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Soils And Oranges

Categories: Soils, Fertilizers and Irrigation

I find this entire district underlaid with hardpan at various depths,

from 1 to 6 feet down, and of various thicknesses. This hardpan is more

or less porous and seeps up water to some extent, but is too hard for

roots to penetrate. It is represented to me that if this hard pan is

down from 4 to 5 feet it does not interfere with the growth of the

orange tree or its producing. Is 4 or 5 feet of the loam enough?


/> Four or five feet of good soil over a hardpan, which was somewhat

porous, is likely to be satisfactory for orange planting. There has been

trouble from hardpan too near the surface and from the occurrence of a

hardpan too rich in lime, which has resulted in yellow leaf and other

manifestations of unthrift in the tree. Discussion of this subject is

given on page 434 of the fifth edition of our book on "California

Fruits," where we especially commend a good depth of "strong, free

loam." This does not mean necessarily deep. The orange likes rather a

heavier soil, while a deep sandy loam is preferred by some other fruits.

If you keep the moisture supply regular and right and feed the plant

with fertilizers, as may be required, the soil you mention is of

sufficient depth - if it is otherwise satisfactory.



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