmaker has faintly 
 imitated nature in this. By combining different 
 metals in the rod which suspends the pendulum he 
 has made the law of expansion furnish him with a 
 
EFFECT OF FROST ON PLANTS, 67 
 
 rod equal in length whatever the changes from heat 
 to cold. All resinous woods, such as the pine, 
 the fir, etc., are of the class so protected by na- 
 ture. Hence, though found in almost all habitable 
 latitudes, these are under no necessity of shedding 
 their foliage. 
 
 The orange tree approximates in the character of 
 its sap to this order of plants, and is therefore, though 
 a tropical plant, able to stand the changes of a semi- 
 tropical climate. 
 
CHAPTER XI. 
 
 TRANSPLANTING. 
 
 EFORE the work of transplanting begins, the 
 soil for the grove should be well prepared. 
 It is most generally the case that the great hurry to 
 get the trees into the ground causes much neglect 
 at this point, but this policy is a bad one. The 
 haste should have reference to the early fruiting 
 and rapid growth of the tree ; and they are not 
 brought about by careless preparation of the soil. 
 The soil should be deeply and thoroughly broken, 
 and the ground cleared of the roots. To insure the 
 setting of the trees a proper and uniform depth, the 
 ground should be levelled with harrow or drag. 
 No manure should be used at the time of setting, 
 nor before, unless applied some months before set- 
 ting and thoroughly incorporated with the soil. 
 
 The best time for setting trees is the late winter 
 or early spring, before the new wood has started. 
 The ground is then cool, and the roots in as dor- 
 mant condition as at any time during the year. It 
 is better that the ground should be wet and the 
 setting followed by showers. But wet soil is not so 
 essential at this time of the year as it is when the 
 transplanting has been done later and the ground 
 
TRANSPLANTING. 69 
 
 and sun are warmer. If the work of transplanting 
 has not been completed before the warm, dry 
 weather of spring has set in and before new wood 
 has advanced far, it is best to defer the work till the 
 frequent showers of August and September begin 
 to fall. Good results sometimes follow summer, 
 fall, and winter planting, but these seasons are not 
 so good as the months of February, March, and 
 April. One exception to this rule should be stated. 
 Where trees are to be set under forest protection so 
 that they will escape any damage from frost, the 
 late fall is the best time, as trees set at that time are 
 well established and ready to start by the spring. 
 
 In taking up the trees great care should be taken 
 to prevent breaking or bruising the roots. As 
 many roots as possible should be taken up. If the 
 distance from the nursery to the site of the grove 
 be short, and the nursery rows have been well ma- 
 nured with muck, and the ground is wet at the 
 time of lifting the trees from the nursery, much of 
 the soil can be taken along with the roots. Imme- 
 diately on lifting the roots from the ground they 
 should be trimmed with a sharp knife wherever they 
 are found to have been bruised or broken. The 
 lower part of the tap-root also should be cut off to 
 prevent its doubling up on being reset. Twelve or 
 eighteen inches is sufficiently long for the tap-root. 
 Put the tree under shade, and cover the roots with 
 wet moss as soon as possible. Do not allow the 
 fibrous roots to dry, as they are very delicate and 
 
70 ORANGE CULTURE IN FLORIDA. 
 
 soon perish. Should they die before setting, cut 
 them off, for if left on after they have died they will 
 only impede the starting of new rootlets. Keep 
 them protected up to the moment of setting, taking 
 but one tree at a time from its covering of moss. 
 To insure still further against damage to the tender 
 roots, have on hand a half barrel of muck made 
 into a thin paste, and as fast as the trees are lifted 
 and the roots trimmed, plunge the roots into this 
 paste, take them out, and wrap in moss. 
 
 The holes for the trees should be freshly dug. 
 The work of setting is easily and rapidly done by 
 three hands working together one to dig the holes, 
 one to prune and set the tree, and a third to fill in. 
 The holes should be dug in the shape of an invert- 
 ed saucer or truncated cone with about two inches 
 of the top cut off. Proceed thus : Around the 
 stake which marks the place for the tap-root, with 
 a shovel or hoe take away the soil, letting the tool 
 strike the top of the soil at the stake, and continue 
 to dig deeper into the soil until at a distance of 
 eighteen inches from the stake it has penetrated six 
 inches below the surface. Proceed thus around the 
 stake until it is completed. This gives the greatest 
 depth of the hole on the outer edge or perimeter 
 of the circle. Now take up the stake, and cut two 
 inches of the top off the cone. Where the stake 
 stood, push down the spade by working it back and 
 forth until it has penetrated the ground about 
 eighteen inches, or the full length of the tap-root 
 
TRANSPLANTING. 71 
 
 of the tree to be set. Now insert the tap-root in 
 this hole made by the spade. Be careful not to 
 set the tree deeper than it grew in the nursery. 
 With the hand pack the soil firmly around the tap- 
 root. Next spread the lateral roots over the cone, 
 taking care to distribute them evenly over the cone. 
 Throw on two inches of dirt and press it firmly 
 with the feet. Finish by throwing in soil and lev- 
 elling the ground, leaving the last layer of soil un- 
 trod. 
 
 Before the tree is left it should be trimmed with 
 shears in proportion to the trimming done to the 
 roots. 
 
 If planting is done in summer or in hot weather, 
 and the ground is not protected by forest trees, it is 
 better to mulch. 
 
 If trees are older than three years, and wild 
 grown, it may be necessary to dig the holes deeper 
 than directed above, but the point of this caution is 
 against deep setting. The writer is satisfied that 
 more trees have been diseased and retarded in their 
 growth, and frequently killed, by deep setting than 
 by any other one cause. 
 
CHAPTER XII. 
 
 THE DISTANCE APART. 
 
 fN the grove the distance apart at which trees 
 should be placed depends upon the character 
 of the trees to be set. The seedling should have 
 the greatest distance, the sweet seedling budded 
 less, and the sour stock budded least of all. 
 
 In Europe, where budding on sour stock is gen- 
 erally practised, and land is much costlier than in 
 this country, trees are set much closer than is the 
 custom in Florida. In the former country, where 
 set in the open ground, they are frequently put as 
 close as ten or twelve feet apart, and where artificial 
 covering during the winter is resorted to, still nearer. 
 But in Europe orange trees never grow to the size 
 they attain in Florida. In some of the old groves 
 in this State where the trees stand forty feet apart 
 the ground is completely covered by the branches of 
 trees that have grown up since 1835. Thirty or 
 forty years, however, is too long a time to leave 
 the land uncovered. Trees planted nearer together 
 will soon protect each other. 
 
 The rule I have observed for some time is to set 
 budded trees on sour stock 21x21 feet ; budded 
 
THE DISTANCE APART. 73 
 
 trees on sweet stock, 25 x 25, and sweet seedlings, 
 30 x 30 feet. 
 
 When the planter wishes to set the budded and 
 seedling in the same grove, a good plan is to set the 
 sweet seedling 30 x 30, and then in the centre of 
 the square formed by four trees set a budded tree. 
 The budded trees will come into bearing some years 
 before the seedling trees, and by so much lessen 
 the dead expense of the grove. Another advantage 
 of the last-named plan is, that space will be econo- 
 mized and the trees still be at a uniform distance 
 from each other. 
 
CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 CULTIVATION. 
 
 fHE orange will live with almost no cultiva- 
 tion, but it will only be a sickly existence. I 
 know no plant, shrub, or tree that will pay better 
 for good cultivation ; none that will respond so 
 certainly to thorough cultivation. 
 
 The ground in the grove should be kept level, the 
 surface light. As far as the roots have extended the 
 surface should not be stirred deeper than three 
 inches. The more frequently it is stirred the bet-' 
 ter. Beyond the reach of the roots it is well to cul- 
 tivate deep and frequently, but as the roots extend 
 themselves this area of deep cultivation should be 
 lessened. After the roots have extended themselves 
 well over the ground, the best plow to be used is 
 the sweep. A single thirty-two-inch sweep, or a 
 gang plow, the middle or front plow twenty-two 
 inches wide, and the two side plows fourteen inches 
 each, does excellent work. It is better than the 
 turning plow or cultivator. The sweep is much 
 more uniform in the depth of its cutting than either. 
 It is much more rapid in its work than the single 
 plow. It is more apt to cut off the weeds below 
 the surface and destroy them than the cultivator. 
 
CULTIVATION. 75 
 
 With such an implement, a grove free from stumps 
 and litter is easily and cheaply kept in fine condi- 
 tion. 
 
 While the orange trees are young it is of advan- 
 tage to keep the ground planted in garden crops 
 peas, beans, potatoes, tomatoes, anything that re- 
 quires frequent work and will mature within a few 
 weeks, partially shading the ground. Of course 
 nothing should be taken from the ground without 
 making adequate return in the form of manures. 
 Suitable fertilizers will be noticed in a separate 
 chapter. 
 
 Where the trees are planted far apart, and ten or 
 twelve years will elapse before the ground will be all 
 occupied by the orange, grapes and peaches will 
 do well and prove profitable, provided the soil is 
 well drained. 
 
 At no time should the roots of grass and weeds 
 be allowed to mat themselves on land growing the 
 orange. Not only will they draw heavily upon the 
 soil while they are growing, but when turned over 
 the turf and matted roots will necessarily leave the 
 surface very irregular, causing the ground to dry 
 rapidly under the influence of sun and wind. Some 
 have advised cultivation to cease during August and 
 September, alleging it to be better to allow the 
 weeds and grass to grow after these months in order 
 to check the fall growth, and thus allow the wood 
 of the orange to so harden as to resist the influence 
 of frost during the winter. But the writer has ex- 
 
7 6 
 
 ORANGE CULTURE IN FLORIDA. 
 
 perimented extensively and expensively considering 
 results with the above policy, and where others 
 were pursuing the same policy he has advised them 
 to try clean culture or garden crops on a part of 
 the grove, and in every instance where the land 
 has been kept thoroughly cultivated the trees have 
 doubled, in size and thrift, those allowed to be left 
 to the mercy of the weeds and grass. 
 
 Another result should be considered in this con- 
 nection. Where grass and weeds are allowed to 
 grow in the grove they are generally killed by the 
 frost during the fall or winter. In this condition 
 they absorb and part with moisture very readily, ab- 
 sorbing moisture when the atmosphere is warmer 
 than the ground, and yielding it up when the at- 
 mosphere is cooler than the ground or the wind is 
 blowing. But to part with moisture is to part with 
 heat and increase the cold. In some sections of 
 Europe, before the invention of ice machines, con- 
 siderable ice was collected and stored away where 
 the general temperature was only 40. The freez- 
 ing was induced by simply covering over lightly 
 and surrounding the ice ponds with wet straw. The 
 wind passing through the wet straw took up from 
 the exposed and larger surface of the straw its 
 moisture together with its heat and left the water to 
 freeze. To leave any dry straw, weeds, or litter on 
 the ground during the winter only intensifies the 
 cold and invites the frost. The writer knows of sev- 
 eral beautiful groves that were entirely frozen down 
 
CULTIVATION. 77 
 
 from this cause, while others in the immediate vi- 
 cinity were unhurt. Mulching during the winter 
 has a similar effect. In this immediate neighbor- 
 hood an old and beautiful orange tree w r as heavily 
 mulched during winter. It was the only tree hurt 
 by the frost in the grove that was hurt very badly, 
 taking two or three years to recover. While the 
 trees are young, keep the grove clear of grass and 
 weeds, summer and winter. If you mulch during 
 the summer, bury the mulching as the winter ap- 
 proaches ; dig holes and bury the litter. This in- 
 struction is for young and tender trees. When the 
 surface of the ground is well shaded by older trees, 
 general mulching is recommended, as will be seen 
 in another chapter. 
 
 In cultivating the grove with the plow there is a 
 constant tendency of the soil to pile up around the 
 trunk of the tree. This should be watched, and if 
 the crown of the lateral surface roots is a half inch 
 below the surface, from this or from deep planting, 
 the soil should be drawn from around the trunk till 
 the upper sides of these roots are brought to the top 
 of the ground. If the upper parts of these roots 
 are left bare for one or two inches, where trees are 
 five or six years old, and for a greater distance 
 where the trees are older, these roots develop very 
 rapidly, and not only furnish stout braces to the 
 trunk, but great arteries for conveying life and 
 food from the soil. This point is so little under- 
 stood and attended to by many cultivators that it 
 
78 ORANGE CULTURE IN FLORIDA. 
 
 may be well to explain further. This development of 
 the crown roots is nature's plan when it is not in- 
 terfered with. Whoever will visit and examine a 
 natural forest, whether of orange or other trees, will 
 find the top of the crown roots from one to several 
 inches above the ground and running in many in- 
 stances, as great braces, well up the trunk of the 
 tree. This development of the crown is slow at 
 first, but increases in proportion as the upper sur- 
 face of the roots lift themselves above the surface of 
 the ground. This development can be hastened by 
 taking away the earth from above the roots for a 
 short distance from the tree, as mentioned above. 
 The principle is the same as that adopted for the 
 development of the bulb of the onion by taking the 
 earth from around it. The root of the plant, being 
 more porous than the stem, parts more readily with 
 its moisture at the point where it is exposed, and 
 hence the thickened sap lodges more readily at that 
 point, and so hardens into wood and increases the 
 growth. As the upward circulation passes only 
 through the new or sap wood, this enlarged base 
 furnishes, at the very seat of life and strength, new 
 and increased capacity to the tree. 
 
CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 THOROUGH CULTIVATION. 
 
 .HEN the preceding chapter was published, 
 four years ago, the writer hoped he had put 
 the importance of good cultivation so forcibly as to 
 induce any reader of the first edition of this treatise 
 to fairly cultivate any orange trees that he might 
 plant with the wish to make them productive and 
 profitable. But four years of additional observa- 
 tion and experience convince the writer that a large 
 percentage of those who are engaged in o range - 
 planting in Florida are wasting time and means by 
 careless cultivation. Now let me drop this indirect 
 manner of speaking of the writer as the third per- 
 son. I want to look you in the eye, reader, and 
 say to you if you do not intend to cultivate your 
 trees thoroughly, or have them cultivated thorough- 
 ly, do not waste money by buying land and having 
 it planted in trees. In no business is the old aph- 
 orism truer than in orange-growing, " What is 
 worth doing at all is worth doing well. ' ' I would 
 add, what is poorly done in this business is apt to 
 bring poor return or no return to the owner of a 
 grove. I will give one or two instances of many, 
 very many, that have come under my observation. 
 
8o ORANGE CULTURE IN FLORIDA. 
 
 A little more than twelve months ago a gentle- 
 man from Middle Florida purchased a portion of a 
 grove that had been planted two or three years in 
 Orange County. At the time of the purchase I 
 could see no advantage in size or thrift of trees or 
 excellence of soil in favor of that portion of the 
 grove retained over that portion sold. Since the 
 division of the grove the purchaser has had his part 
 of the grove plowed once or twice. The other part 
 of the grove has been well cultivated and fertilized. 
 To-day the cultivated trees look as though they 
 were several years older than the uncultivated this 
 difference thus brought about in one year. One 
 other instance : Some years ago a neighbor bought 
 several hundred trees from a nurseryman, who ad- 
 vised him to suspend cultivation in August, in order 
 that the growth of grass and weeds might check the 
 growth of fall wood as a prevention of frost. 
 Another party advised the planter to cultivate one 
 half his trees throughout the summer and note the 
 different results. He did so, cultivating small crops 
 among the trees. The advantage gained in half a 
 year is so marked that four years, so far from oblit- 
 erating the evidence, has made it only the more ap- 
 parent. 
 
 One word about this often-expressed opinion and 
 advice, " to stop cultivation in August, in order to 
 check the fall growth and give the wood time to 
 harden before frost. ' ' The orange tree, if well cul- 
 tivated, will make from three to four growths dur- 
 
THOROUGH CULTIVATION. 8 1 
 
 ing summer. If not manured later than June, 
 thorough cultivation will only hasten forward the 
 seasons of growth and ripening of the wood before 
 fall. Besides, vigorous health with well-ripened 
 wood is one of the best protections against damage 
 by frost. If the object be to prevent any winter 
 growth and suspend active circulation of sap during 
 winter, this can be better secured by seeding the 
 land heavily in oats. The growing oats will take 
 up all soluble manures in the soil and leave the 
 young orange trees to rest till spring. 
 
 Various discussions have been entered into 
 throughout the State as to the relative value of deep 
 and shallow culture. The disputants on the differ- 
 ent sides have usually reached their conclusions 
 not by generalizing, but by * ' induction' ' from a 
 single experience or observation. One gentleman 
 who had met with marked success in orange -growing 
 wrote as the secret of success, " Deep plowing/' 
 1 ' Tear up the roots. ' ' Convinced that there must 
 be something unusual about the soil that would 
 produce fine trees and fruit under such a method, 
 I visited his grove, found it planted upon an oak 
 scrub with no fertility in the upper soil, but under- 
 laid a few feet from the surface with clay, on which 
 rested a stratum of marl. The mystery was solved. 
 There being no nourishment in the upper soil, the 
 roots had gone down to where they might find 
 food, and so were little disturbed by the deep plow- , 
 ing. Indeed, the deep plowing only let in the 
 
82 ORANGE CULTURE IN FLORIDA. 
 
 sunlight and air for the further penetration of roots. 
 But this case is exceptional. Nature's method is 
 to deposit the most valuable manures near the sur- 
 face of the ground. Trees, weeds, and grasses are, 
 by means of roots, reaching down to bring up some 
 of these manures from beneath, while the leaves 
 are reaching out to gather other manures from the 
 atmosphere, and so from these two directions nature 
 is gathering and combining in organized and useful 
 forms substance for plant-food to be deposited 
 upon the surface of the soil, to be carried down by 
 means of rain to the roots of the growing crops. 
 Hence with nearly all plants, and especially those 
 having yellow roots, the orange included, the most 
 abundant feeders lie near the surface. Hence the 
 most natural means of cultivating a grove is to 
 mulch the entire surface with sufficient material to 
 prevent any growth of weeds or grass. This meth- 
 od gives a treble advantage it secures sufficient 
 moisture for the roots of the orange, it avoids the 
 necessity of cultivation with either hoe or plow, 
 and gives sufficient fertility to the soil. This 
 method is especially adapted to natural groves that 
 have been budded and to groves planted on low 
 lands. In the first instance, nature has already placed 
 the roots near the surface, and it is poor policy to 
 disturb the roots by plow or hoe, and so attempt to 
 force nature from its long-established habit. In the 
 second instance the roots will not penetrate a wet 
 soil, but grow near the surface. The flourishing 
 
THOROUGH CULTIVATION. 83 
 
 condition of the groves at Federal Point, on the St. 
 John's, and other groves where the surface water 
 can be carried off by shallow ditches, sufficiently 
 demonstrates that the orange can be successfully 
 grown on low lands by mulching, or by shallow 
 cultivation with the hoe, or, as in some instances 
 where the soil is rich, by mowing the grass and 
 weeds twice a year and leaving them to rot on the 
 ground. 
 
 Where material is abundant and near at hand, 
 mulching is the cheapest method of cultivation, as it 
 is equivalent to both manure and frequent disturb- 
 ing the surface with hoe and plow. In many parts 
 of Florida abundant material is at hand. Leaves 
 from our forests can easily be collected and carted 
 to the ground. In many places a horse-rake can 
 be used for gathering them in piles. The wire- 
 grass can be cut by hoe, or better, where the forest 
 is open, by means of a mower and horse-rake. Our 
 marsh lands along our extended coast and the banks 
 of our numerous rivers and lakes in Florida are at 
 no distant day to be utilized and made valuable by 
 furnishing thousands of tons annually for the pur- 
 pose of mulching. The first year of my residence 
 in Florida, living on a lake with a margin covered 
 with grass growing above the water, I constructed a 
 flat-bottom boat with a mower attached in front 
 and driven by man-power, which enabled three men 
 working a half day in a week to furnish nine head 
 of horses with abundant and nutritious forage. 
 
84 ORANGE CULTURE IN FLORIDA. 
 
 Such a machine impelled by steam could be made 
 to do the work of a hundred men, and furnish 
 mulching to growers on the banks of our rivers at 
 a cost not exceeding one or two dollars per ton. 
 
CHAPTER XV. 
 
 PRUNING. 
 
 fRUNING is universally adopted by nature. In 
 the forest all the branches of the little oaks and 
 pines are near the ground. But as the trees grow 
 these lower branches die and drop off. A few years 
 later we behold thousands of graceful, well-trimmed 
 trunks. Where the oak grows up in the open field 
 its method is to prune the inner branches and ex- 
 tend the surface, giving what fruit-growers call an 
 open head. The grape-vine prunes itself. Where 
 its branches are thickest the tendrils first strangle 
 and then cut off some of the excessive branches. 
 It is the Divine plan. ' ' I am the true vine, and 
 my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in 
 me that beareth not fruit, he cutteth away ; and 
 every branch that beareth fruit, he pruneth it that it 
 may bear more fruit." Wise is the man who will 
 follow such teaching. Happy is the man who has 
 a taste for such work and can take up the voca- 
 tion first taught man when " the Lord God put him 
 into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep 
 it ;" especially where he can dress a garden of this 
 golden fruit a relic of Eden that is " pleasant 
 to the sight and good for food. ' ' 
 
86 ORANGE CULTURE IN FLORIDA. 
 
 It may be said, " If nature prunes at all, let her 
 do it all." Yes, and it may be said, " If nature 
 plants and grows the corn at all, why should I take 
 the trouble to plant and cultivate?" But such a 
 man will reap little more than the harvest of his 
 folly and indolence. Nature makes suggestions, 
 but does not propose to do all the work where 
 man's interest is especially concerned. Even be- 
 fore thorns and briers had sprung up, it was man's 
 duty and to his interest to ' ' dress the garden' ' so 
 perfectly planted. Again, where nature prunes; 
 knots and dead wood often become the starting 
 points for extensive decay. But where a living 
 branch is cut off with a sharp knife from a vigor- 
 ous tree, the wound soon heals over, leaving no scar 
 nor injury. 
 
 The writer has practised on a grove of about 4000 
 trees all the methods of pruning, and not pruning, 
 to satisfy himself as to the best method. Nor has 
 he spared himself the trouble of visiting many of 
 the best groves in the State, watching the opera- 
 tions of others, and questioning them closely as to 
 their practice and the results. He will not trouble 
 the reader with the many theories advanced, much 
 less with discussing them. A few essential points 
 are all that are necessary to be attended to. 
 
 In pruning, the sharper the knife or saw, the bet- 
 ter. Let the cut be clean and smooth. When the 
 knife is used it is better to cut up than down, as 
 the downward cut is apt to split the wood and peel 
 
PRUNING. 87 
 
 off the bark. Do the principal pruning in the 
 spring. By all means avoid fall or winter pruning, 
 as it is apt to start new wood at a time when it is 
 most exposed to damage from frost. Cut off all 
 dead wood, and up to or a little into the living 
 wood. Thereby the wound heals more readily. As 
 a general rule cut off all diseased branches, es- 
 pecially if they have become so far diseased as to fail 
 to develop healthy leaves. Do not trim up the 
 trunk too high. Encourage the lower branches to 
 extend themselves well around the trunk and far 
 over the surface of the ground. If they do not 
 touch the ground they are not too low. As the 
 tree grows these branches will continue to droop 
 nearer the ground until the lowest may have to be 
 cut off after a while ; but this late cutting off is 
 much better than to have the trunk exposed either 
 to sun or cold. 
 
 Give and keep an open head to the tree. To do 
 this, select the most vigorous lateral branches, leav- 
 ing some on all sides of the tree, so as to obtain a 
 head as uniformly balanced as possible. After cut- 
 ting off the other branches close to the trunk, trim 
 up these selected branches almost to a point, leaving 
 only a few of the terminal smaller branches. When 
 this is done the tree will look like a skeleton, and 
 you will likely conclude you have used the knife 
 too freely. But if this pruning has been done in 
 the spring, and you keep the * ' water' ' shoots pulled 
 off the trunk, and cultivate well, you will find the 
 
88 ORANGE CULTURE IA r FLORIDA. 
 
 trunk by winter inclosed in a beautiful head, with a 
 dense wall of foliage on the outside. The next 
 spring trim these laterals in a similar manner, al- 
 lowing the first laterals to rebranch a little distance 
 from the trunk so as to be able to fill up the larger 
 area by fall. Continue this method till your tree is 
 large enough to bear its first crop. You can then 
 slacken your pruning so as to encourage the fruit- 
 ing. 
 
 There are several advantages arising from judi- 
 cious pruning. Whenever a branch dies, it not only 
 ceases to benefit the tree, but becomes a drain on 
 its sap and vitality, as an ulcer to the human body. 
 The same is true, to some extent, with a diseased 
 branch. Moreover, as a branch begins to die, its 
 fermenting sap is slowly taken up into the general 
 circulation, and so the disease extends itself some- 
 times to the entire tree, unless it be cut off below 
 the sound wood. This is especially the case when 
 the frost has partially killed the young wood. The 
 writer has known quite vigorous trees to be killed, 
 not only to the ground, but entirely, by neglect at 
 this point. The open head not only gives room for 
 the free circulation of air through the branches, but 
 also enables the gardener to watch the trunk and 
 larger branches and remove from them insects that 
 might prove damaging. Another advantage, arising 
 from the open head is, it causes the lower branches 
 to extend themselves far out from the trunk, and so 
 gives a greater bearing capacity to the tree. Trees 
 
PRUNING. 
 
 89 
 
 in the grove of the writer pruned after this plan have 
 doubled in development within two years, in their 
 surface area, others standing by their side with the 
 same treatment, except that the latter were not 
 pruned. 
 
CHAPTER XVZ 
 
 V 
 
 FERTILIZING. 
 
 fHIS has never been sufficiently appreciated in the 
 South. Her broad acres have always tempted 
 to planting too much land and using too little ma- 
 nure. Somehow, when Northerh men come South 
 they, too, yield to the temptation and fall into the 
 Southern fashion. And yet no soil responds more 
 readily to the influence of manure than our warm 
 Southern soil. The manure put by Peter Hender- 
 son on a single acre would be deemed by any 
 Southern farmer ample for the broad fields of cot- 
 ton stretching around his decaying mansion. A 
 few men are wiser ; they have ceased to fell the 
 forest for more land, and are contracting the planted 
 area of the old land. They are endeavoring to in- 
 crease their crops by manuring. Such men have 
 succeeded, and are still succeeding. Some I know 
 have grown rich by such a policy. 
 
 No crop feeds more ravenously than the orange, 
 and none will convert so large an amount of suitable 
 fertilizers into fruit so profitably. Much of our 
 Florida land will produce and sustain fine trees for 
 a few years without the aid of manure ; but after 
 some years of fruiting the leaves will begin to turn 
 
FERTILIZING. 91 
 
 yellow, indicating a deficiency in the soil. Some 
 of our lands considered poorest black-jack ridges 
 in the vicinity of dwellings grow fine trees, and 
 continue to sustain fine crops of excellent oranges. 
 But these trees so located are almost daily replen- 
 ished with accidental deposits of nitrogenous ma- 
 nures (the principal fertilizers needed on black-jack 
 lands), as well as considerable wood-ashes and soot 
 from the daily fires of the kitchen, and suds from 
 the washtub. The flourishing condition of these 
 trees only shows the advantage of manures. 
 
 It is not safe to manure trees at the time of plant- 
 ing. In some instances this has succeeded very 
 well, but only when the manure has been long 
 composted and frequently turned, so that no fer- 
 mentation will occur around the wounded roots. 
 When manuring will be done thus early it is better 
 to scatter it on the ground and turn it several times 
 in the soil some weeks before the tree is planted. 
 
 After the tree has been planted and once started 
 to grow, it is then well to manure it heavily till it 
 begins to bear. Begin with a moderate quantity, 
 applying near the outer extremity of the lateral 
 roots, and increase the quantity every year and en- 
 large the area to which it is applied. When garden 
 crops are planted, scatter the manure broadcast. 
 Aim to make the ground rich rich as a city garden. 
 It will pay for the manure and cultivation if the 
 ground be planted and well cultivated in crops, and 
 especially if planted in vegetables where a market 
 
92 ORANGE CUL7^URE IN FLORIDA. 
 
 can be readily reached. There are several advan- 
 tages derived from generous manuring when the 
 trees are young : not only is the development of 
 the tree hastened, but the tree is. less liable to be 
 attacked by some of the insects, and when attacked 
 is better enabled to resist their ravages ; and when 
 in vigorous health, but not making new wood 
 during winter, it is less liable to be damaged by the 
 influence of frost. To prevent this last-named evil 
 the young tree should never be stimulated in the 
 fall or latter part of the summer. It is much bet- 
 ter to manure in the spring. Another advantage to 
 be noted is, when trees are pushed before coming 
 into bearing, the heavy manuring does no damage 
 to the fruit. 
 
 The kind of fertilizer to be used depends largely 
 upon the character of the soil. If the land planted 
 was originally heavily set in hard wood, and the 
 ashes of the wood, cut in clearing, have been scat- 
 tered on the ground, it is more than likely that the 
 soil for a few years will have a sufficiency of lime, 
 soda, and potash. In that case nitrogenous ma- 
 nures will be needed. But if all the hard wood has 
 been taken off the land and no ashes left, such a 
 soil will likely have become poor in calcareous 
 manures (as the readiness with which the pine 
 springs up in our worn hammock lands shows), and 
 should be treated as the pine lands, and manures 
 applied containing all the elements of vegetable 
 life used by the roots. 
 
FERTILIZING. 93 
 
 Some of the commercial manures are valuable, 
 when used in combination with other things, but 
 none of them contain in the right proportions all the 
 elements needed for the orange. The writer has 
 used and seen used a large variety of these fertil- 
 izers, and some benefit has been derived from most 
 of them. From others no advantage has been dis- 
 coverable. A good article of ground bone, where 
 the oils and phosphoric acid have not been too 
 generally expelled by burning ; Peruvian guano, 
 and potash, both the nitrate and sulphate, are very 
 good when combined with muck. These are es- 
 pecially valuable when early vegetables are to be 
 grown among the orange trees, as they highly stim- 
 ulate the soil and hasten forward both the vegetables 
 and orange trees. 
 
 Land plaster should be especially mentioned as 
 beneficial to our sandy soil, as it not only furnishes 
 an important element to the soil, but in the ab- 
 sence of clay in most of our soil furnishes a valuable 
 absorber and retainer of the volatile manures so 
 easily expelled by our abundance of sunshine. The 
 writer thinks he has seen another advantage in the 
 use of land plaster in the check which the sulphur, 
 contained in the plaster, has upon some of the in- 
 sects which damage the trees. 
 
 Green crops turned under are highly beneficial 
 to young trees. Rye, oats, and barley, sown in the 
 fall and turned under in the spring and followed by 
 one or two crops of cow peas during the summer, 
 
94 ORANGE CULTURE IN FLORIDA. 
 
 help forward a grove of trees wonderfully. It is 
 still better if this be accompanied by a liberal dress- 
 ing of wood-ashes. One ton to the acre is not too 
 much. 
 
 Manures from the stables, cow-pens, hennery, and 
 pig-sty, indeed from every place where waste is de- 
 posited, should first be deodorized by the liberal 
 use of land plaster or sulphate of iron copperas 
 dissolved in water and composted with muck, and 
 be carefully saved and utilized. As they are highly 
 stimulating, they should be composted with three or 
 four times the quantity of muck, and frequently 
 turned before using. 
 
 But of all the manures, that which is cheapest 
 and most abundant is the muck to be found in our 
 rivers, creeks, lakes, and ponds. A good article 
 of muck is little less than decomposed vegetable 
 matter. Leaves, wood, weeds, and grass, as they 
 have fallen, have been washed into these deposits and 
 decomposed underwater so slowly and so excluded 
 from the atmosphere that they have lost little of 
 their original elements. Here they have been pre- 
 served by nature, as in the crucible of the chemist, 
 for ages, and now lie in rich and vast deposits for 
 the use of the orange-grower. Some who have 
 supposed they were using muck have been mistak- 
 en. They have found a black sand with a little 
 vegetable matter with it. If they had taken a little 
 of it and washed it they would have found little else 
 than sand, and some of it, that of a brown granular 
 
FERTILIZING. 95 
 
 appearance, of a similar nature to " hard-pan." 
 Such a deposit is of no value, and that containing 
 the brown sand is actually injurious to the orange. 
 Some who have used this kind of material have 
 failed to discover any benefit and have cried out 
 against all muck. But the time has passed for 
 this. Too many have used muck and found it 
 valuable for its merits to remain longer unknown. 
 Where this deposit is close to the grove, an econom- 
 ical way to use it is to haul it at once from the bed 
 and spread it broadcast over the ground and plow 
 it in. It should not be allowed to dry in the sun, 
 as it then becomes lumpy. If turned under the 
 surface it soon incorporates itself with the soil. 
 After it is applied and turned under, a top-dressing 
 of ashes or lime would prove beneficial. If the de- 
 posit is some distance from the grove it is more eco- 
 nomical to throw it into heaps near the bed, but 
 under the shade, and still better to add a little lime 
 slaked with salt water or ashes, as it is thrown in 
 uniform layers. The pile soon heats and dries out, 
 leaving the muck as friable as a bed of sand. It is 
 then very light and easily handled and carted. In 
 this condition it can be used in almost any quanti- 
 ties ; the only danger to be feared from excessive 
 use is in piling it up so deep over the roots as to 
 smother them for a while. And yet if the crown 
 roots are kept uncovered the surface roots soon find 
 their way to the muck near the surface. The writer 
 has had the orange roots penetrate, for several 
 
96 ORANGE CULTURE IN FLORIDA. 
 
 inches above the general surface, a pile of muck 
 left for a few weeks near a tree. 
 
 Before trees reach the bearing state they should 
 be fed with nitrogenous manures, but after they 
 have begun to bear, potash and kindred manures 
 should be liberally used. Nitrogenous manures 
 encourage the development of new wood and foli- 
 age, while phosphate of lime and potash are neces- 
 sary to an abundance of fruit. The yellow leaves 
 of the tree indicate a deficiency of nitrogenous ma- 
 nures, while the dark green leaves show an abun- 
 dance. 
 
 Where .trees are slow in coming into bearing, or 
 where old trees do not set sufficient fruit, give the 
 trees a liberal manuring sufficiently early in the sea- 
 son to enable the rains to carry the soluble manure 
 to the roots before the time of forming the button 
 for the bloom. By so doing you develop the bud, 
 that would otherwise only make foliage, into a fruit 
 bud. It requires more nutriment to make fruit 
 than wood, and hence the importance of this in- 
 struction. 
 
 In colder latitudes the frosts of winter lock up 
 the circulation of fruit trees that nature may have 
 sufficient time to store food for the greater effort 
 to bear fruit. But in the milder climate of the 
 orange regions this circulation is not always check- 
 ed sufficiently to prevent the consumption of the 
 soluble manures in the soil. And hence when the 
 time of fruiting comes, there is not a sufficient sup- 
 
FEK TILIZING. 9 7 
 
 ply of fertility in the soil to make the blossoms set 
 the fruit, and so the tree makes the easier effort to 
 form wood instead of fruit. After growth has been 
 for a while suspended, by drought or poverty of 
 soil, I have brought trees into blooming and bear- 
 ing during midsummer by a liberal application of 
 soluble manure. I have seen a grove that had pre- 
 viously borne only a few scattering oranges brought 
 into liberal bearing by the application of a good 
 dressing of manure in November. 
 
 Once more before leaving this subject : While 
 commercial manures, properly combined and suffi- 
 ciently concentrated, are a great convenience, owing 
 to the ease with which they are distributed, the 
 temptation to adulterate with something worthless, 
 and sometimes something injurious to the orange, 
 is so great that there is much uncertainty as to their 
 real value. I have occasionally used manures of 
 the same brand and from the same establishment 
 which differed so greatly in their real value that 
 while I have found one lot entirely satisfactory, 
 another lot has proven quite worthless. The intel- 
 ligent orange-grower can proceed with much more 
 certainty if he can make his own manures. For 
 this purpose no country can furnish better facilities 
 than Florida. In addition to the abundance of 
 material for mulching, already mentioned, there is 
 such a vast quantity of muck, leaves, and grass 
 from forests and marshes that with a few cattle or 
 horses a large amount of valuable manure can be 
 
98 ORANGE CULTURE IN FLORIDA. 
 
 secured by those who are willing to take the trou- 
 ble. Some of our planters in the State have made 
 by this method as much as one ton of good manure 
 per head of cattle or horses per month. And noth- 
 ing is better for the orange than this well-rotted barn- 
 yard manure. If it is not convenient to keep stock, 
 a good compost can be made by adding 300 
 pounds of ground bone and 200 pounds of muri- 
 ate of potash to one cord of muck. Turn frequent- 
 ly the compost, and when well rotted apply broad- 
 cast at the rate of 1000 pounds per acre, and har- 
 row. 
 
CHAPTER XVII. 
 
 SPECIES, VARIETIES, ETC. 
 
 flTHERTO no mention has been made of any 
 of the Citrus family except the sweet orange 
 and the wild or sour orange bigarade. 
 
 The methods of propagation and cultivation of 
 all the family are so similar that no difference need 
 be mentioned, except the fact that the citron, the 
 lime, and the lemon, are much more tender than 
 the orange, and need to be planted in more shelter- 
 ed places. 
 
 Gallesio recognizes but four distinct species in 
 the family : the orange (sweet), the bigarade (sour 
 orange), the citron, and the lemon. 
 
 He justly remarks as to the varieties : " The 
 citrus is a genus whose species are greatly disposed 
 to blend together, and whose flower shows great 
 facility for receiving extraordinary fecundation ; it 
 hence offers an infinite number of different races 
 which ornament our gardens, and whose vague and 
 indefinite names fill the catalogues. ' ' Gray re- 
 marks : " The species or varieties are much con- 
 fused and mixed. ' ' Reese in his quotations from 
 authorities makes a similar confession. But if the 
 species and varieties are so confused in Europe, 
 
ioo ORANGE CULTURE IN FLORIDA. 
 
 where the classification of the citrus family has been 
 principally discussed, and where the multiplication 
 of varieties has been somewhat held in check by 
 their method of propagating the orange, mainly by 
 graft or bud, what must be " the number of differ- 
 ent races" which are to be found in Florida, where 
 the general method of propagating the orange is 
 from seed ? 
 
 At the late meeting of our State Fruit Growers' 
 Association a committee was charged with the work 
 of naming our best marked varieties. They made 
 a short report on the few varieties which came under 
 their observation. But their work is not com- 
 plete, nor likely to be for the next year or two. 
 They are competent men, but their task is endless 
 as well as important. Almost every community 
 where the orange has been long grown from seed 
 has some excellent and well-marked variety. Some 
 of these varieties differ greatly. Some ripen early 
 and others late. Some have thick tough skins with 
 finely flavored fruit, and are well adapted to shipping 
 a long distance, while others are of such a delicate 
 skin and pulp that they will have to be eaten nearer 
 home. Some are large and light bearers, while 
 others are small and heavy bearers. 
 
 Many varieties differ greatly in color, from the 
 pale orange to a reddish orange, and even to blood 
 color. It would be well for those who intend 
 planting budded trees, or propose to bud trees 
 now growing, to select the most excellent kinds, 
 
SPECIES, VARIETIES, ETC. 101 
 
 whether they have yet been honored with a name 
 or not, as it is the quality of the fruit arxj ppt, the 
 name which is needed. The name and classifica- 
 tion will come in time. Any new /arid /remarkably 
 good varieties ought also to be brought to the no- 
 tice of the above-named State committee on no- 
 menclature. These gentlemen will do their duty, 
 and Florida will be compelled to have her own 
 nomenclature, as she has her own varieties. 
 
 The orange of Portugal and the China orange are 
 two well-known varieties in Europe, and are fre- 
 quently seen in Florida, but have changed some- 
 what by having been reproduced from seed. 
 
 The Orange of Portugal, or common sweet orange, 
 is a tree growing to a great height when raised from 
 seed. Its leaf is green, having a winged petiole ; its 
 shoots are whitish, its flowers entirely white and very 
 odorous, though not equal in perfume to those of the 
 bigarade. 
 
 Its fruit, ordinarily round, is sometimes flattened, 
 sometimes a little oblong. The rind, less than an 
 eighth of an inch in thickness, is of a reddish yellow, 
 and full of aroma ; the inner skin is a sallow white, 
 spongy, and light. The sections, nine to eleven in 
 number, contain a sweet juice, very refreshing and 
 agreeable ; its seeds are white and oblong, germinat- 
 ing very easily and reproducing usually the species 
 with little change. There is a variety with no 
 thorns ; it is the race cultivated mostly by grafting, 
 and is seen in all countries where this method of 
 propagation is followed. In places where the orange 
 
102 ORANGE CULTURE IN FLORIDA. 
 
 is grown from seed it is rare to find it deprived of 
 thorns, - 
 
 The- China Orange is a variety excelling all others 
 'in thy; perfection of its fruit, of which the juice is the 
 sweetest, the ^nost abundant, and the most perfumed. 
 The skin is always smooth, glossy, and so thin that 
 one can scarcely detach it from the pulp. This is 
 characteristic of this variety. 
 
 The Red-fruited Orange is a singular variety. Its 
 appearance, its leaf, its flower, are all exactly like the 
 common orange. Its fruit alone is distinguished by a 
 color of blood, which develops itself gradually and 
 like flakes. When the fruit begins to ripen it is like 
 other oranges ; little by little, spots of blood-color ap- 
 pear in its pulp ; as it advances to maturity, these en- 
 large, becoming deeper, and finally embrace all the 
 pulp and spread to the skin, which is, however, but 
 rarely covered by the peculiar color ; yet this some- 
 times occurs if oranges are left upon the trees after 
 the month of May. 
 
 This orange is multiplied only by grafts, having few 
 seeds, and those of little value. This is a proof that 
 it is a monster ; if it were the type of a species it would 
 yield more seed and reproduce itself by seed. Its 
 branches are without thorns, its fruit is sweet, but 
 iess so than the China orange, and it has thicker 
 skin. 
 
 It is cultivated largely in Malta and Provence. In 
 Liguria. it is found chiefly among amateurs and seeds- 
 men . Gallesio* 
 
 So far as the Florida Fruit Growers' Association 
 has determined, through their committee, the no- 
 
SPECIES, VARIETIES, ETC. 103 
 
 menclature of our own varieties it is given below, 
 and such should be authority among the growers 
 in Florida. 
 
 Citron Common. Fruit very large ; color that of 
 ordinary lemon ; rind and pulp white, and almost 
 tasteless ; tree vigorous^ 
 
 Orange Citron. Fruit somewhat cone - shaped, 
 more pointed than common variety ; color that of an 
 ordinary orange ; rind cream-colored ; pulp yellow- 
 ish ; rind sweet and highly aromatic ; fruit possesses 
 less -bitterness than the common variety ; tree a 
 small, stiff, erect grower. For home use or commer- 
 cial purposes this variety is in general cultivation. 
 
 Tangierine Orange ; synonyms, Mandarin, Kid 
 Glove, Tomato Orange. Size medium ; much flat- 
 tened ; color dark orange; broad, irregular cavity, 
 with stem obliquely inserted and surrounded by a 
 knobbed eminence ; eye set in a large depression one 
 inch wide and five sixteenths deep ; longitudinal di- 
 ameter two and a half inches, transverse diameter 
 three inches ; skin irregularly ribbed or lobed ; color 
 of flesh very dark orange ; pulp adhering to skin by a 
 few filaments ; sections of pulp easily separated ; pulp 
 coarse ; juice sweet and highly aromatic ; aroma 
 marked ; quality first. Tree of original variety intro- 
 duced by Major Atway, from Bayou Sara, La., and 
 now growing in the grove of Dr. Moragne, at Palatka. 
 
 Dancy 's Tangierine. Size small ; much flattened ; 
 color deeper and more brilliant than parent variety ; 
 longitudinal diameter one and three quarter inches, 
 transverse diameter two and one quarter inches ; the 
 eye set in a deep cavity seven eighths in diameter ; 
 
104 ORANGE CULTURE IN FLORIDA. 
 
 stalk straight and inserted in a ribbed depression ; 
 thickness of the skin three sixteenths ; general prop- 
 erties of pulp same as parent, only superior ; fruit 
 nearly seedless. In flavor and external appearance 
 this variety is superior to the original. Seminal vari- 
 ety of the Tangierine raised by Colonel F. L. Dancy, 
 Buena Vista, St. Johns county, Fla. 
 
 Citrus Japonica ; synonym, Dwarf Orange. 
 Dwarf-growing variety ; size of fruit small ; slightly 
 obovate ; color deep orange ; skin thin ; eye set in a 
 flattened depression ; fruit regularly ribbed or lobed ; 
 longitudinal diameter two inches, transverse diam- 
 eter one inch and seven eighths ; color of flesh dark ; 
 grain fine and tender ; juice very acid. Useless, ex- 
 cept as an ornamental fruit. 
 
 Navel Orange; synonyms, Umbilical, Bahia, 
 Pernambuco, Seedless Orange, Embiguo. Size large 
 to very large ; eye presenting an umbilical appearance 
 (from which it obtains its name) ; stem inserted in a 
 shallow-ribbed cavity with deep lines ; skin three 
 sixteenths thick ; longitudinal diameter three and 
 five eighths, transverse three and three quarters ; 
 flesh very fine, melting, and tender ; juice sweet, 
 sprightly, vinous, and aromatic ; quality first. Ori- 
 gin, Bahia, Brazil. 
 
 Citrus Myrtifolia. Myrtle-leaved orange ; fruit 
 small and slightly flattened ; eye set in flattened de- 
 pression ; leaves like those of the myrtle ; flavor re- 
 sembling that of a bitter-sweet. Fruit useless for 
 table. 
 
 Sweet Seville (Hicks'}. Size small ; slightly flat- 
 tened ; color comparatively deep ; eye small, without 
 depression ; skin very smooth ; thickness of skin two 
 
SPECIES, VARIETIES, ETC. 105 
 
 sixteenths ; longitudinal diameter two inches, trans- 
 verse two and three eighths ; color darker than Navel 
 orange ; foliage differs from other varieties examined ; 
 leaves markedly obovate ; average length about three 
 and one quarter inches ; width about two and five 
 eighths ; grain very fine, juicy, and melting ; juice 
 very sweet and sprightly ; quality best ; a superior 
 fruit in every respect except size. Supposed to be a 
 seedling raised at Arcadia, St. John's county, Florida. 
 
 Arcadia. Size large ; form somewhat flattened ; 
 color deep ; eye set in slight depression ; stalk in- 
 serted in a slight roughened cavity ; skin smooth 
 with marked pits ; thickness of skin three sixteenths ; 
 longitudinal diameter two and three quarter inches ; 
 transverse diameter three and a quarter inches ; color 
 of flesh deep ; grain coarse ; pulp melting ; juice 
 slightly sub-acid ; quality good. Supposed seedling 
 raised at Arcadia, and introduced by the Rev. Will- 
 iam Watkin Hicks. 
 
 Bergamot. Form flattened, with projecting nip- 
 ple ; color deep lemon ; eye absent, and its place oc- 
 cupied by a nipple-like projection ; stem inserted in 
 a slight depression ; skin two sixteenths; longitudi- 
 nal diameter through nipple three inches, transverse 
 three inches ; color of pulp nearly white ; juice sweet 
 and watery without any decided flavor ; rind possesses 
 a pear-like fragrance, from which perfumers obtain 
 their bergamot essences. Only worthy of cultivation 
 as a curiosity. 
 
 Nonpareil. Size about medium ; somewhat flat- 
 ' tened ; color ordinary ; eye broad and set in a slight- 
 ly depressed cavity ; stem inserted in a level, scarred 
 surface ; skin three sixteenths thick ; longitudinal di- 
 
106 ORANGE CULTURE IN FLORIDA. 
 
 ameter two and three quarters of an inch ; transverse 
 diameter three and a quarter ; color of flesh ordinary ; 
 grain fine ; pulp melting and tender ; juice suh-acid 
 and vinous ; quality good. Seedling raised by Mrs. 
 Mary Richard, Arlington River, Duval County, Flor- 
 ida. 
 
 Magnum Bonum. Size large to very large ; flat- 
 tened ; color light-clear orange ; eye set in a slight 
 cavity ; stem inserted in a narrow depression ; skin 
 smooth and glossy ; thickness of skin two sixteenths ; 
 longitudinal three inches, and the transverse three 
 and five eighths ; color of flesh light ; grain very 
 fine, tender, and melting ; fruit very heavy and juicy ; 
 juice sweet, rich, and vinous ; quality best. Probably 
 a seedling raised at Homosassa, Fla., the former res- 
 idence of the Hon. Mr. Yulee. 
 
 Old Vini. Size about medium ; slightly flattened ; 
 color dark orange ; eye broad, and set in a slight cav- 
 ity ; stem inserted in a narrow wrinkled depression ; 
 surface of skin rough ; thickness of skin three six- 
 teenths ; longitudinal diameter two and three quar- 
 ter inches ; transverse diameter three and one eighth ; 
 grain coarse ; pulp melting ; juice sub-acid and re- 
 markable for a sprightly vinous property ; quality 
 good. Seedling raised by Col. Dancy, Buena Vista, 
 SL John's County, Florida. 
 
 Buena Vista ; synonym, Sweet Seville. Size me- 
 dium ; slightly flattened ; color dark crimson ; eye set 
 in a slightly depressed cavity ; stem inserted in a 
 slight depression ; skin smooth, with deep pits ; 
 thickness of skin nearly four sixteenths ; longitudinal 
 diameter two and three quarter inches, transverse 
 three inches ; color of flesh very dark ; pulp coarse, 
 
SPECIES, VARIETIES, ETC. 107 
 
 but melting ; juice sub-acid ; sprightly with vinous 
 flavor ; quality good. Seedling raised by Colonel 
 Dancy. 
 
 No. 3 (Beach's}. Size above medium ; form ob- 
 long ; color light ; eye set in flattened surface ; stem 
 inserted in a slight, wrinkled cavity ; thickness of 
 skin three sixteenths ; longitudinal diameter three 
 and three eighths, transverse three and a quarter 
 inches ; pulp coarse, not melting ; juice sub-acid ; 
 quality fair. 
 
 Osceola. S\zt large; slightly flattened; color 
 bright ; skin smooth and glossy ; eye very small, and 
 set in a slight cavity ; stem inserted in small, shal- 
 low, wrinkled depression ; skin three sixteenths 
 thick ; longitudinal diameter three inches ; trans- 
 verse three and a quarter ; grain coarse ; pulp rather 
 melting ; juice sweet ; quality good. Seedling raised 
 by L. H. Van Pelt, Mandarin, Florida. 
 
 Dixon Orange. Size large ; somewhat flattened ; 
 color light ; eye small, inserted in a slightly depress- 
 ed cavity ; stem inserted in deep, narrow depression ; 
 thickness of skin four sixteenths of an inch ; longitu- 
 dinal diameter three inches ; transverse three and a 
 half ; grain coarse ; pulp not melting ; juice sub- 
 acid, without any decided flavor ; quality second. 
 Seedling raised on Indian River. 
 
 Sweet Seville (Tolman's). Size below medium, 
 but larger than Hicks' variety ; form flattened ; color 
 light orange ; eye large, without any cavity, and sur- 
 rounded by a dark circle ; stem inserted without cav- 
 ity ; skin smooth and two sixteenths thick ; longitu- 
 dinal diameter two and a quarter inches, transverse 
 two and five eighths ; pulp fine, melting, juicy, 
 
io8 ORANGE CULTURE IN FLORIDA. 
 
 sweet ; inferior quality to Hicks' variety. Origin, 
 Mandarin, Florida. 
 
 Sweet Lemon. Size very small ; form much flat- 
 tened ; color rusty, grayish yellow ; instead of eye a 
 marked nipple set in a deep cavity ; stem inserted in 
 a slight depression ; thickness of skin two sixteenths ; 
 longitudinal diameter two inches, transverse two 
 and one eighth ; color of flesh dark lemon ; grain of 
 pulp coarse ; juice sweet and insipid, with slight 
 lemon flavor. Curious, but unworthy of cultivation. 
 
 The following appeared in the Florida Agricul- 
 turist, 'from the pen of A. H. Manville, one of our 
 most intelligent nurserymen : 
 
 SELECTION OF VARIETIES. 
 
 In planting for profit it would be almost impossible 
 for a person unacquainted with the many varieties of 
 the citrus to make an intelligent selection without a 
 more comprehensive guide than a brief description of 
 the different varieties % 
 
 Of the varieties of the Sweet Orange known 
 in Florida, the Bell, Du Roi, Egg, Blood, and 
 Navel are distinctly marked and readily distin- 
 guishable by their appearance. The Bell which 
 must not be confounded with the insipid, thick- 
 skinned, early, oblong variety and the Du Roi are 
 in every respect superior fruit ; their fine quality 
 will always command for them a high price, while 
 their distinctive characteristics will prevent deception 
 or confusion regarding their variety. The Navel 
 ranks among the first for size and quality ; and, like 
 the above, its peculiar mark will distinguish it in mar- 
 
SPECIES, VARIETIES, ETC. 109 
 
 ket. Unlike the above, it is not a prolific bearer, on 
 which account many fear to plant ; it is however by 
 no means as shy a bearer as has been represented. 
 The Blood has not been fruited long enough in the 
 State to determine its market value. The Egg is val- 
 uable as an early fruit for home use ; its small size 
 and want of flavor render it unfit for market. The 
 Sweet Seville and St. Michaels, though not distinctly 
 marked, are to some extent distinguishable by the ap- 
 pearance of the fruit ; the former is one of the most 
 delicious for home use, though too small for profitable 
 shipment ; the latter is prolific and a good market 
 fruit. Acis, Arcadia, Beach's No. 3, Creole, Dum- 
 mit, Dixon, Excelsior, HAMOSASSA, Higgins, MAG- 
 NUM BONUM, NONPAREIL, Osceola, OLD VINI, 
 PEERLESS, Ahiti, and perhaps others having a local 
 name and celebrity, are native varieties recently 
 brought to public notice ; those in SMALL CAPS are 
 best known and most highly esteemed. They are all 
 very similar, the difference, if any, being too slight 
 to distinguish them in market, land of little importance 
 to growers generally. The differences of description 
 have arisen from soil, location, and treatment rather 
 than from any intrinsic difference in the fruit. This 
 multiplication of varieties differing little in character 
 would seem at first to be useless, confusing the 
 grower and burdening the nurserymen ; in fact, they 
 served good purposes, placing a superior variety 
 within reach of every section, and being a safeguard 
 against the numberless inferior sorts. While, there- 
 fore, it is immaterial in planting which of these be 
 selected, it is highly important that a well-known ac- 
 credited variety be chosen. Tardiff does not differ in 
 
HO ORANGE CULTURE IN FLORIDA. 
 
 appearance or quality from the above, but retains its 
 perfection until very late in the season ; if this habit 
 remains permanent it will be one of the most desira- 
 ble. Botelha, Dulcissima, Jaffa, and other recently 
 imported varieties have not been fruited long enough 
 in the State to determine their qualities. 
 
 Of all the citrus tribe the Mandarin or Tangerine 
 orange is the most delicate and aromatic, though 
 scarcely as luscious as the Sweet Orange of Florida. 
 On account of its beautiful shape, color, and the ease 
 with which the rind and segments separate, it is 
 highly esteemed as a dessert fruit. Comparatively 
 few are shipped, and these bring an enormously high 
 price. The effect of increased production consequent 
 upon the large number being planted remains to be 
 seen. The trees are hardy and prolific. There are 
 two distinct classes the first dwarfed, willow- 
 leaved, and yellow-fruited. Of this class there are 
 many inferior seedling varieties which have occasion- 
 ed a prejudice against it in some localities ; the trees 
 can be planted much closer than the Sweet Orange. 
 The second, full-sized, large-leaved, crimson-fruited, 
 much prized on account of its color. The China and 
 St. Michaels of the former class and the Bijou of the 
 latter are superior varieties. 
 
 Until recently Florida lemons have bee'n regarded 
 as too large, thick-skinned, and bitter-rinded for 
 profitable shipment. The last few years have dem- 
 onstrated this to be erroneous. Heretofore com- 
 paratively unknown in market, a poor opinion was 
 formed from the inferior quality and improper prep- 
 aration of the specimens fowarded. The fruit is now 
 in demand, sought for by local buyers and consignees 
 
SPECIES, VARIETIES, ETC. ill 
 
 in Northern markets, and commands a price equal to 
 the best Florida oranges and much greater than im- 
 ported lemons. As a result of this favorable condi- 
 tion of market, many are planting extensively. The 
 lemon is more prolific arid an earlier bearer than the 
 orange, and its cultivation equally or more remunera- 
 tive ; the tree will not stand as great a degree of cold 
 as the latter, but is successfully grown as far north 
 as Putnam County. While much of the fruit pro- 
 duced in the State is superior in quality, there are 
 numberless coarse, inferior sorts ; to avoid these, as 
 with the orange, only well-known leading varieties 
 should be planted. The Sicily, or imported lemon of 
 commerce, French's Seedling, not the so-called 
 French lemon, and Lamb have fruited for some years, 
 and are far superior in every respect, the two latter 
 being equal to the imported fruit. The characteristics 
 of the fruit of these three varieties are essentially the 
 same. French's Seedling is less thorny than the 
 others. Bijou, Eureka, Genoa, Imperial, and some 
 others recently introduced promise well. Ever-bear- 
 ing is valuable for home use rather than market. 
 Young trees of this species, even of the best varie- 
 ties, are apt to produce large, coarse fruit ; it becomes 
 smaller and finer as the tree grows older. 
 
 Extract from Horticultural Congress Papers, by 
 Thomas Rivers, England. 
 
 Botelha and Dulcissima, both thin rinds and very 
 rich. Egg, very large, rind thick, remarkably juicy, 
 but not rich ; a great bearer. Exquisite, a thin-rind- 
 ed, rich, and juicy fruit. Maltese Blood, large, oval, 
 
112 ORANGE CULl^URE IN FLORIDA, 
 
 with dark red pulp, exceedingly rich, good and dis- 
 tinct ; fruit from the same tree vary in color from 
 deep red to the usual pale yellow color, with faint 
 streaks of red. St. Michaels, thin rind, very juicy, 
 and bears abundantly. Silver Orange, color of rind 
 pale yellow, flesh pale, rind very thin, flavor piquant 
 and delicious. Sustain, large, and remarkable for its 
 sweet juices. White Orange, large, rind pale yel- 
 low, flesh very pale, flavor rich and good. 
 
 The following is from the report of the Southern 
 California Horticultural Society : 
 
 FINE ORANGES. 
 
 T. A. Garey, from San Francisco, presented sev- 
 eral specimens of Carey's Mediterranean Sweet Or- 
 ange, to show in what a good state of preservation 
 this fruit will keep to so late a period as the middle 
 of August. The specimens were cut and tested by 
 those present. They were of a fine texture, solid, 
 juicy, of a good flavor, and looked as though they 
 would remain on the trees unimpaired in quality for 
 a month longer. Mr. Garey claims for this fruit the 
 following good qualities : 
 
 This orange commences to fruit the second year 
 from the bud. 
 
 It bears heavy and regular crops. 
 
 The fruit commences to ripen in December, and 
 remains sound and firm on the tree until the follow- 
 ing August. 
 
 It is of large size, symmetrical shape, and extraor- 
 dinary fine color. 
 
SPECIES, VARIETIES, ETC. 113 
 
 A large proportion are entirely seedless. 
 
 The flavor is excellent, the grain very fine, and the 
 fruit is almost entirely free from the tough and 
 stringy membranous substances usually found in 
 oranges. 
 
 Its keeping qualities are superior to any variety 
 tested in this country, rendering it a superior market 
 fruit. 
 
 The tree is a rapid grower, symmetrical in shape, 
 and forming invariably a round and beautiful head. 
 
 An entire absence of thorns, avoiding by this pe- 
 culiarity the large percentage of loss usually sustain- 
 ed in the puncturing of the fruit by the thorns or 
 spines found on the common variety of orange trees. 
 
 In concluding this subject of varieties, I would 
 urge upon the orange growers of this State the ad- 
 visability of selecting and cultivating varieties with 
 reference to their time of maturing. The orange 
 naturally has the advantage of most fruits in point 
 of extending the time of ripening. It is a crop 
 that can be harvested as the market demands be- 
 ginning ordinarily with November and ending with 
 March. And this period might be extended so as 
 to embrace a still longer time, by gathering in 
 March and carefully housing, thus preventing de- 
 terioration of fruit by longer hanging on the tree, 
 and giving relief to the latter. 
 
 This course has been advised by one who has 
 studied the methods of handling the orange in 
 European groves. 
 
114 ORANGE CULTURE IN FLORIDA. 
 
 A dry packing-house, with numerous shelves and 
 frequent fumigation, will probably play an impor- 
 tant part in the future as a preventive of a tem- 
 porary market-glut, or the effects of a septennial 
 freeze. But this matter can be helped by an intel- 
 ligent selection of kinds for stocking a grove. Nor 
 have we even then seen the final result : if early 
 varieties have been propagated in this initiatory 
 stage of the study of the orange industry, others 
 will be introduced that are earlier ; if a freak of 
 nature has given us an orange that ripens in 
 March, the observant orchardist will not be long in 
 improving on this. 
 
 A late-maturing orange has already been mention- 
 ed in these pages, but there is an early variety that 
 nurserymen pass over in their catalogues, yet which 
 should not be despised. Like the lemon grown in 
 this State, its treatment has not been such as to 
 bring out its merits. Under no circumstances is it 
 as good an orange as the ordinary Florida fruit, 
 when the latter is matured. But the " Thornless 
 Bell" is edible in September, and is best when 
 gathered then, before it yellows on the tree. When 
 permitted to turn on the tree it loses that sufficiency 
 of acidity which it possesses earlier, and which pre- 
 vents its being insipid the common objection to 
 it. Instead of a thick rind, it then cures with a 
 skin as thin as that of the imported Sicily orange, 
 and with which it will probably compare favorably 
 as to general quality. Let it be understood that 
 
SPECIE S t VARIETIES, ETC. 
 
 1*5 
 
 all that is claimed for this ' ' September' ' orange, as 
 it might be designated, are its early ripening quali- 
 ties and its wonderfully prolific nature. 
 
CHAPTER XVIII. 
 
 THE LEMON AND LIME. 
 
 COMPARATIVELY little attention has been 
 *Q given in Florida to the cultivation of the lemon 
 and lime ; and yet these are among the most val- 
 uable of the citrus family, whether we consider their 
 monetary value or their healthfulness. This neg- 
 lect has arisen from several causes. 
 
 The lemon is a more vigorous grower than the 
 Orange, and when planted on strong or fresh land 
 the fruit grows to a much larger size and with a 
 thicker skin than in Europe. The rind, also, 
 when the fruit is permitted to yellow upon the tree, 
 is bitter, which destroys the commercial value of 
 the lemon. Other ill results are noticed when the 
 fruit is permitted to ripen on the tree. Such fruit 
 is comparatively light, the juice sparse, and charged 
 with a small per cent of citric acid. All this is the 
 result of a want of knowledge of proper treatment 
 of the fruit. My lemons have brought in New 
 York and Philadelphia more money per box than 
 my oranges, and have in these markets ranked as 
 first quality. I would mention also that as a gen- 
 eral rule the lemon tree is more productive than 
 the orange. This fruit which ranked so high was 
 
THE LEMON AND LIME. 117 
 
 gathered from seedlings planted from seed of the 
 Sicily and Messina fruit of commerce. If the fruit 
 on these trees is allowed to ripen on the tree they 
 average three fourths of a pound in weight, but of 
 inferior quality, juice little, and rind thick. 
 
 My method of preparing for market is to gather 
 the fruit when about one third larger than we find 
 the Sicily lemon when it reaches our American 
 market. In curing, the fruit will shrink this extra 
 third. The fruit is gathered in latticed boxes hold- 
 ing about fifty lemons each and only two layers 
 deep. The fruit should be cut with short stems, and 
 so handled as not to be bruised. The boxes are at 
 once put into a close room one on top of another, 
 but forming a hollow square. If the room is large, 
 cover the pile of boxes with a cloth that will con- 
 fine the sulphurous gas with which the fruit is to be 
 treated. Place in the centre of the square, and suf- 
 ficiently remote from the boxes not to heat the 
 fruit, an oven of live coals. Throw on the burning 
 coals an ounce of flowers of sulphur, and fasten 
 down the cloths. If the room is small and tight the 
 cloth is not necessary. Allow the fruit to remain 
 in a dark room for a week, then expose to sun- 
 light the direct rays of the sun a part of the day is 
 best until the skin is yellow. The fruit is then 
 ready for market or to be stored for future use, for 
 when thus treated it can be kept for an indefinite 
 time. This sulphurous gas is of great benefit in 
 the curing of both lemon and orange : First, it aids 
 
Ii8 ORANGE CULTURE IN FLORIDA. 
 
 in properly curing the fruit by toughening the skin 
 and drying up the watery particles ; second, it is 
 fatal to all parasites of the orange, whether vegeta- 
 ble or animal. I am satisfied that a very large per 
 cent of the speedy decay of the orange so fatal to 
 shippers is occasioned by the germs of fungi left 
 over from the former year in packing-houses, and 
 old boxes in which rotten fruit was conveyed. 
 These germs lie dormant, waiting for a moist at- 
 mosphere favorable to their development ; they then 
 develop and multiply with wondrous rapidity, 
 showing their work in the form of mould on any 
 moist surface, but especially on fruit. Some years 
 ago I put into a basket that had held some decayed 
 lemons, on the sides of which basket at the time of 
 gathering I noticed a little mould, some very fine 
 Tangerine oranges. In two days' time half the fruit 
 was entirely worthless. The fruit that was left on 
 the tree, or "that had been otherwise handled, was 
 entirely sound. This gave me a hint. It was a 
 very wet season ; most of our shippers were losing 
 heavily. Commission merchants were constantly 
 reporting ' ' Fruit arrived in bad order, " " Did not 
 pay expenses. " I knew that sulphurous fumes 
 were fatal to fungoids. I commenced to gather 
 and ship in the midst of the damp season. I fumi- 
 gated every box of fruit, and though mould had ap- 
 peared on the fruit as it hung on the trees, I heard 
 no report of decayed fruit, but on the contrary had 
 
THE LEMON AND LIME. 119 
 
 the report ol "Arrived in good condition," and 
 " Good price/' 
 
 I have not had much experience in handling the 
 lime, but I am convinced that this fruit, most val- 
 uable because of its healthfulness and its richness 
 in citric acid, can be cured as easily as the lemon, 
 and preserved quite as long if subjected to the treat- 
 ment recommended for the lemon. This fruit 
 needs only to be known in our Northern market to 
 be valued even more highly than the lemon. When 
 once brought into notice it will prove truly profita- 
 ble to the grower. The yield is speedy and abun- 
 dant. 
 
 The Florida lemon, marketed during the latter 
 part of August and all of September and October, 
 meets with little competition from foreign fruit. 
 
CHAPTER XIX. 
 
 THE INSECTS DAMAGING TO THE ORANGE TREE THE 
 
 NATURAL ENEMIES OF SUCH INSECTS, AND THE 
 REMEDIES TO BE APPLIED. 
 
 UT few insects injurious to the orange tree have 
 appeared, but their ravages have now and 
 then done considerable mischief, and awakened 
 still greater apprehension. The insect which at 
 one time was considered the most injurious was 
 the long scale insect, resembling one side of a dis- 
 torted muscle-shell, and was called by Packard As- 
 pidiotus Gloverii. When it first made its appear- 
 ance in Florida it threatened universal destruction 
 of the orange groves. It first made its appearance 
 at Mandarin, Florida, about forty years ago, to 
 which place it was brought on some China orange 
 plants freshly imported from China. The insect is 
 very diminutive, and under a glass of strong power 
 has the appearance of a white louse. It is very 
 quick in its motions (its movements resembling 
 those of the chicken-mite), and conceals itself, dur- 
 ing the presence of an enemy, under the scale 
 erected for the shelter, first of the egg and then of 
 the young insect. The eggs are purple and laid in 
 two parallel rows. The insect when hatched at 
 
INSECTS DAMAGING ORANGE TREE. 12 1 
 
 once begins to suck the sap like the aphis from 
 the bark and leaf of the tree wherever the scale 
 happens to be fastened. It finally develops into a 
 diminutive fly undiscoverable with the natural eye, 
 except when late in the afternoon they can be seen 
 between the observer and the declining sun when 
 the tree infested is suddenly jarred. The effect pro- 
 duced by their sucking is first to deplete and finally 
 to exhaust and kill the branch and leaf to which 
 they cling. Several remedies have been found effect- 
 ual. The most effective yet known to the writer is 
 a decoction of tobacco with sufficient carbolic soap 
 to make a strong suds. Apply with a garden syringe 
 or pump, through a perforated nozzle. Kerosene, 
 in the proportion of one part of kerosene to eleven 
 of water, applied in the same manner, is effective. 
 But there is danger if too much be used. A mod- 
 erate amount is a good fertilizer and stimulant to 
 the tree. As there is no chemical affinity between 
 the kerosene and water, the mixture has to be kept 
 vigorously stirred during the time of applying it. 
 Either of these applications has to be repeated two 
 or three times, at intervals of ten or twelve days. 
 
 Another insect similar to the one just consid- 
 ered, but with scale of lighter appearance and of 
 rounder form, is also damaging to the trees. This 
 insect seldom attacks either the leaves or the tender 
 wood, but confines itself mainly to the bark of the 
 wood from one to four years old. They are easily 
 and effectively removed by washing the trunks 
 
122 ORANGE CULTURE IN FLORIDA. 
 
 with wood -ashes and water in the proportion of 
 one quart of ashes to three gallons of water. If 
 found generally on the tree in positions not easily 
 reached by the hand, syringe as before with " white 
 lye" lye prepared by boiling wood-ashes. 
 
 A most formidable enemy to both these insects- 
 named has appeared within the last two years in 
 the grove of the writer. It is a lady-bug with a sin- 
 gle red spot on each wing case. In both the pupa 
 and perfect state it is ever busy devouring these in- 
 sects. Of course they are allowed full freedom of 
 the grove, and are increasing very rapidly. 
 
 Another enemy, noticed for the first time and 
 during the present year in the grove of the writer, 
 of the long scale insect, has appeared in the form 
 of a small hang or basket worm, ' ' named by Mr. 
 Packard (as the writer has been informed through 
 the entomological department of the Agricultural 
 Department), Platcecitus Gloverii," but later 
 named Psyche Confederata. The female remains 
 in her case and devours insects inclosed under her 
 web. The male is a small dark- colored moth. 
 These insects are not a very formidable enemy to 
 the scale, as the female confines herself closely in 
 her operations under her web. But some small 
 trees have been entirely rid of insects by their help. 
 But if * ' these insects, ' ' as the entomologist of the 
 Agricultural Department writes, " in their habits 
 resemble the basket or drop worm of the North," 
 they might prove an enemy to the orange tree as 
 
INSECTS DAMAGING ORANGE TREE. 123 
 
 well as to the scale insect, and if so should not be 
 encouraged. 
 
 Another insect resembles, when young, fine 
 corn-meal dusted over the tree, but when the case 
 in which the insects are inclosed is full grown it 
 resembles the small barnacles clinging to a wharf 
 built in salt water. When these cases are turned 
 over and examined with a glass they disclose 
 under each a multitude of small insects resembling 
 lice. They do not exhaust trees so rapidly as the 
 scale insect, but their presence is damaging. The 
 leaves of the trees infested change after a while to a 
 dark sooty appearance, and the tree does not grow 
 so rapidly. 
 
 An enemy to this insect also has appeared. I 
 am informed by the entomologist of the Agricultu- 
 ral Department, to whom I sent specimens of this 
 and the other insects mentioned, that the ' ' insect 
 is the Evagoras Rubidus, which destroys the plant- 
 lice on the cotton and orange, at least I have found 
 it in the act of sucking out the juice of a plant- 
 louse/' As I finished the above sentence I laid 
 my pen down to go out and capture some of these 
 insects, that I might give a more accurate descrip- 
 tion, and found a full-grown insect which had just 
 pierced with his proboscis a full-grown house-fly. 
 He continued his feast for a few moments as I 
 watched, and when frightened retreated, carrying his 
 prey with him. This insect when young resem- 
 bles a red spider. As it increases in size it changes 
 
124 ORANGE CULTURE IN FLORIDA. 
 
 to a salmon color with white spots. When half 
 grown, or about one half inch in length, two small 
 black wings are visible. When full grown, or three 
 fourths of an inch in length, two pairs of wings 
 show themselves, the smaller or under pair black, 
 the upper pair black, with salmon-colored marking 
 on the forward halves of the wings. When fully 
 grown the insect is ready for flight and is very ac- 
 tive. When young it is very busy feeding upon 
 small insects ; when grown it seeks for larger prey. 
 Since writing the above I find a description of the 
 above insect in Agricultural Report of 1875, page 
 
 131- 
 
 The wood-louse, or white ant, has occasioned se- 
 rious trouble and sometimes death to many fine 
 young trees where the preventive was not used 
 ashes or slaked lime around the base of the trunk. 
 When a tree begins suddenly to show yellow leaves 
 examine a few inches below the surface at the base 
 of the trunk for wood-lice, especially if a stake has 
 been driven near the tree for its support, or if litter 
 from the forest or mulching of leaves has been used. 
 If wood-lice are discovered, clear them away care- 
 fully, and pour boiling water into the cavity around 
 the tree until all the cavities in which the lice could 
 have concealed themselves have been reached. If 
 the tree has been but partially girdled it will re- 
 cover, if the soil be placed above the wounded part. 
 But if the tree has been completely girdled, get 
 well rotted muck and pile it for three or four inches 
 
INSECTS DAMAGING ORANGE TREE, 125 
 
 above the wound, and cover over with sand. Fin- 
 ish with a top-dressing of fresh wood-ashes or 
 slaked lime. If the tree is not too far spent it 
 will send out young roots above the wound and 
 finally recover. 
 
 Another insect to be noticed resembles the squash- 
 bug, and is called by the entomologist of the De- 
 partment of Agriculture Euthoctha Galeator. This 
 insect is very bold in its attack. I have watched 
 them frequently in their operations as they were 
 lying in the hot sun basking, while their probosces 
 were inserted in the tender shoots. I have held my 
 magnifying-glass within a half or three quarters of 
 an inch from them, and had the finest opportunity 
 of observing the operations of this bold enemy of 
 the orange. I have seen the tenderer shoots wilt 
 when the insect was sucking them, from the ex- 
 tremity to the point at which this insect had insert- 
 ed its proboscis. As this insect is large, the injury 
 inflicted by it is speedy. But when the shoot is 
 older and more vigorous the effect is very similar 
 to that produced by die-back. These insects are 
 more apt to attack trees starting young shoots at 
 periods of the year when the grove is not generally 
 making new wood. As they cannot pierce the old 
 wood they seek for the tenderest. This accounts 
 for the impression that stimulating or forcing a tree 
 produces the die-back. 
 
 The Euthoctha Galeator is fond of concealing 
 itself under litter of any kind during the night or 
 
126 ORANGE CULTURE IN FLORIDA. 
 
 cold weather. Mulching around a tree is an at- 
 tractive covert from which they start forth, when the 
 sun begins to shine warmly, to the nearest tender 
 branch. This has caused others to conclude that 
 mulching was the cause of die-back. 
 
 There is another form of this disease, arising from 
 an entirely different cause, to be noticed in the next 
 chapter. As no natural enemies of these insects are 
 known, watchfulness on the part of the orange 
 grower is alone to be relied upon for their destruc- 
 tion. They should be caught by hand or in a net 
 and killed. The insect last described is very apt 
 to conceal itself under litter during the \vinter. 
 Pieces of bark, boards, logs, stumps, litter of every 
 kind offer them shelter. In early spring when the 
 weather is cold everything of the kind in the vicin- 
 ity of the orange grove infested should be burned. 
 The insect is very fond of sucking the cow-pea, 
 and lays its eggs near its field of operation, often 
 on the under side of the leaf of the plant on which 
 it feeds. If the orange grower will grow cow-peas 
 in his grove and bury them in trenches or holes 
 dug at the extremity of the orange roots, a few days 
 after these insects have commenced to feed upon 
 the peas, he can destroy them at a most important 
 time. Both these plans were adopted by the 
 writer during the present year, and his grove is now 
 quite clear of this pest. 
 
 When trees have been damaged seriously by 
 these insects the knife and saw must be freely used. 
 
INSECTS DAMAGING ORANGE TREE. 127 
 
 Cut away all diseased wood. Let the cutting be so 
 heavy that the tree will start strong shoots. Watch 
 these young shoots carefully, when the sun is 
 warm, for the bug resembling the squash-bug. 
 Kill all that make their appearance. If the extrem- 
 ities of the shoots have been stung, pinch them back. 
 They cannot be saved if the wood is very tender. 
 If blisters appear in the harder wood, puncture them 
 with a knife. It will relieve the wood, which will 
 readily heal, and the branch will soon recover its 
 vigor. 
 
 The writer has allowed some trees to go almost 
 to the last extremity, and brought them out by fol- 
 lowing the above plan. 
 
CHAPTER XX. 
 
 DISEASES TO WHICH THE ORANGE TREE AND FRUIT 
 ARE LIABLE, AND THEIR REMEDIES. 
 
 fEW fruit trees are less liable to disease than the 
 orange, but the fruit and trees are so valuable 
 that no enemy should be allowed to attack them 
 unopposed. Perhaps the most formidable disease 
 which has yet made its appearance is the * ' die-back. ' ' 
 One cause producing this disease has already 
 been noticed in a preceding chapter. The name 
 * ' die-back' ' is a general term, used for want of a 
 better and more specific name or names, for at least 
 two diseases arising from three and perhaps four 
 different causes. But as it is descriptive of the 
 symptoms of one or more diseases arising from sev- 
 eral different causes, its meaning is readily com- 
 prehended. The symptom is the dying back of the 
 new wood to the old. It is sometimes confined to 
 a few branches of the tree. When this is the case 
 the inference is that it is caused solely from the 
 sting of an insect. If, however, the symptom is 
 general to the young branches, and they come forth 
 feeble and yellow with no marks of stings, the 
 cause may originate near the roots. 
 
 Deep planting will produce such symptoms. 
 
DISEASES AND THEIR REMEDIES. 129 
 
 Trees do not depend solely upon their leaves for 
 the supply of carbonic acid. The roots gather a 
 very considerable part of this gas, so essential to 
 plant life, not in a pure state, as is done by the 
 leaf, but in chemical combination with other ele- 
 ments. This is the case especially with trees which 
 have very yellow roots. Such trees send their 
 roots either into a very porous soil easily penetrated 
 by the air, or else send them near the surface, where 
 they find a greater abundance of air, which decom- 
 poses manure and is essential to the formation of 
 carbonic acid. Such is the case with the orange 
 tree and roots. If the tree is planted too deep or 
 the crust on the top of the soil has become very 
 compact, these roots, dependent upon air for health 
 and ability to perform their functions, are virtually 
 smothered, They make an effort to grow, but as 
 often as they form rootlets and root-hairs, these die 
 and convey no nutriment for the formation of the 
 woody structure of young shoots, so the new and 
 tender cells, which are but the frame-work of the 
 plant, perish for want of support. And hence the 
 light cellular structure, in the form of young shoots, 
 dies back as certainly as if it had been cut from 
 the older wood. I have occasionally dug up trees 
 so afflicted and found them wanting in new roots. 
 The remedy is to reset, or else take away the top 
 soil till the lateral roots are brought near the sur- 
 face, and to keep the soil well cultivated. Cut away 
 all diseased wood and roots. When the extremities 
 
130 ORANGE CULTURE IN FLORIDA. 
 
 of roots of trees come in contact with poisonous 
 earth or fermenting manures, a similar symptom is 
 produced, as in planting upon hard-pan or over a 
 stratum of salt earth. 
 
 Where moss appears on the trunks of trees, it is 
 easily removed by any alkali wash. Soap-suds, or 
 what is better, wood-ashes, will both fertilize and 
 cleanse. 
 
 The cracking of the fruit is occasioned by any 
 suspension of the growth of the fruit, and a conse- 
 quent hardening of the rind, followed by a sudden 
 flow of sap from any stimulating cause, as highly 
 fertilizing a bearing grove, especially during sum- 
 mer, or a wet spell following a dry. This cracking 
 is more apt to follow the rains, if trees have been 
 highly manured even in winter. This can be pre- 
 vented by keeping the ground well stirred during 
 dry weather. The soil thus stirred absorbs moist- 
 ure and keeps the fruit growing. 
 
 Two other diseases have of late years shown 
 themselves in Florida, and occasioned great fear 
 and trouble among orange growers. One is known 
 as the " foot-rot. ' ' The symptoms are the decay 
 and sloughing of the bark around the crown and 
 tap-roots of the tree. I have had no experience in 
 my own grove with this disease, but have watched 
 its effects in many portions of the State. It has 
 occasioned much trouble and loss in Louisiana, 
 from whose orange growers I have had many letters 
 of inquiry, some of whom have confounded the dis- 
 
DISEASES AND THEIR REMEDIES. 131 
 
 ease with another, presently to be mentioned. I 
 am convinced that this trouble is occasioned by one 
 general cause the fermenting of sap in the vicinity 
 of the " rot." The sap of the orange abounds in 
 oil and starch, which, in combination with watery 
 particles, favor easy and rapid fermentation, especial- 
 ly when the circulation is slow. So far as I have 
 discovered, this fermentation is induced mainly 
 from two causes first, fermenting manures around 
 the base of the trunk. Of course, this should not 
 be allowed. Second, stagnant water around the 
 roots. If water is allowed to flow or drain slowly 
 from the ground it is not likely to ferment. I 
 have known it to flow for weeks above the surface 
 of the ground with no seeming damage to the trees, 
 but if allowed to stand on the surface, or a little 
 below the surface, under the influence of a powerful 
 sun fermentation speedily sets in, and a few weeks 
 or months thereafter the roots of the tree resting 
 therein begin to show signs of decay. The first 
 symptom is a darkening of the sap, next loosening 
 of the bark of the roots, and last rot of bark. The 
 prevention is, to underdrain, and keep the crown- 
 roots well exposed to air and sunlight. If under- 
 draining is impracticable, carry off the surface water 
 and keep the ground well mulched, that a lower 
 temperature may check the tendency to fermenta- 
 tion. In localities where this disease is troublesome, 
 sour stock, as it is better adapted to wet and acid 
 soils, do better than the sweet stock. 
 
132 ORANGE CULTURE IN FLORIDA. 
 
 The other disease to which reference has been 
 made is 4< bleeding/ 7 an exudation of sap, harden- 
 ing into gum, from the trunk of the tree. As this 
 trouble is more frequent after a severe winter, I am 
 persuaded it is occasioned by a rupture of the sap- 
 vessels, inducing, as in ' * foot-rot, ' ' fermentation 
 beneath the bark, under which the diseased sap 
 collects, first forming a blister and then breaking 
 through the bark, corroding and hardening into 
 gum. The remedy is to cut away the diseased 
 bark as far as there is any discoloration of sap, and 
 whitewash the wound, or apply fresh cow-dung. 
 Thus treated, if the cutting has been to the sound 
 bark, the wound soon heals. It is not infrequently 
 the case that the bug, the same or similar to the 
 one that stings the deadened pine tree, attracted 
 by the fermenting sap, deposits its egg beneath the 
 bark. This egg develops into a borer which feeds 
 upon the fermenting wood, and may sometimes ex- 
 tend his operations into the sound wood. But the 
 presence of this borer is the result and not the 
 cause of the disease. When this invader appears 
 he must be hunted and taken out with the knife. 
 Dead limbs or dead wood on a tree will invite a 
 similar borer, which feeds on the dry wood of either 
 the orange or oak, but I have not known of this 
 insect doing any damage to the growing wood. 
 
CHAPTER XXL 
 
 RUST ON THE ORANGE. 
 
 UST has been the cause of considerable annoy 
 ance to the growers of the orange in Florida. 
 The writer has for years been engaged in experi- 
 ments for the purpose of ascertaining, first, the 
 cause of, and then the remedy for, the rust. Some 
 years ago he reached the conclusion that the rust 
 was nothing more than the oxidized oil from the 
 skin spread over the surface. This discovery was 
 first made through the microscope, and afterward 
 confirmed by chemical tests. The cause of exuda- 
 tion of oil was first attributed to some peculiar con- 
 dition of the soil. Different remedies were applied 
 with the hope of getting rid of such matter as would 
 produce an excess of hydrocarbonates. Among 
 other things, "caustic lime was applied broadcast 
 through the orangery. The rust disappeared for 
 two or three years, and again returned. Eighteen 
 months ago the writer's attention was called, by 
 Mr. W. C. Hargrove, of Palatka, to a microscopic 
 insect first noticed by Mr. J. K.. Gates, and believed 
 by them to be the cause of the rust. 
 
 This led me to investigate in another direction. 
 Knowing Mr. William H. Ashmead, of Jacksonville, 
 
134 ORANGE CULTURE IN FLORIDA. 
 
 Fla. , to be investigating orange insects, I sought his 
 co-operation. He found the insect new to ento- 
 mologists, but belonging to the order Acarina, and 
 family Phytoptidae. Mr. Ashmead gave to the insect 
 the name Phytoptus oleivorous, or oil-eating. He 
 has given a very interesting chapter on the subject 
 in his pamphlet on " Orange Insects." The wri- 
 ter, during the two summers last past, has tried 
 a number of experiments, hoping to find a destroy- 
 er of the insect and a preventive of rust. He 
 found a strong decoction of tobacco with whale-oil 
 soap, one pound to ten gallons of the decoction, 
 the most effective. This decoction was applied by 
 means of a pump, forcing the liquid through a rose 
 nozzle and drenching the foliage and fruit. The 
 application should be made monthly during May, 
 June, and July, as there are monthly generations 
 of the insect. The present year I found them at- 
 tached to the fruit as late as October. When there 
 is no fruit on the trees the insects attach them- 
 selves to the leaves. Lime, sown broadcast when 
 foliage is damp, is beneficial. 
 
 The insect is microscopic, and only discoverable 
 with the unaided eye when they are in great abun- 
 dance upon the fruit or leaves. Then the fruit and 
 leaves have the appearance of having been slightly 
 dusted with the finest flour. I copy description 
 from Mr. Ashmead' s work : " Whitish flesh-color, 
 elongated ; gradually increasing in size near the head 
 it becomes twice as thick as posteriorly ; abdomen 
 
RUST ON THE ORANGE. 135 
 
 finely and transversely striate, apparently consisting 
 of numerous very thin segments ; at the extrem- 
 ity is a biped appendage that evidently assists it in 
 clinging to the orange ; just above it protrude two 
 caudal filaments ; head almost hidden in thorax ; 
 four legs rather short with one claw, a long hair 
 springing from the knee/' 
 
 When the insect attacks the orange before the 
 fruit is grown it is dwarfed in size and blackened ; 
 when attacked later, the color is changed to a dark 
 bronze ; if still later, to a light bronze. The fruit 
 is not otherwise damaged by the ' ' rust. ' ' Some 
 claim a benefit from the rust, since c ' rusted' ' fruit 
 keeps better and is shipped with less damage. 
 Such fruit is also sweeter, as the watery particles are 
 allowed to escape through the punctured skin and 
 the saccharine matter thus concentrated. As the 
 oil exudes from the punctures made by the insect 
 and spreads over the surface, it hardens into a var- 
 nish which protects the fruit against atmospheric 
 influences. 
 
 The most available time to attack the rust insect 
 is during the winter, before the trees have put on 
 their new crop of fruit. At that time the insect has 
 fastened itself to the under side of the leaf. It does 
 not transfer itself to the fruit until the oil-cells are 
 well formed. By lodging on the under side of the 
 leaf it is more difficult to attack. But if caustic 
 and well-slaked lime is applied when the leaves are 
 well dampened with dew (dew is better than the 
 
136 ORANGE CULTURE IN FLORIDA. 
 
 rain, as the rain does not wet the under side of the 
 leaf) the fine particles of lime adhere to the leaves 
 and destroy the insect. The application should be 
 made from beneath the tree, the operator standing 
 near the trunk and throwing the lime in handfuls 
 up among the branches. The same rule should 
 be observed when the tree is washed with a decoc- 
 tion of tobacco and whale-oil soap. It should be 
 first syringed from beneath ; afterward it may be 
 showered from the side, and thus by drenching 
 every part of the tree insure a more effectual appli- 
 cation and remedy. 
 
 Another reason why the application of remedies 
 should be made in winter is, the insect does not 
 seem to be multiplying during the colder weather. 
 It certainly is much more active during the warmer 
 months. It should be attacked when at a disad- 
 vantage. Every tree in the grove should be treat- 
 ed, and if possible every leaf of every tree in the 
 grove. What would be better still, communities 
 ought to combine and operate at the same time, 
 that the enemy may be exterminated. When once 
 they have obtained a lodgment in a grove they mul- 
 tiply very rapidly during a hot dry spell. An opin- 
 ion prevails that wet weather increases the rust. 
 This is true to a limited extent. The oil does not 
 exude from the punctures made by the insect till 
 it has removed itself from the puncture or died. 
 As long as it continues to suck the oil the orange 
 does not rust. Should the orange be stimulated 
 
RUST ON THE ORANGE. 137 
 
 to active circulation of sap, the pressure from within 
 induces a more active flow of oil. Hence the rain 
 makes the show of rust the more speedy by first 
 stimulating to an increased flow of oil and then 
 hastening its oxidizing. The rust does not appear 
 simultaneously with the insect, but follows its opera- 
 tions. Hot weather is favorable to the development 
 of the insect, but wet weather increases the show 
 of rust. 
 
CHAPTER XXII. 
 
 GATHERING, PACKING, AND SHIPPING THE ORANGE. 
 
 N Europe these branches of the business belong 
 to the merchant, and are studied as an art. The 
 merchant buys the fruit on the trees either in bulk 
 or by the thousand, counting 1040 as an M. But 
 in this country, and especially thus early in the his- 
 tory of orange growing, it is well for the grower to 
 understand this part of his business so well that he 
 can gather, pack, and ship his own fruit without be- 
 ing left to the mercy of speculators, many of whom 
 are concerned only so far as they may get the great- 
 er part of the profits. Ignorance of these things 
 has already occasioned large annual loss both to 
 the producer and buyer. The oranges from many 
 groves have generally been pulled off, the rinds of 
 many torn in gathering them from the tree, and 
 these oranges piled into a boat or cart and offered 
 in bulk upon the streets or in the markets for sale. 
 They have never been cured nor assorted. They 
 are in no condition to be shipped. They cannot 
 be long kept in such a condition. The huckster or 
 buyer sees this, takes advantage of circumstances, 
 sometimes combining with others of his class to 
 put down the price, picks out the most indifferent 
 
GATHERING, PACKING, AND SHIPPING. 139 
 
 fruit, and offers for the whole a price based upon 
 this inferior sample. So far as the producer is con- 
 cerned the fruit is sacrificed, and especially if the 
 market be full. The grower should never put him- 
 self at the mercy of such men, for even the tender 
 mercies of such men are cruel. If the grower will 
 so gather, assort, and pack his fruit that it will 
 keep for weeks or for months, as may be done, he 
 need not be driven to such sacrifices. 
 
 As the fruit of a grove begins to ripen, let the 
 gardener pass through, and, taking tree by tree, take 
 from it all fruit that shows such defects as will lead 
 him to conclude that it will never come to perfec- 
 tion. Let him gather all specked fruit. This can 
 be done week after week, always selecting the ripest 
 of such fruit. As such is the first to ripen there is 
 always a market for it, and, rightly managed, at a 
 paying price. If such fruit is allowed to remain 
 on the tree it will get no better, and its presence 
 will damage the fruit which should remain longer 
 on the tree. Before the better oranges begin to 
 ripen the gardener should be well acquainted with 
 the quality of the fruit of each tree, so that he can 
 classify them according to quality of flavor, from the 
 acid to the sweet, from the dry to the juicy, and 
 various varieties. In gathering, cut the stem close 
 to the orange, handle in boxes containing not more 
 than 75 or 100, which boxes place on shelves in the 
 packing-house until the surplus moisture has escaped 
 from the rind, leaving it tough and pliable. This 
 
140 ORANGE CULTURE IN FLORIDA. 
 
 drying process will require not more than five 
 days. Always select a dry day on which to gather 
 the fruit. When the orange is thoroughly ripe 
 during and after January its hold on the stem is 
 not so tenacious ; it can then be plucked more ex- 
 peditiously without the aid of the knife, a skilful 
 hand with a practical double jerk being able to 
 break the stem in the eye with no danger of tearing 
 the skin. 
 
 The boxes for packing should be of light mate- 
 rial, neatly made, tolerably close, and hooped. Di- 
 mensions 8 x 16x27, with partition in the middle. 
 In making these, one side should be left open. In 
 packing, the open side should be turned up, and 
 the box lined with sheets of paper laid on the bot- 
 tom and resting against the side. Each orange 
 should be wrapped separately in tissue-paper con- 
 taining as little oil as possible, so that it will readily 
 absorb and throw off moisture. The wrapper 
 should be careful to reject every bruised or other- 
 wise injured orange. The packer should be care- 
 ful not to put different varieties in the same box. 
 The buyer should know when he has tasted any or- 
 ange from a box or brand that all others of the same 
 brand or box are its equal. In packing, the or- 
 anges should be placed closely together in layers, so 
 that there can be no rolling or sliding of the fruit 
 in the box. The last layer should project three 
 fourths of an inch above the sides of the box, so 
 that the top when nailed on should hold the layers 
 
GATHERING, PACKING, AND SHIPPING. 141 
 
 firmly in their places, even after there has been 
 some shrinkage of the fruit. This is all-important 
 when the fruit is to be transported a considerable 
 distance, and especially when transported by rail. 
 The box should now be marked with the number 
 of oranges and the brand of the fruit. 
 
 In shipping, water transportation should be pre- 
 ferred to rail, especially during the first part of the 
 trip, as such transportation is not so apt to jar and 
 rub the fruit as rail. When the producer knows a 
 responsible merchant who will buy his fruit and sell 
 it by retail, it is better for him to make the arrange- 
 ment with him to furnish him oranges at a stipulated 
 price for each brand throughout the season. It 
 will lessen the expense of a commission to a third 
 party ; besides, commission merchants as a class 
 have not dealt fairly with the Florida fruit and veg- 
 etable grower. Bad packing, poor transportation, 
 and dishonest commission merchants have done 
 more to keep back the progress of Florida and dis- 
 courage fruit and vegetable growing than any other 
 three causes combined. And of the three the dis- 
 honest commission merchant has made himself the 
 largest but the lowest of these evils. There are 
 some honorable exceptions, and such should be 
 liberally patronized. But it is a vocation offering 
 such opportunities for rascality and such bribes for 
 dishonesty, it would be well for the producer to be 
 cautious as to whom he makes consignments. 
 
 Transportation from Florida to the North and 
 
I4 2 ORANGE CULTURE IN FLORIDA. 
 
 North-west is yet inadequate, and the lines already 
 in existence are badly managed ; many of the offi- 
 cers on these lines have not done their duty to 
 their employers, and they have done much to dis- 
 courage fruit and vegetable growing in Florida. 
 This grave charge can be proved by a multitude of 
 facts. A few should be mentioned, to show some- 
 thing of their general character. Some crates of 
 strawberries, to be packed in ice and destined for 
 New York, were thrown upon deck after the man- 
 ner of a traveller's trunk. Remonstrance was 
 made by the owner. "Got angel in dar ?" was 
 the ready reply of the deck-hand, emphasizing his 
 wit with an additional thump of the crate. The 
 captain of the boat laughed at the wit of the negro, 
 and left him to repeat his damage and wit on the 
 next victim who should take the pains to grow fruit 
 for such fun. About thirty-three per cent of the 
 melons which are shipped from the St. Johns to 
 New York never reach their destination. There is 
 no excuse for this. The watermelon, well cared 
 for and handled, will easily keep from six to ten 
 days. A cargo of twenty thousand melons shipped 
 from Fernandina to New York reached the latter 
 port well cooked. Unfortunately it is not the fash- 
 ion to eat cooked melons. West and Middle Flor- 
 ida should have direct communication with the 
 North-west. That beautiful, rich, and attractive 
 country would in a few years become like the gar- 
 den of the Lord. This is a seeming digression 
 
GATHERING, PACKING, AND SHIPPING. 143 
 
 from orange culture, but it is pardonable ; for while 
 the orange is not so perishable as some other things 
 needing transportation, the increasing production 
 is such as will demand, in addition to semi-weekly 
 lines of steamers from Fernandina and Jacksonville 
 to New York, a daily orange train from Florida to 
 the North-west. 
 
CHAPTER XXIII. 
 
 CROPS THAT MAY BE GROWN AMONG THE ORANGE 
 TREES. 
 
 fHE question is often asked, ' ' How can I make 
 a living while the orange trees are coming 
 into bearing ?'' The answer is, " Just as you would 
 make a living if you were doing nothing else but 
 farming or gardening, or growing fruits that come in 
 bearing sooner than the orange. ' ' If you are a 
 city clerk, and know nothing about hoeing and 
 plowing and chopping, you would find it rather 
 tough, for the first year or two, to make your bread 
 in the valley of the Nile, or your meat and bread in 
 the blue-grass region of Kentucky. In either case 
 you would have to deny yourself, for a year or two, 
 of ' ' luxuries' ' dear to you, among the most valued 
 of these, *0/M8 CUM dignitate. You would have to 
 pull off your coat and go to work. You would 
 have to consult the natives to learn practical and 
 common sense, and you would be surprised at the 
 profound depth of your ignorance of the means of 
 making the bread you have been eating all your 
 life. But knowledge, even this humble knowledge, 
 is good for the soul and the man. And you can 
 learn, and even learn to love to work. The sweet 
 
CROPS AMONG ORANGE TREES. 145 
 
 sleep and refreshing rest under the soothing ano- 
 dyne of labor would come without the learning. 
 After a while would come the noble independence 
 of a free man. Try it, young man, try it ! Come 
 from the crowded city to the country ! Come 
 South, come to Florida ! You will regret it for 
 the first year or two, and apply hard names to your 
 adviser, think him and his book a great humbug ; 
 but if you have the virtue of continuance you will 
 after a while bless him for the advice, and your 
 children will bless you for your wisdom. But from 
 this digression to the subject in hand. 
 
 It has already been noticed that garden crops 
 may be grown among the trees profitably to the 
 laborer and the trees. Grapes and figs can be 
 brought into bearing within three years from the 
 cutting, and peaches in three years from the seed. 
 Guavas can be grown under shade of trees in the 
 latitude of St. Augustine, and abundantly and 
 profitably farther South. Plums do better in Flor- 
 ida than anywhere I have ever seen them grow. 
 The Japan and wild-goose plum will bear transpor- 
 tation to Northern cities. They are both excellent 
 fruits and bring a good price. Sweet potatoes can 
 be grown in young groves. But as they require 
 deep cultivation and to be planted in ridges, the 
 rows should not run too near the orange trees. 
 Sugar-cane can be planted profitably, but should 
 never be planted among orange trees. The smaller 
 varieties of Indian corn can be profitably grown 
 
146 ORANGE CULTURE IN FLORIDA. 
 
 among the orange trees, both for bread and forage. 
 It is better, however, to grow it for forage, as it is 
 not so exhaustive to land when cut in a green state. 
 Indeed the names of crops that may be grown profit- 
 ably, if the land is kept rich, is legion ; as our cli- 
 mate and soil will grow almost everything that can 
 be grown in the temperate zone as well as all the 
 semi-tropical plants. Sheep and poultry can be 
 raised with great profit in Florida. In almost every 
 neighborhood sheep will find an excellent range in 
 the pine forest. They should be penned at night 
 in the grove. For this purpose a movable pen of 
 light boards four inches wide, the sections of twenty 
 and sixteen feet in length, so that when sections 
 are put together they will be self-supporting, is a 
 great convenience. The writer has one such which 
 requires only a few moments to move, so that stock 
 penned can have fresh land on which to rest every 
 night or two. It is a good way to fertilize a grove, 
 if the pen is not allowed to remain too long in one 
 place. A similar arrangement can be had for poul- 
 try, so that they can always be confined at the 
 right spot. If too heavy to lift, they can be made 
 to roll on wheels made of sections of a round log. 
 
CHAPTER XXIV. 
 
 OILS, PERFUMES, EXTRACTS, ETC., FROM THE CITRUS. 
 
 fHE subjects mentioned above need to be care- 
 fully considered by the orange growers of 
 Florida. In Europe the manufacture of these 
 products of the citrus is about equal in value to the 
 exported fruit. Essential oil is distilled from the 
 tender shoots, rinds of the fruit, and leaves of the 
 trees. The most delicate perfumes and oils are 
 obtained from the flowers, especially from the flower 
 of the wild orange. Marmalade is made from the 
 sour fruit, citric acid and concentrated lemon- 
 juice from the lemon, while the citron yields that 
 most delicate conserve bearing the same name, for 
 which we pay high prices. Many of these delicate 
 and truly valuable products of the orange can be 
 prepared on the orange plantation at comparatively 
 little cost. It would be better if some enterprising 
 firm would locate at Jacksonville or some other or- 
 ange centre, and combine in one establishment all 
 these interests. There would be no difficulty in 
 obtaining ample material for a large establishment, 
 even thus early in our orange growing. These 
 materials leaves, tender shoots, flowers, young 
 fruit dropped, imperfect fruit, and sour fruit would 
 
148 ORANGE CULTURE IN FLORIDA. 
 
 alone, if such an establishment were erected, pay for 
 the cultivation of the grove and leave the fruit as a 
 clear gain. 
 
 Such a business would be a source of vast wealth 
 to the firm which should engage in it with sufficient 
 capital and skill. These articles manufactured from 
 the citrus would be put in a durable form and 
 made ready for exportation to any part of the world. 
 With this profit added to the profit arising from the 
 sale of the fruit, at one cent for the orange and 
 half a cent for the lemon, the citrus crop in Florida 
 alone could, in a score of years, be made to exceed 
 the value of the entire cotton crop grown in the 
 South. Florida certainly has a bright future before 
 her if her sons are wise enough to labor for that 
 future. In her broad acres there is ample room, 
 not only for her natural and adopted sons, but for 
 the hundreds of thousands of their fellow-citizens 
 to whom these sons of Florida extend a hearty in- 
 vitation to come and occupy with them these broad 
 acres, this genial climate, and this vast wealth, 
 enough for all, and quite as good as can be found 
 this side of Heaven. 
 
CHAPTER XXV. 
 
 CONCLUSION. 
 
 those who are thinking of engaging in this 
 important branch of industry, I would say a 
 few words in concluding. It is evident that Florida 
 is destined to take the lead as a fruit-growing State. 
 Land is rapidly increasing in value. The sooner 
 you buy the better. But before purchasing, learn 
 all you can of the different portions of the State. 
 If possible, travel over it with an eye to finding that 
 section which will best suit you, so that after lo- 
 cating you will never be made to regret your first 
 choice. Each portion has its advantages. Middle 
 Florida has fertile soils, and with its rolling lands 
 is perhaps the most beautiful section of the State. 
 The orange has received too little attention in Mid- 
 dle Florida. Those who have made the attempt 
 with proper care and protection have grown fine 
 oranges there. 
 
 The country through which the St. Johns River 
 flows, having at once one of the grandest streams 
 in America, and with it ample facilities for transpor- 
 tation, has, as yet, attracted the most attention. 
 The eastern shore of this river, especially, is ad- 
 
1 5 ORANGE CULTURE IN FLORIDA, 
 
 mirably adapted to the culture of the orange. Be- 
 ing protected from the severe north-westerly winds 
 by this wide expanse of water, it is as little liable to 
 the injuries of frost as counties one hundred miles 
 farther south. The counties in the lower portion 
 of the State have generally fine lands, and grow the 
 orange successfully. 
 
 Having settled, plant your grove of one or more 
 acres ; let the size be determined by your means, 
 never undertaking more than you can keep in the 
 highest state of cultivation. As to choosing be- 
 tween the budded and seedling tree, decide as you 
 wish fruit sooner or later. A budded grove would 
 perhaps best suit a man well advanced in age. If, 
 however, the seedling is your choice, make yourself 
 entirely satisfied as to the quality of the orange 
 from which the seed were taken, and also the re- 
 moteness of the original tree from trees bearing 
 fruit of poor quality. Better plant the seed your- 
 self and wait, rather than have doubt on this point. 
 Keep the land rich arrd thoroughly tilled. The best 
 remedy for drouth is to have the plow and cultiva- 
 tor or sweep continually going. It is a great mis- 
 take to plow only with respect to the grass. The 
 intervals between cultivating should not be so great 
 as to give the grass an opportunity for growing. 
 Where the ground is frequently stirred there will be 
 fewer insects, their eggs, which are often deposited 
 in the earth, not being permitted to hatch. Examine 
 your trees often and closely. If insects attack them, 
 
CONCLUSION. 151 
 
 treat at once. Study your soil, note what it is de- 
 ficient in, and supply the deficiency. 
 
 Your grove having come into bearing, your toil 
 is over and your fortune made. You can now have 
 the pleasure of eating this most healthful of fruits 
 of your own raising. An eminent physician has 
 said that if each of his patients would eat an orange 
 in the morning before breakfast, his practice would 
 soon be gone. If France is sought by the invalid 
 for the grape cure, Florida will be resorted to for 
 the orange cure as well as for its unrivalled climate. 
 
 Do not be afraid of glutting the market with 
 the orange ; it can never be done. There are thou- 
 sands of persons who have never seen an orange, 
 and many more who have to pay exorbitant prices 
 for them where they are rarely seen. If there is a 
 supply the demand will be created. When Florida's 
 oranges are counted by the hundred million she 
 will have adequate means for transporting them to 
 the best markets and to all markets, without a doubt. 
 The people of this country know very little about 
 eating the orange. They have not yet acquired a 
 taste for this queen of all fruits. 
 
 If the orange growers of Europe find it profitable 
 to send their indifferent fruit to us, after having to 
 pay a tariff (for which we are indebted to General 
 Sanford of this State), how much better can we 
 afford to sell at home, even for the same price. 
 
 The above-named gentleman, after his tour 
 through the orange- growning portions of Europe, 
 
152 ORANGE CULTURE IN FLORIDA. 
 
 states that they claim to be able to raise the orange 
 profitably when getting only one dollar per thou- 
 sand, their average price now being about three 
 dollars per thousand. Is there any probability of 
 the luscious Florida orange being reduced to this 
 price, even if her market be restricted to the limits 
 of America ? But the day is not far distant when 
 our oranges will be found on the tables of the rich 
 in Europe in preference to the inferior fruit they 
 now get there. 
 
 The orange grower should not be contented with 
 his present knowledge. This is a progressive age ; 
 orange culture is in its infancy. If we would keep 
 well posted we should study our* vocation no less 
 diligently than others do theirs. The papers of the 
 State have done much good in this direction, giv- 
 ing the successes and results of experiments of dif- 
 ferent men. Every orange grower should take the 
 paper published in his own section ; these papers 
 should have a department devoted specially to fruit 
 growers, who should make it a repository for mutual 
 information. 
 
 Finally, to be successful, the fruit grower must 
 watch and work ; but not always, for soon golden 
 harvests may be had for the gathering. 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
 GALLESIO ON THE ORANGE. 
 
 his valuable and standard work on " The 
 Citrus Family," which I have already quoted 
 from several times in the preceding pages, Gallesio 
 gives the following highly interesting account of 
 the origin of the orange and its introduction into 
 Europe : 
 
 The orange and lemon tree were unknown to 
 the Romans ; therefore they could only have been 
 indigenous in a country where this great people 
 had never penetrated. We all know the vast ex- 
 tent of this empire, yet commercial relations ex- 
 tend themselves always far beyond political bounds. 
 If these trees had been cultivated in places open 
 to the traffic of the Romans, these fruits would 
 have become at once the delight of the tables of 
 Rome, given up to luxury. They could not, 
 then, have been cultivated at this period, except in 
 the remote parts of India, beyond the Ganges. 
 The north of Europe and of Asia, it is true, were 
 equally unknown to the Romans, but their climates 
 were not at all suited to these plants. The interior 
 and west coasts of Africa, although in great part 
 deserts, and destitute of the moisture necessary to 
 
154 ORANGE CULTURE IN FLORIDA. 
 
 the orange, inclosed, nevertheless, fertile districts 
 where it might have thriven. But the state of cul- 
 ture of the tree at the present time in that country, 
 and the historic facts proving to us that it was not 
 naturalized there till long after, make us certain 
 that it was entirely unknown there as well as in 
 Europe. It is true, that at the time of the dis- 
 covery of the Cape of Good Hope, the Portuguese 
 found many citrons and bigarades upon the eastern 
 coast of Africa, and in the part of Ethiopia where 
 Romans had never penetrated ; but they found these 
 trees only in gardens, and in a state of domesticity, 
 and we do not know but that the Arabs, who had 
 cultivated them in Egypt, in Syria, and in Barbary,. 
 had penetrated into these countries in the first years 
 of their conquests. There remains, then, for us 
 only to seek the native country of the orange in 
 Southern Asia that is to say, in those vast coun- 
 tries known under the general name of East Indies. 
 But these regions were in part known to the 
 Romans, who, since the discovery of the monsoons, 
 made by Hippalus, carried their maritime com- 
 merce as far as Muziro (Massera, an island off the 
 south-east coast of Arabia), by way of the Red Sea, 
 the navigation of which employed a great number 
 of vessels, and whose commerce, according to 
 Pliny, should have been valued at fifty million 
 sesterces ($2,000,000) per -annum. Their fleets 
 had penetrated even to Portum Gebenitarum, 
 which appears to have been the present Ceylon ; 
 
APPENDIX. 155 
 
 and, although these voyages cost them five years of 
 fatigue and danger, nevertheless the thirst for gold 
 and luxury of Rome had multiplied to the last de- 
 gree the vessels engaged in this trade. We must 
 believe, then, that the lemon and orange did not 
 exist in all that part of the country this side of the 
 Indus, and perhaps not even in all the part lying 
 between that river and the Ganges ; otherwise these 
 fruits would have been extolled by the Roman 
 merchants, where the citron was so much valued ; 
 and we should find at least some mention made of 
 them in narratives and voyages descended to us 
 from those ancient times. If we consult the de- 
 scription of the coasts of India, from the river In- 
 dus to the Euphrates, which we have in the voyage 
 of Nearchus, one of Alexander's captains ; that of 
 the Troglodytes, and coasts of the Indian Sea, by 
 Arianus, the voyage of lambolus, reported by Dio- 
 dorus of Sicily, where he gives a description of an 
 isle of the Indian Sea unknown before him, where 
 he had been thrown by a storm ; or, finally, the 
 Indian voyage of Pliny we find not the least in- 
 dication of either orange, or even citron ; yet 
 Nearchus carefully notes the plants found in his 
 course, and speaks of palms, myrtles, and vines ; of 
 wheat, and generally of all the trees of Asia except 
 the olive. Arianus enlarges upon the vegetable 
 productions of those districts, giving the descriptions 
 of those found in public roads. 
 
 lambolus saw in the unknown island, which ap- 
 
156 ORANGE CULTURE IN FLORIDA. 
 
 pears to have been Sumatra, a grain that we recog- 
 nize as maize, which has been introduced into 
 Europe since the passage round the Cape of Good 
 Hope. We must then admit that the lemon and 
 orange trees could not have originated but in the 
 region beyond the Ganges, and that, in early cen- 
 turies of the empires of the Caesars, they had not 
 yet been brought from those climates where they 
 were indigenous. They increased perhaps still 
 without culture in the midst of the woods, the hand 
 of man not having yet appropriated them as orna- 
 ments for his garden. But this event could not 
 long be delayed. The beauty of the tree, and the 
 facility with which it reproduced itself, would 
 naturally extend the culture to adjoining provinces, 
 and the European, quick to seize the productions 
 of all the rest of the globe, would not fail to enrich 
 himself from these regions. 
 
 Facts prove that this result has been reached, but 
 we know not the date of passage, or the circum- 
 stances favoring it. We will n'ow make this the 
 object of our researches. The Romans, at the time 
 of Pliny, had extended their commerce on the side 
 of India as far as it was ever carried during the 
 empire ; the power of Rome, instead of increasing, 
 only became weaker from this period ; and the fall 
 of the Western portion was accompanied in Europe 
 by the decay of letters, art, agriculture, and com- 
 merce. In this general overturn, the Greeks pre- 
 served, it is true, with a taste for arts and luxury, 
 
APPENDIX. 157 
 
 some relations with India, but trade with those 
 countries had never taken other course than by way 
 of the Red Sea, and this was closed from the seventh 
 century by the Arabian invasion of Egypt, which 
 soon followed the invasion of Arabia by the bar- 
 barians of the west (Ethiopians). 
 
 The commerce of these rich lands must then 
 have taken a much longer and more dangerous 
 route. The traders were obliged, after going down 
 the Indus, to reascend that stream, and by the 
 Bactrea (Bolkh) to reach the Oxus, and finally, 
 by the last pass into the Caspian Sea, from whence 
 they went into the Black Sea by the river Don. 
 But this long and dangerous voyage was never un- 
 dertaken by the traders of Constantinople ; they 
 would not have been able to traverse with safety 
 such an extent of country, partly a desert, and in 
 part inhabited by wandering tribes, most of them 
 nations with whom they were nearly always at war, 
 who were destined in the end to swallow the Greek 
 Empire. 
 
 They therefore limited themselves to receiving 
 upon the borders of the Caspian Sea the mer- 
 chandise of India, brought to them by intermediate 
 people. One can scarcely realize that in such a 
 state of affairs the orange tree could pass into 
 Europe, for this beautiful part of the world had 
 never been in so general disorder or had so little 
 intercourse with India. Her luxury and commerce 
 were nearly annihilated, and the Arabians, whom 
 
158 ORANGE CULTURE IN FLORIDA. 
 
 the new religion of Mahomet rendered fanatics and 
 conquerors, menaced on one side the tottering em- 
 pire of the Greeks, and on the other threatened to 
 plunge into barbarism the West, just beginning to 
 be civilized. Yet it was precisely at this point of 
 time, and by the conquering spirit of this people, 
 that the great changes were prepared which should 
 revive and extend farther than ever before the com- 
 mercial relations of Europe with Asia, and of Asia 
 herself with the more distant regions of her own 
 continent. 
 
 The Arabs, placed in a country which binds 
 together three grand divisions of the globe, have 
 extended their conquests into Asia and Africa much 
 farther than any people before them. Masters 
 of the Red Sea and Mediterranean, they had in- 
 vaded all the African Coast this side of Atlas 
 and penetrated beyond to the region of the Trog- 
 lodytes (Ethiopians living in caves), the ancient 
 limit of the Roman establishments on the east 
 coast of this continent ; they had made settlements 
 there, and according to the testimony of a historian 
 of the country, cited by Barros, they had populated 
 in the fourth century of the Hegira (A.D. 944) the 
 towns of Brava, Mombas, and Quiloa, whence they 
 extended themselves to Sofalo, Melinda, and to the 
 islands of Bemba, Zanzibar, Monfra, Comoro, and 
 St. Laurent. On the side of Asia they had carried 
 their conquests, in the third century of the Hegira, 
 to the extremities of the Relnahar, and toward the 
 
APPENDIX. 159 
 
 middle of the fourth century, under the Selucidae, 
 they had established a colony at Kashgar, the usual 
 route of caravans to Toorkistan or to China, and 
 which, according to Albufeda (a geographer and 
 historian of Damascus), is situated in longitude 87 
 (73 570' consequently they had penetrated very 
 far into Asia. 
 
 Never had there been in Asia an empire so vast, 
 and never had the commerce of nations so near 
 Europe been pushed so far into India. 
 
 A position thus advantageous and favorable to the 
 commercial spirit and love of luxury which succeed- 
 ed, among the Arabs, the fury of conquest, would 
 naturally cause them to learn of and to appropriate 
 many exotic plants peculiar to the regions they had 
 conquered, or to the adjoining countries. Fond of 
 medicine and agriculture, in which they have 
 specially excelled, and of the pleasures of the open 
 country, in which they have always delighted, they 
 continued to profit with eagerness from the advan- 
 tages offered by their settlements, and the hot cli- 
 mates which they inhabited. Indeed, it is to them 
 that we owe the knowledge of many plants, perfumes, 
 and Oriental aromatics, such as musk, nutmegs, 
 mace, and cloves. 
 
 It was the Arabs who naturalized, in Spain, Sar- 
 dinia, and Sicily, the cotton-tree of Africa and the 
 sugar-cane of India ; and in their medicines we for 
 the first time hear of the chemical change known 
 as distillation, which appears to have originated in 
 
160 ORANGE CULTURE IN FLORIDA. 
 
 the desire to steal from nature the perfumes of 
 flowers and aroma of fruits. 
 
 It is then not surprising that we are indebted to 
 them for the acclimatization of the orange and 
 lemon trees in Syria, Africa, and some European 
 islands. It is certain that the orange was known to 
 their physicians from the commencement of the 
 fourth century of the Hegira. The Damascene has 
 given in his Antidotary the recipe for making oil 
 with oranges, and their seeds (oleum de dtrangula, et 
 oleum de citrangulorum seminibus. Mat. Silv. , f. 58), 
 and Avicenna, who died in 428 of the Hegira 
 (1050), has added the juice of the bigarade to his 
 syrup of alkedere etsucci acetositatus citri (otrodj), et 
 sued acetositatis diranguli (narendg)." These two 
 Arabians seem to have first employed it in medicine. 
 
 I have examined with care the authors of this 
 nation who preceded these, and find in no other the 
 least hint relating to these species. Mesue, even, 
 who speaks of the citron, says not a word of orange 
 or lemon. I have observed, on the contrary, that 
 Avicenna, in giving his recipe for making syrup of 
 alkedere, in which he puts juice of the bigarade, 
 announces it as a composition of his own invention. 
 This circumstance would indicate that this fruit had 
 been known but a short time in Persia, but it 
 suffices that it was cultivated there to prove that it 
 might, at once, pass into Irak (probably Irak- 
 Arabee, in Asiatic Turkey, comprising Bagdad), 
 and into Syria. 
 
APPENDIX. 161 
 
 These countries, which joined, were also con- 
 nected by political ties, which facilitate communica- 
 tion, and their inhabitants were more civilized then 
 than before or since. A passage by Massoudi, re- 
 ported by the learned M. de Sacy in the notes to his 
 translation of Abd-Allatif, a writer of the twelfth 
 century of our era, seems to confirm our ideas upon 
 this subject, and to determine the date of this event. 
 It accords with all the data just given, and with his- 
 toric facts that we have collected. He expresses 
 himself thus : * c The round citron otrodj modawar 
 was brought from India since the year 300 of the 
 Hegira. It was first sowed in Oman (part of 
 Arabia), from thence carried to Irak (part of Old 
 Persia) and Syria, becoming very common in the 
 houses of Tarsus and other frontier cities of Syria, 
 at Antioch, upon the coasts of Syria, in Palestine, 
 and in Egypt. One knew it not before, but it lost 
 much of the sweet odor and fine color which it had 
 in India, because it had not the same climate, soil, 
 and all that which is peculiar to that country." 
 The lemon appeared perhaps a little later in these 
 different countries, for we see no mention of it either 
 in the Damascene or in Avicenna, but its descrip- 
 tion meets our eye in all the works of Arabian 
 writers of the twelfth .century, especially Ebn-Beitar, 
 who has given to it an article in his dictionary of 
 simple remedies. The Latin translation of this 
 article was published in Paris in 1 702 by Andres 
 
162 ORANGE CULTURE IN FLORIDA. 
 
 Balunense. The Imperial Library contains several 
 manuscripts of this dictionary. 
 
 I had thought to have found proof that the lemon 
 was known by the Arabs in the ninth century, hav- 
 ing seen in a history of India and China, dated 238 
 of the Hegira (A.D. 860), of which a French transla- 
 tion was printed in Paris in 1718, the writers had 
 spoken of the lemon as a fruit found in China. 
 But M. de Sacy, who examined the original, 
 ascertained that the word limon was inserted by the 
 translator. In the Arabian text one finds only that 
 of otrodj, which signifies merely citron. Therefore 
 this history, far from proving that the Arabs knew 
 the lemon tree at this period, proves quite the con- 
 trary. It was not until the tenth century of our era 
 that this warlike people enriched with these trees the 
 garden of Oman (in South-eastern Arabia), whence 
 they were propagated in Palestine and Egypt. From 
 these countries they passed into Barbary and Spain, 
 perhaps also into Sicily. 
 
 Leon of Ostia tells us that in 1002 a prince of 
 Salerna presented citrine apples (poma citrina) to the 
 Norman princes who had rescued him irom the 
 Saracens. 
 
 The expression poma citrina, used by this author, 
 appears to me to designate fruit like the citron rather 
 than the citron itself, then known under the name 
 of citri, or of mala medica. 
 
 It is thus that we should recognize the orange in 
 the citron rond spoken of by Massoudi in a passage 
 
APPENDIX. 163 
 
 already quoted. This conjecture accorded with 
 known events and data. The Arabs invaded Sicily 
 about the beginning of the ninth century (828), the 
 orange was taken from India to Arabia after the 
 year 300 of the Hegira that is to say, early in the 
 ninth century of our era. The citrine apples of 
 Leon d'Ostia dates from 1002, and were regarded 
 as objects rare and precious enough to be offered as 
 gifts to princes. Thus we have between its intro- 
 duction into Arabia and propagation in Sicily an 
 interval of nearly a century. In order to conform 
 to the expression of Massoudi, let us suppose that 
 the orange tree was brought from Arabia some thirty 
 or forty years later say about 330 of Hegira. If 
 we allow fifty years for its propagation in Palestine, 
 Egypt, and Barbary, and finally twenty years for its 
 naturalization in Sicily, we fill precisely the interval 
 between one epoch and the other. 
 
 A passage in the history of Sicily, by Nicolas 
 Specialis, written in the fourteenth century, gives 
 still more probability to this opinion. 
 
 This writer, in recounting the devastation by the 
 army of the Duke of Calabria in 1383, in the 
 vicinity of Palermo, says that it did not spare even 
 the trees of sour apples pommes acides, called by the 
 people arangt, which had adorned since old time, 
 the royal palace of Cubba. (Nicolas Specialis. bk. 
 7, c. 17.) 
 
 The name Cubba given to this royal pleasure- 
 house seems to refer to the time of the Arabic rule ; 
 
164 ORANGE CULTURE IN FLORIDA. 
 
 it is probably derived from the Arabic word Cobbah, 
 meaning vault or arch ; perhaps some grand dome 
 upon this country-house gave the place its name. 
 
 These data, however, do not appear to me 
 sufficiently strong to combat the authority of a very 
 reliable historian, who says expressly that the lemon 
 and the orange trees were not known in Italy or 
 France or in other parts of Christian Europe in the 
 eleventh century. Such are the words of Jacques 
 de Vitry, in speaking of Syrian trees in his history 
 of Jerusalem. The testimony of this bishop, who 
 ought to have known these countries, would appear 
 to have more weight than simple conjectures based 
 upon reasonings from analogy. Whatever be the 
 authority of this historian, compared with the pre- 
 sumptions advanced by us with regard to Sicily, it 
 will always be decisive respecting Lake Garda and 
 the coasts of Liguria and Provence. 
 
 There is not a doubt that in these last-named 
 countries the lemon and orange were unknown, 
 not only in the tenth but even in the eleventh cen- 
 tury. But an extraordinary event, destined to 
 change the face of Europe, was to open anew to the 
 people of the West the entrance to Syria and Paless- 
 tine. This was also the time when the Crusades, 
 which began at the close of the eleventh century 
 (1096), reawakened among Europeans the spirit of 
 commerce and a taste for arts and luxury. 
 
 The Crusaders entered Asia Minor as conquerors, 
 and thence spread themselves as traders into all 
 
APPENDIX. 165 
 
 parts of Asia. They were not mere soldiers, but 
 brave men drawn from their families by religious 
 enthusiasm, and who, in consequence, would hold 
 fast to their country and their homes. They could 
 not see without coveting these charming trees which 
 embellished the vicinity of Jerusalem, with whose 
 exquisite fruits nature has favored the climates of 
 Asia. 
 
 It was, indeed, at this time that Europe enriched 
 its orchards by many of these trees, and that the 
 French princes carried into their country the dam- 
 son, the St. Catharine (a pear), the apricot from Alex- 
 andria, and other species indigenous to those regions. 
 
 Sicilians, Genoese, and Provincials transported to 
 Salerno, St. Remo, and Hyeres the lemon and 
 orange trees. Hear what a historian of the thir- 
 teenth century says to us on this subject ; he had 
 been in Palestine with the Crusaders, and his word 
 should have great weight. 
 
 Jacques de Vitry expressed himself thus : " Be- 
 sides many trees cultivated in Italy, Genoa, France, 
 and other parts of Europe, we find here (in Pales- 
 tine) species peculiar to the country, and of which 
 some are sterile and others bear fruit. Here are 
 trees bearing very beautiful apples the color of 
 the citron upon which is distinctly seen the mark 
 of a man's tooth. This has given them the com- 
 mon name of pomme d' Adam (Adam's apple) ; 
 others produce sour fruit, of a disagreeable taste 
 (pontici), which are called Unions. Their juice is 
 
166 ORANGE CULTURE IN FLORIDA. 
 
 used for seasoning food, because it is cool, pricks 
 the palate, and provokes appetite. We also see 
 cedars of Lebanon, very fine and tall, but sterile. 
 There is a species of cedar called cedre maritime, 
 whose plant, is small but productive, giving very 
 fine fruits, as large as a man's head. Some call 
 them citrons, or pommes citrons. These fruits are 
 formed of a triple substance, and have three differ- 
 ent tastes. The first is warm, the second is tem- 
 perate, the last is cold. Some say that this is the 
 fruit of which God commanded in Leviticus : 
 4 Take you the first day of the year the fruit of the 
 finest tree. ' We see in this country another species 
 of citrine apples, borne by small trees, and of which 
 the cool part is less and of a disagreeable and acid 
 taste ; these the natives call orenges. ' ' 
 
 Behold, then, the Adam's apple, the lemon, the 
 citron, and the bigarade found in Palestine by the 
 Crusaders, and regarded as new trees foreign to 
 Europe ! 
 
 This passage does not accord, as far as the citron 
 is concerned, with what Palladius says. He tells 
 us that this plant was, in his time, cultivated in 
 Sardinia and in Sicily. But we see, by Jacques de 
 Vitry, that the citron of Palestine was distinguished 
 by the extraordinary size of its fruit, equal to a 
 man's head, and it must be that this last was a 
 variety unknown to Europe. 
 
 It is, indeed, only since this epoch that we find 
 in European historians and writers upon agriculture 
 
APPENDIX. 167 
 
 any mention of these trees. Doubtless the Arabians 
 had already naturalized them in Africa and Spain, 
 where the temperature favored so much their growth. 
 Doubtless Liguria is the part of Italy where the cul- 
 ture of the Agrumi has made most progress. We 
 have certain testimony to this in the work of a doc- 
 tor of medicine of Mantua, writing near the middle 
 of the thirteenth century. He says : 
 
 " The lemon is one of the species of citrine 
 apples, which are four in number. First, citron. 
 Secondly, orange (citrangulum), of which we have 
 spoken before. Thirdly, the lemon. Fourthly, 
 the fruit vulgarly called lima. These four species 
 are very well known, principally in Liguria. The 
 lemon is a handsome fruit, of fine odor. Its form 
 is more oblong than that of the orange, and, like 
 the orange, it is full of a sharp acid juice, very 
 proper for seasoning meats. They make of its 
 flowers odoriferous waters, fit for the use of the 
 luxurious. 
 
 * * The trees of these four species are very similar, 
 and all are thorned. The leaves of the citron and 
 lime are larger and less deeply colored than those 
 of the orange or lemon. The lemon is composed 
 of four different substances, as well as the citron, 
 lime, and orange. It has an outer skin, not as deep 
 in color as that of the orange, but which has more of 
 the white. It is hot and biting ; thus it shows its 
 bitter taste. The second skin or pith, between the 
 outer skin and the juice, is white, cold, and difficult 
 
168 ORANGE CULTURE IN FLORIDA. 
 
 to digest. The third substance is its juice, which is 
 sharp and of a strong acid, which will expel worms, 
 and is very cold. The fourth is the seed, which, 
 like that of the orange, is warm, dry, and bitter. ' ' 
 (See Mat. Silv.. " Pandecta Medicinae," fol. 125.) 
 
 This testimony of Silvaticus is strengthened by all 
 the authors who have written upon the citrus. There 
 is not one but is convinced that these trees were for 
 a long time very rare in Italy and in France, and 
 that Liguria alone has traded in them since they 
 were first known there. Sicily and the kingdom 
 of Naples cultivated, perhaps before the Ligurians, 
 the citron and orange trees ; but in spite of the ad- 
 vantages of climate, it was only as objects of curi- 
 osity, limited to some delightful spots. This fact 
 is established by the manner in which most writers 
 of the twelfth century express themselves on this 
 subject. Hugo Falcandus, who wrote of the ex- 
 ploits of the Normans in Sicily, from 1145 to 1169, 
 saw there lumies and orangers, and points them out 
 as singular plants, whose culture was still very rare. 
 (Hugo Falcandus. See Muratori, Rerum Italica- 
 rum Scriptores. ) 
 
 Ebn-al-Awam, an Arabian writer upon agricul- 
 ture at Seville, near the end of the twelfth century, 
 and whose work, translated into Spanish, was pub- 
 lished at Madrid in 1802, speaks as if the culture 
 were very much extended in Spain. Abd-Allatif, 
 who was contemporary with the last-named author, 
 expresses himself in like manner, and describes also 
 
APPENDIX. 169 
 
 a number of varieties cultivated in his time in Egypt 
 a circumstance showing that these trees had 
 greatly multiplied. Their progress was slower in 
 Italy and France. It appears that the lemon tree, 
 brought first into these parts as a variety of citron, 
 was for a long time designated by European writers 
 under the generic name of citrus, although in Italy 
 and the South of France the people had known it 
 from the beginning under the proper name of limon 
 a name which has come down to us without sub- 
 mitting to any change. In fact, we find it in botan- 
 ical works called citrus limon, or mala limonia, and 
 sometimes citrus medica. The last was indefinitely 
 used to designate lemon, citron, and orange, and 
 very often the genus citrus. 
 
 The orange appeared in Italy under the name of 
 orenges, which the people modified, according to 
 the pronunciations of the different sections, into 
 arangio, naranzo, aranza, aranzo, citrone, cetrangolo, 
 melarancio, melangolo, arancio. One meets succes- 
 sively all these names in works of the thirteenth, 
 fourteenth, and fifteenth centuries, such as those of 
 Hugo Falcandus, Nicolas Specialis, Blondus Flavius, 
 Sir Brunetto Latini, Ciriffo Calvaneo, Bencivenni, 
 Boccaccio, Giustiniani, Leandro Alberti, and several 
 others. The Provenals also received this tree un- 
 der the name of orenges, and have changed it from 
 time to time, in different provinces, into arrangi, 
 arrange, orenge, and finally orange. (See Glossary of 
 the Roman Language, by Roquefort.) 
 
170 ORANGE CULTURE IN FLORIDA. 
 
 During several centuries the Latin authors found 
 themselves embarrassed in designating this fruit, 
 which had no name in that language. The first 
 who spoke of it used a phrase indicating its charac- 
 teristics, accompanying it with the popular name of 
 arangi, Latinized into orenges, arangias, arantium. 
 
 Thus, Jacques de Vitry, who calls the oranges 
 poma citrina, adds, ' ' The Arabs call them orenges. ' ' 
 And Nicolas Specialis designated them as pommes 
 aigres (acripomorum arbor es), observing that the 
 people call them arangias. These have been fol- 
 lowed by Blondus Flavius and many others. 
 Matheus Silvaticus first gave to the orange the name 
 of citrangulum, and this denomination seems to have 
 been followed for a long time by physicians and 
 translators of Arabic works, who have very gen- 
 erally adopted it for rendering the Arabic word 
 arindj. 
 
 Thus, citrangulum was received for more than a 
 century in the language of science. Finally, 
 little by little, were adopted the vulgar Latinized 
 names in use among other writers, such as authors 
 of chronicles, etc., and they have written succes- 
 sively, arangium, arancium, arantium, anarantium, 
 nerantium, aurantium, pomen aureum. The Greeks 
 followed in the same steps. They have either 
 Grecianized the name of narenge, which was in use 
 among Syrian Arabs, or they received it from the 
 Crusaders from the Holy Land, and have adopted 
 it in their language, calling it nerantzion. These 
 
APPENDIX. 171 
 
 have, however, always been considered vulgar names, 
 and in general the better Latin writers have made 
 use of the generic name, citrus, for designating the 
 Agrumi. 
 
 This usage, followed by most of the writers on 
 history and chorography, often occasions uncertainty 
 and difficulty in researches concerning the begin- 
 ning of this culture in the different countries where 
 these trees have been introduced. The use of it as 
 seasoning for food, brought from Palestine to 
 Liguria, to Provence, and to Sicily, penetrated to 
 the interior of Italy and France. The taste for 
 confections was propagated in Europe with the in- 
 troduction of sugar, and this delicate food became 
 at once a necessary article to men in easy circum- 
 stances, and a luxury upon all tables. It was, 
 above all, as confections that the Agrumi entered 
 into commerce, and we see by the records of Savona 
 that they were sent into cold parts of Italy, where 
 people were very greedy for them. 
 
 After having cultivated these species for the use 
 made of their fruits, they soon cultivated them as 
 ornaments for the gardens. The monks began to 
 fill with these trees the courts of their monasteries, 
 in climates suited to their continual growth, and 
 soon one found no convent not surrounded by 
 them. Indeed, the courts and gardens of these 
 houses show us now trees of great age, and it is 
 said that the old tree, of which we see now a rejeton 
 in the court of the convent of St. Sabina, at Rome, 
 
172 ORANGE CULTURE IN FLORIDA. 
 
 was planted by St. Dominic about the year 1 200. 
 This fact has no other foundation than tradition, 
 but this tradition, preserved for many centuries, 
 not onlyamong the monks of the convent, but 
 also among the clergy of Rome, is reported by 
 Augustin Gallo, who, in 1559, speaks of this 
 orange as a tree existing since time immemorial. 
 If we refuse to attribute its planting to St. Dominic, 
 we must at least refer it to a period soon after that 
 is, to the end of the thirteenth century, at the 
 latest. 
 
 Nicolas Specialis, in the passage cited on an- 
 other page, in describing the havoc made by the 
 besiegers in the suburbs of Palermo, regrets the 
 destruction of Grangers, or trees of sour apples 
 (pommes aigres), which he regards as rare plants, 
 embellishing the pleasure-house of Cubba. 
 
 Blondus Flavius, a writer of the middle of the 
 following century, speaks of the orange on the coast 
 of Amalfi (a city of Naples) as a new plant, which 
 as yet had no name in scientific language (Blond. 
 Flav., Ital. Illus., p. 420) ; and he extols the val- 
 leys of Rapallo and San Remo, in Liguria, for the 
 culture of the citrus, a rare tree in Italy. ' c Cugus 
 ager (San Remo)/' these are his words, " est citri, 
 palmaquae, arborum in Italia rarissirarum, ferax" 
 (Blond. Flav., Ital. Illust, p. 296). Lastly, 
 Pierre de Crescenzi, Senator of Bologna, who wrote 
 in 1300 a treatise on agriculture, speaks only of the 
 citron tree. We find in his expressions no hint of 
 
APPENDIX. 173 
 
 lemon or orange. The culture of these trees, then, 
 had been begun in the fourteenth century only 
 in a few places, but was extended in proportion 
 as arts and luxury advanced the civilization of 
 Europe. 
 
 The orange was from the first valued not alone 
 for the beauty of its foliage and quality of its fruit, 
 of which the juice was used in medicine, but also 
 for the aroma of its flowers, of which essences were 
 made. Pharmacists have employed with success the 
 juice of the lemon in making medicines. 
 
 The orange tree must have been taken to Provence 
 about the time it entered Liguria. It is to be pre- 
 sumed that the city of Hyeres, so celebrated for the 
 softness of its climate and the fertility of its soil, 
 received it from the Crusaders, because from this 
 port the expeditions to the Holy Land took their 
 departure. We see, indeed, that it was greatly 
 multiplied there, and in 1566 the plantations of 
 oranges within its territory were so extensive and 
 well grown as to present the aspect of a forest. 
 
 The territory of Nice, so advantageously placed 
 between Liguria and Provence, would necessarily 
 receive from its neighbors a tree so suited to the 
 softness of its climate, sheltered by the Alps, and to 
 the nature of its soil, fertilized by abundant waters. 
 It appears that the culture had already greatly ex- 
 tended toward the middle of the fourteenth century, 
 as we find in the history of Dauphiny that the Dau- 
 phin Humbert, returning from Naples in 1336, 
 
174' ORANGE CULTURE IN FLORIDA. 
 
 bought at Nice twenty plants of orange trees. 
 (Hist, of Dauphiny, bk. 2, p. 271.) 
 
 From Naples and Sicily the orange and lemon 
 trees must have been carried into the Roman States, 
 into Sardinia and Corsica, and to Malta. The 
 islands of the Archipelago perhaps first received 
 them, because, belonging in great part to the 
 Genoese and Venetians, it is probable they were 
 the intermediate points whence the Crusaders of 
 Genoa and Venice transported the plants to their 
 homes. From these isles the trees afterward 
 spread into the delightful coast of Salo on the 
 shores of Lake Garda, where, in Gallo's time 
 (1559), they were regarded as acclimated from 
 time immemorial. Finally, the orange and the 
 lemon penetrated into the colder latitudes, and per- 
 haps one owes to the desire of enjoying their flow- 
 ers and fruit the invention of hot-houses, afterward 
 called orangeries. (The name of orangerie is a 
 modern word in the French language. Olivier de 
 Serre does not use it he calls this kind of in- 
 closure orange-houses (p. 633). The Italian lan- 
 guage has no word responding precisely to 
 orangery. We find in some modern authors, 
 equivalent words, such as aranciera, cedroniera, 
 citronera. (Fontana, Dizionario rustico, bk. i, p. 
 74.) But the ancient writers styled these places 
 for preserving these trees by the phrase, * ' Stanzone 
 per i cedri. ' ' In Tuscany and the Roman States 
 they call them rimesse. In other places they are 
 
APPENDIX. 175 
 
 known under the name of serre (inclosure). 
 Matioli says that in his time they cultivated the 
 oranges in Italy on the shores of the sea and of the 
 most famous lakes, as well as in the gardens of the 
 interior, but he says nothing of the places for shel- 
 tering them. Gallo speaks of rooms designed to 
 receive the boxes of orange trees, which were very 
 numerous at Brescia, but he does not designate 
 them by any particular name. The Latin writers 
 also used a periphrase. Ferraris calls an orangery 
 tedum hibernum. Others call it cella ciiraria. ) 
 
 This agricultural luxury was unknown in Europe 
 before the introduction of the citron tree. We 
 find not the least trace of it either in Greek or Latin 
 writers. 
 
 It is true that from the time of the Emperor 
 Tiberius in Rome they inclosed melons in certain 
 portable boxes of wood, which were exposed to the 
 sun in winter to make the fruit grow out of season. 
 These inclosures were secured from the effects oi 
 cold by sashes or frames, and received the sun's 
 rays through diaphanous stones (specularia), which 
 held the place of our glass. But it seems they used 
 no fire for heating them, and that they merely in- 
 closed thus indigenous plants, of which they wished 
 to force the fruiting out of season, it being a spec- 
 ulation of the cultivator rather than a luxurious 
 ornament for embellishing the gardens. (Pliny, 
 bk. 19, chap. 5, p. 336, and Columell, bk. 2, 
 chap. 3, p. 42.) It is after the introduction of 
 
I7 6 ORANGE CULTURE IN FLORIDA. 
 
 the citron tree into Europe that we begin to find 
 among the ancients examples of artificial coverings 
 and shelters against cold. Palladius is the first who 
 speaks of these coverings, but only as appropriate 
 for the citron, and gives no description of them. 
 Florentin, who wrote probably after him, describes 
 them at more length, and it seems by his expres- 
 sions that in his time the citron was covered in the 
 bad season by wooden roofs, which could be with- 
 drawn when there was no occasion to defend them 
 from cold, and which also could be arranged to 
 secure for them the rays of the sun. (Florent, bk. 
 10, chap. 7, p. 219.) 
 
 This agricultural luxury, which began to appear 
 about the time of Palladius and Florentin, must 
 have been entirely destroyed in Italy by the in- 
 vasion of the barbarians. I have remarked that 
 Pierre de Crescenti, who wrote a treatise on agricul- 
 ture in 1300, while treating of the citron, speaks 
 only of walls to defend it from the north, and of 
 some covers of straw. Brunsius and Antonius, 
 quoted by Sprengel, have thought to find in the 
 Statutes of Charlemagne indications of a hot- 
 house. I have closely examined the article cited 
 by those writers (in Comment, de reb. Franc. 
 Orient, bk. 2, p. 902, etc.), but have not found a 
 word that could make me believe this means of 
 preserving delicate plants was employed at that 
 period. I have even remarked that in these ordi- 
 nances many plants are named which Charlemagne 
 
APPENDIX. 177 
 
 wished to have in his fields, but no word to be con- 
 strued into ordering a shelter for any, unless the 
 fig and almond. It is astonishing that, having 
 spoken in detail of all the parts of the house, of 
 laboring utensils the most ordinary, and even of 
 those of housekeeping, he forgot an object of such 
 great luxury as a hot-house. But in proportion as 
 civilization and commerce increased riches and ex- 
 travagance, the fruit of this tree became more 
 sought for, and at the same time more common ; 
 while, above all, the properties of the new species 
 just introduced extended its use in medicine, in 
 agreeable drinks, and as a luxury of the table. At 
 first they were in cold countries only a foreign pro- 
 duction procured from the South, but afterward the 
 people began to covet from the more happy climates 
 the ornament of these trees, and to wish, above all, 
 to embellish with them their gardens. In temper- 
 ate climes they began to cultivate them in vases, 
 depositing them during winter in caves ; and in the 
 cold latitudes the necessity of struggling against na- 
 ture gave the idea of constructing apartments which 
 could be heated at pleasure by fire, and which 
 would shelter the plants from the rigor of the 
 season. 
 
 It is difficult to fix the date at which they began to 
 build edifices for protection of oranges. The oldest 
 trace of it that I have been able to find is furnished 
 by a passage in the history of Dauphiny, dated 1336. 
 (We find in this history, printed at Geneva in 1722, 
 
178 ORANGE CULTURE IN FLORIDA. 
 
 an extract from an account of expenses made by 
 Humbert, the Dauphin, in his voyage to Naples in 
 1336. In the expenses for the return we see the 
 sum of ten tarins the tarin was the thirtieth part 
 of an ounce of Naples for the purchase of twenty 
 orange plants. " Item pro arboribus viginti de 
 plantis arangiorum ad plantandum taren. ' ' X. Hist, 
 of Daup., bk. 2, p. 276.) This, it is true, offers 
 few circumstantial details for fixing the fact that the 
 princes of Dauphiny had really, at that time, an 
 orangery ; but as this historian tells us that Hum- 
 bert bought at Nice twenty roots of oranges for a 
 plantation (ad plantandum), it is to be supposed that 
 he had in his palace at Vienna a place designed to 
 preserve them in the winter ; for without this pre- 
 caution they certainly would have perished in the 
 rigorous climate of Dauphiny (in the south-west part 
 of France. ) 
 
 This luxury must have passed immediately into 
 the capital of France, and though I have not yet 
 found in history indications of these establishments 
 before 1500, it is very probable that they were 
 known there about the middle of the fourteenth 
 century. 
 
 The celebrated tree, preserved still in the orangery 
 at Versailles under the name of Francis First, or 
 Grand Bourbon, was taken from the Constable of 
 Bourbon in the seizure made of his goods in 1523. 
 And this prince, who, it is said, possessed it for 
 eighty years, could not have kept it except in an 
 
APPENDIX. 179 
 
 orangery. (The orange tree at Versailles, known 
 as Francis Premier, is the most beautiful tree that I 
 have seen in a box. It is twenty feet high, and 
 extends its branches to a circumference of forty feet. 
 Spite of that, I scarcely believe that this fine stalk 
 dates from the fourteenth century. It is too vigorous, 
 and the skin is too smooth, to be able to count so 
 many years. It is probable that in so long a course 
 of time it has been cut, and that the present tree is 
 a sprout from the old root This might have oc- 
 curred after the frost of 1 709, which penetrated even 
 into, sheltered places. One circumstance gives 
 foundation to this conjecture. This tree is com- 
 posed of two stalks, which both come out of the 
 earth, and have a common stock. This is never the 
 way the tree grows by nature, still less in a state of 
 culture, and from roots held in vases. I have 
 mostly remarked it in the greater number of trees 
 growing upon a stump which had been razeed at 
 the level of the ground. In such case one is forced 
 to leave two suckers, because the sap, being very 
 abundant, could not develop itself in one shoot. 
 It would experience a sort of reaction, which would 
 suffocate the stump and make it perish. This is a 
 well-known fact in the South, where we cultivate 
 largely the orange, and where the trees of double 
 stems are generally recognized as rejetons, or suck- 
 ers from old roots. ) 
 
 After all these data we are authorized to think 
 that in the fourteenth century they had begun already 
 
i8o ORANGE CULTURE IN FLORIDA. 
 
 to erect buildings designed to create for exotic plants 
 an artificial climate. But at the beginning of the 
 fifteenth century orangeries passed from kings' gar- 
 dens to those of the people, chiefly in countries 
 where they were not compelled to heat them by fire, 
 as in Brescia, Romagna, and Tuscany. (See Matioli, 
 who says that in his day the orange was cultivated in 
 Italy, in all the gardens of the interior, where cer- 
 tainly it could not live, unless in orangeries (Diosc. 
 c. 132). We also find in Sprengel's History of Bot- 
 any that in this country there were at that time 
 many botanical gardens where they cultivated 
 exotic plants a circumstance which presupposes 
 the necessity of hot-houses. ) 
 
 About the middle of the seventeenth century this 
 luxury was very general, and we see distinguished 
 by their magnificence and grandeur the orangeries 
 of the Farnese family at Parma ; of the Cardinal 
 Xantes ; Aldobrandini and Pio, at Rome ; of the 
 Elector Palatine at Heidelberg (Oliv. de Sen, p. 
 633) ; of Louis XIII. in France ; and even at 
 Ghent, in Belgium, that of M. de Hellibusi, who 
 imported plants from Genoa, and carried his estab- 
 lishment to the last degree of magnificence. (See 
 Ferraris, p. 1 50, where he describes the orangery of 
 M. de Hellibusi at Ghent, and that of Louis XIII. 
 at Paris. The latter has been replaced by that of 
 Versailles, of which the magnificence renders it 
 perhaps the finest monument of this kind to be 
 found in Europe.) 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
 181 
 
 We now see orangeries in all the civilized parts 
 of Europe, it being an embellishment necessary to 
 all country-seats and houses of pleasure. 
 
COMMENDATIONS. 
 
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 " EDITOR EASTERN HERALD : 
 
 " In your last issue you inserted a paragraph copied 
 from the Sun and Press, relative to a book on orange 
 culture, which will soon make its appearance, written by 
 Rev. T. W. Moore, of Fruit Cove. 
 
 " Mr. Moore has over fifty acres in fruits of various 
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 " I had the privilege of reading several chapters of 
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 " I think it excels any other work which has been writ- 
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 Johns. To all such I recommend it. 
 
 " Respectfully yours, 
 
 " W. C. HARGROVE." 
 
CO MM EN DA TIONS. 1 83 
 
 Mr. H., of Palatka, has been one of our most success- 
 ful culturists, and skilled as he is, he says " he has 
 learned many things of value from the book." 
 
 " The author gives every step from the planting of the 
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 Mr. A. I. Bidwell, of the Arlington Nursery, and one 
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 tion necessary for success." 
 
 " I have been planting arid cultivating orange trees for 
 forty years, but have learned more from your book than 
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 Mandarin^ Fla. 
 
1 84 ORANGE CULTURE IN FLORIDA. 
 
 " Best English work ever published on the subject." 
 Methodist Quarterly Review. 
 
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 less writing. ' ' Eclectic Magazine, N. Y. 
 
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