540-712-3011. XAS AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATIONS - LETIN N0. 148. ' MAY, 1912. eport on Experiments With Citrus Fruits at The Bee- ville Sub-Station BY A. T. POTTS, Superintendent Beeville Sub-Station AUSTIN PRINTING COMPANY AUSTIN. TEXAS TEXAS AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION GOVERNING BOARD. " (Board of Directors A. & M. College.) WALTON PETEET, President . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..Fort JOHN I. GUION, Vice-President . . . . . . . . . . . ._ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. =1 r Cms. DAVIS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Steele’, L. J. HART . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .....San '_ J. ALLEN KYLE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..H R. L. BENNETT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D.W.KEMPNEB.... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..........Gal En. R. KONE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A PRESIDENT OF COLLEGE. - R. T. MILNEB . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .College S STATION STAFF. B. YOUNGBLOOD, M. S . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Di ,_ M. FRANCIS, D." V. S . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Veteri G. S. Fans, PH. D . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .011, H. NEss, M. S . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Horticul J. C. BURNS, B. S . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Anima1 Husba WILMON NEWELL, M. S . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Entomo-" A. B. CoNNEn, B. S . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Agron, F. H. BLODGETT, PH. D . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .P1ant Pathologist and Physio W. L. BoYETT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ._ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .State Feed Ins ;_ HARPER DEAN, B. S . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Assistant Entomo J. B. RATHER, M. S . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Assistant Ch ‘ J. B. KELLY, A. B . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Assista.nt Chi L. C. LUDLUM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Assistant Ch F. B. PADDOCK, B. S . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Assistant Entomo H. H. Jonson, B. S . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Assistant Agron Cans. A. FELKER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Chiet Hf A. S. WARE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Secr J. M. SCHAEDEL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Stenogra _ R. L. SPILLER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..Mailing F” STATE AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATIONS. GOVERNING BOARD. Hrs EXCELLENCY GOVERNOR O. B. COLQUITT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..A LIEUTENANT-GOVERNOR A. B. DAVIDSON . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . -. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .0‘ COMMISSIONER or AGRICULTURE Hon. En. R. KONE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Au .. DIRECTOR OF STATIONS. F B. YOUNGBLOOD, M. S . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .College Sta - SUPERINTENDENTS OF SUB-STATIONS. E. E. Bmronn, Beeville Sub-Station . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Beeville, Pee Cou w W. S. HOTCHKISS, Troup Sub-Station . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Troup, Smith Cou E. M. JOHNSTON, Cooperative Rice Station . . . . . ..Beaumont, Jefierson Co I. S. YORK, Spur Sub-Station . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..Spur, Dickens Co ‘ T. W. BUELL, Denton Sub-Station . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Denton, Denton Co I A. K. SHORT, Temple Sub-Station . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..Temp1e, Bell Co -!_ A. L. PASCHALL, Lubbock Sub-Station . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Lubbock, Lubbock Co p P. D. PERKINS, Angleton Sub-Station . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Angleton, Brazoria Cou H. C. STEWART, Pecos Sub-Station . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Pecos, Reeves Co u, G. T. MCNESS, Nacogdoches Sub-Station. . .Nacogdoches, Nacogdoches n" H. C. HoLMEs, Feeding and Breeding Station. . .College Station, Brazos Coun NoTE.—The main station is located on the grounds of the Agricultural =f Mechanical College, in Brazos County. The postoffice address is Coll' Station, Texas. Reports and bulletins are sent upon application to w, Director. A postal card will bring these publications. a [Blank Page in Original Bulletin] SATSUMA ORANGE. A. Three-Year-Old Tree. REPORT ON EXPERIMENTS WITH CITRUS FRUITS AT THE BEEVILLE SUB-STATION. BY A. T. Poms, SUPERINTENDENT.* lntroducttoa. The object of this bulletin is to give a brief resume of the experi- ments with citrus fruits which have been conducted at the Beeville Sub-Station during the past few years, It will point out the varieties most resistant to cold and call attention t0 the most approved methods of cultivation,—those which will put the grove in the best possible condition for resisting cold, and for the production of fruit. It also calls attention to a method 011 protection against frost. The attempt to grow fruits in the Texas Gulf coast under orchard conditions dates back only a few years. From 1899 to 1910 this sec- tion had very little cold weather and it is during this period that the industry was first ventured i-nto on a commercial scaled Minimum temperature YQIP- in degrees Fahrenheit. 1909. February 18 ____________________________________________________________________ __ 13.0 1901. December 15 .................. -_ __ ___ 18.0 1902, January 22 ____________________________________________________________________ __ 24.0 1903, February 22 ___________________________ __ 22.0 1904, January 26 _--_ 26.0 1N6, February. 18 ___- _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ ___ , 17.0 1906, January 24 ___________________________________ __ -_ 22.0 1907, February 6..---.’ _______________________________________________________________ -- 31.0 1906, February 12 ........ _; .......................................................... -- 22-0 1909, January 11 ................................................................... -- 23-9 1910, January 7 . _ _ _ _ . _ . . . . . . . . _ . . . . . _ _ _ - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- 21-0 1911, January 2 -_-_ ---_, -__- ------------------------- -- 13-9 1912, January 6 ----------------------------------------------------------------- --"--- 10-9 Several early plantings came into bearing and the returns were very flattering. This caused a rush of people into the Gulf coast country to go into the citrus business. Many of these were not at all familiar with farming, and especially in the South. ' The heavy demands for nursery stock caused the market t'o be flooded with inferior plants budded onto stocks of doubtful value. Owing to the inexperience of the growers the trees were neither properly cul- tivated m summer nor protected in winter. 1 Var-ieties. The data relative to the effect of frost on the difierent kinds of citrus fruits is given in the later paragraphs. It will be sufficient here to state that the results obtained to date indicate that the only varieties which should be used in commercial plantings are the Kumquat and the Satsuma. ‘Resigned March 15, 1912. iBelow is shown a table, giving the minimum temperatures from 1900 to 1912, inclusive: KUMQUATS. The Citrus Belt. p Starting in with the Sabine river a few miles north of Orange, and extending south and west t0 the Rio Grande, is the 10w, fiat coastal plain, generally spoken of as “The Texas Citrus Belt.” Just how far inland it is reasonably safe to plant citrus fruit has not been deter- mined, but the distance is probably not very great in the eastern por- tion, gradually becoming Wideras We go westward and southward. Jinan/ml __7__ p Other factors, such as elevation, proximity t0 bodies of water, air drainage, and windbreaks, probably determine the frost injury in this fsection, as much as latitude. 1 Within this belt may be found soils of many kinds, varying from the light sands to heavy, dark clay, Most of it will be found sufiiciently ffertile to produce a good crop of citrus fruit. Soils containing a very heavy supply of available plant food are not best for citrus =fruit. An extra heavy growth of wood is not desirable, because it E often is made at the expense of fruit, and it is seldom hardened enough Esto withstand severe weather. For this reason, trees on poor soil have ggone through the winter in better shape than those on heavier types. é Desirable Sites. ' If possible, a northern exposure should be selected for the orchard. ?This will make the trees later starting in the spring and hasten ma- iturity in autumn. Air drainage is of very great importance. The icold air, being the heaviest, tends to flow intothe low places, and for .this reason frost often occurs in the valleys when it does not upon ‘higher land. The proximity of large or small bodies of water has a tendency to raise the temperature, and should be taken advantage of wherever possible. W indbreaks Advtsable. As soon as the site for the grove is selected, plans should be made at once for a Windbreak upon the north side. Their full value can only be appreciated by one who has had experience in trying to use orchard heaters in a Texas “norther.” While heating in the Beeville grove was carefully tested, thermometers in the same row but one behind ‘a good cedar windbreak, and the other exposed, showed a difference of from one-half to two degrees. There are a number of good plants for the purpose of windbreaks. Among these are Red Cedar, Chinese Arborvitae, Ligustrum Japonicum, and Live Oak. The Stocks. With the present information to draw upon, the Citrus trtfoliata is the best stock obtainable and should be used wherever it is found to do well. On the Beeville Sub-Station trees budded on this stock were injured less from cold. This may be due to several things. The stock doubtless imparts some of its hardiness to the scion. The growth is not so vigorous and sappy, and the general shape of the tree seems "closer and more compact, The last two points are of the greatest value in resistance to cold. . Selecting the Trees. The selection of strong, hardy trees is of very great importance. As previously stated, much inferior stock has been sold and planted. ~A sick man is in no condition to overcome adversity—neither is a sick tree. The very heavy loss of young trees during the past two winters Jfififlufin nnuHHB QQQWU Q54 HOfiU fiHrPQU H49 _9__ is due as much to the poor physical condition of the plants as to cold weather. Plant only the very best stock bought from reliable men, and grown under conditions as nearly similar to yours as possible. The best citrus trees for planting are those having three or four-year-old root systems, and a one or two-year-old top, of medium growth. Planting. A tree properly grown is of no more value than a poor one unless properly set. In the rush of the last few years to get an orange grove started, many trees have ben set in sod land, poorly broken. Often only a strip for the tree row has been plowed and the middle left un- broken until some time later. Such methods are bound to bring unsat- isfactory results. The land should be carefully prepared before time for planting has arrived. Sod land should be given to some culit- vated crop during the previous year. If there is any choice in the dimensions of the orchard, the greatest length should be from north to south. This method helps in heating the orchard, and gives more pro- tection to the grove from the strong southerly winds. The "distance the trees should be set will depend largely upon the variety used, but in general, rather close planting is recommended, because of the protection trees planted in this manner will afford each other, and the greater ease experienced in holding the heated air above the grove. After carefully selecting the tree, it should be cut back to from 12 to l5 inches. This will cause a low head, which is not only desirable in handling the crop, but gives protection to trunks and roots from both heat and cold. _ . Cultivation, i The entire system of cultivation should be done with a view of getting good medium growth early in the season that will harden up be- fore winter. Many of the poorly attended orchards make a rapid growth in the spring that is checked and hardened by the summer drouth. Early fall rains start another growth that does not have time to ‘harden before winter. Such conditions may not be entirely avoided under the best cultural methods, but the danger of winter injury may be lessened. - A's a general thing, double cropping, that is; the planting of other crops between the rows—is not to be recommended. This is especially true if there is any likelihood of the crop hindering early growth or leaving a stubble that will serve to stimulate late fall growth. Pruning. Very little pruning will be found necessary with citrus fruits. On sound, healthyggtrees, about the only use for a pruningiknifeowiill be 1n removingzfcroiss ‘limbs and shortening an occasional limb that interferes with cultivation. a By cutting the trees back at planting, to from 12 to 15 inches, a low headed tree is secured which is better in every way for the Texas _1()_ Gulf coast than the high-headed ones The thick, 10w branches giv great protection t0 the trunk from cold and serve as a mulch fort roots; they hinder the sweep of the Gulf wind through the grove, any aid in holding the smoke and heat during smudging‘. The ease afié economy in harvesting fruit and combating insects and diseases aré also in favor of low-headed trees. mam: 4s a covnn cnor. 5 ni11n_ Winter Cover Crops. In addition to the many benefits the soil may receive from a Winter cover crop, they are of great value in causing the trees t0 become dor- zrnn on. STQRAGE TANK. mant in the fall, preventing growth during Warm spells in winter, and retarding growth in the spring. In the fall the cover crop takes up available plant food and moisture, and eools the ground by shade. During the winter and summer it ~ any system of orchard protection. No extensive plantings should be _12_ keeps the ground cold s0 that the trees do not start growth with r first warm days. On the Beeville Station, plats in burr clover w, from seven to twelve days later starting growth than plats having l. cover crop. ' Of the legumes tried for winter cover crops at the Beeville Sui station, burr clover, crimson clover, vetchand Canada field peas we _ found to be most satisfactory. Of the non-legumes, oats, rape '1 kale were good. All of these should be planted by August 1, if the p full value is to be obtained. ‘ No cover crop should be used in a citrus orchard that will not readil y, decay and became largely exhausted before fall, For this reason ’ crops should be plowed under as early in the spring as it is desirable to cultivate the orchard. Protection Against Frost. Shortly before cold weather is expected, all varieties of citrus fruits, -f should have clean earth piled about them to a height of from 12 Q 18 inches. In case of a severe freeze, this will save all wood coveredQ p During several years preceding 1911 no severe cold weather visited the}, citrus fruit belt, so that little attention was paid to methods of frost ; prevention. But the severe freeze in January of that year, and the‘ very severe winter of 1911-1912 has taught the growers that they must be prepared for an occasional winter that will tax to the utmost made without some well defined plan for fighting frost. Of the various means used for frost protection,‘ the Beeville Sub- Station has tried cord wood fires and oil burning heaters. Cord wood and straw was first tried in the winter of 1909-1910. This method was by noimeans satisfactory. Either the material was too wet to . burn well, or. had to be covered with earth to prevent too rapid con- sumption, The result in raising the temperature was hardly notice- able. In 1910 a few Hamilton Reservoir Orchard Heaters were pur- chased and placed in the orchard, at the rate of 50 heaters to the acre. The January, 1911, freeze was too severe for this number, and all tender varieties of-citrus fruits were killed to the ground. a On February 22 of that year, the heaters were again used at the rate of 50 per acre, and though the trees were putting out new growth at that time, little damage was done. The night was still, and an average rise. of three degrees was obtained, which, in this case, was satisfactory. In the fall of 1911, more equipment was purchased with a view of giving orchard heating a complete test. The heaters were placed at the rate of 125 per acre. Though the results were not entirely satis- factory, they were published with a view of showing the possibilities by this method. The Satsuma orange and Nagami and Marumi Kum- quats came through the winter without injury and will fruit in 1912. The round varieties of oranges, Pomelo, lemons, and limes were severely injured, and will not fruit this season, Their injury ranged from los- ing all foliage and some wood on the Dugat, J afia and Washington Navels, to being killed to the ground in the case of lemons and limes. - The plantings on the Beeville Sub-Station are, unfortunately, divided into two difierent tracts, some distance apart, which makes it more __13___ dfifln-HQHM HmH. wznnnnn , minutes, the heaters lighted early in the night were not burning. difficult to heat the orchard. In fact, the heating of each tra tirely separate and distinct from the other. It The following table will give the temperatures inside and i” of the heated area; the number of heaters burning at the hou and the approximate wind velocity, for November 29, 1911: i TABLE NO. 1. |¢N | | q, | .| | q; c r5 . mg . E '62:; E8 2.9% 2e if; H sag. mg mg go 0*»: euo> 03> H , I. i420 ua<fi$ ¢5B<$ '53:“ H B<§ as e g2 a egg E g 3 6N _ 3 we, _ >35 :35 . 3g; | 3g; ",5 e358 a e8; P58 5-55 i geese é-aees gasp. g3: E4 E4 E-I 3N ______________________ -- 3N ________ __ 3 --_ 3N--- 3N_ _ 3N____ 3N. W Ks N. W .... -_ E3 N. W ____ __ : [3 N. W .... -- : '3 N. W _____ _, 2; la N. W .... -- 21 i3 N. W 3: QSN. W _____ _, 3: 14 N. W _____ _. 4: <3 N. W 4: N. W 5: 31g. W 5: Z2 __________ _. 6:00 ________ _- 15% 26 2s ,2s ......... --~ 6230 ________ __ 16 3O 25 i2S _________ __ 7200 ________ __ 18 30 25 2 S _________ __ 7230 ........ _- 24 34 32 2 S _________ _- 8:00 ________ -. 2s 39 34 2 S ......... “None ------ -- The drops noticed at 5 :30 o’cl0ck in the upper orchard and at we‘ o’cl0ck in the lower orchard, were due to refilling when, for a . The lemons and limes in the lower orchard were killed to the gro ' (There were none of these in the upper orchard.) Pomelo and n, tender varieties of oranges lost nearly all foliage and fifty per of the previous year ’s wood. The more hardy varieties of round oran lost one-half of their foliage, but very little or no wood. Neither Satsuma orange nor either variety of Kumquats were injured. following few weeks were rather warm, which resulted in most of trees which were defoliated in November starting new growth. Und, such conditions it will be seen that their protection was very difiicul A temperature that would not injure mature foliage would be fa to these tender shoots. For that reason the heaters were started at temperature of 3O degrees Fahrenheit, on January 6. t The following table will give the temperature on this night: ézwwnbfin _15.._ TABLE NO . 2 . I - 1 . 1 -. - m 1 e a - =-< 52. EZ”s Es"? gs gs o a] E g] a I? a] a ,3 v.2 ‘c u; o 53 o S o a: Z3 o f: Cl 5 > °’ E > Q - ‘5 > E - ° a; 1.. "S" s<§ 22252 s<~5s éos E - ‘gag Q6525 2652;; 2g: Eh‘; a <9 Q w Q £1 w U a F" m 525 52555 sésss sea 25? 5 ‘a 5-1 5-1 E i z 7 0o ........ _- a5 ____________ __ ______________ s5 N ............................... __ 9 00 _______ ___ a2 _____________________ ___ s5 N ............................. -_ 9:30 ........ -_ so s4 s2 35 N -------- -- 62 Llghtin: 10:00 ........ __ 29 a; as 35 N -------- -- 62 ----- --- 10:30 ........ -- 2s s0 301,4, 35 N -------- -- 62 -------- -- 11:00 ........ -- 261,5 2s 201,4 g -------- -- g3 -------- -- 11:30 ________ __ 2e 2 29 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- 12:00 ________ __ 2s 2% 27% 27 N -------- -- 90 ------- -- 12:30 ________ __ 25 2s 27 27 N ________ -_ 90 -----__-- 1:00 ________ __ 25 271,5 27 27 N ________ __ 90 ________ -- 1:30 ________ __ 24 2s 29 27 N ........ -_ 125 ....... _- i: gglré 2'1 27 N ________ __ 125 ....... -- =- 25% ~20 N ........ _- 12 _______ -- ‘F00 25 25 20 N ........ __ 12g ........ -_ 4.00 22% 28 25% 20 N ________ __ 59 8 t n! 5:00 -------- -- 22 25% 15 N ________ -_ 125 _______ --.. 213g ________ -- 25% g2 15 N ________ __ 125 _______ -- 1 -------- -- 15 N ________ __ 125 ....... _-.. 6:30 -------- -- 23 22's? g 15 N ________ -_ 125 _______ -- 7:00 ........ -- 25 15 N ________ _- 125 _______ -- 7:30 _________- 27 33 ‘ 0 N ________ __ 125 ______,_ 8:00 ........ -- 30 34 30 10 N ________ -_§None ______ __ Put out. a Though the temperature outside was at no time below 22 degreesii; Fahrenheit, the injury was much more severe than ‘during the Novem- ber spell, when it Went t0 15.5 degrees F. This was due to the activity of the trees and thehigh winds which made it impossible to hold any a heat over the orchard. _ , ‘T’ i The trees which had put out new growth were severely hurt. The new foliage and practically. all the old foliage was killed "and additional wood lost. The Satsuma orange and the Kumquats were not hurt. On January 12 and 13 another severe spell of weather was en- countered. Owing t0 the length of time the temperature was below freezing, and the scarcity of oil, this spell was probably more in- jurious than either of the others, The minimum outside tempera- ture was 18 degrees Fahrenheit on January 13. The minimum tem- perature, inside, wasi22 degrees. Another freeze occurred on February 5, with a minimum tempera- ture of 22 degrees outside, and 26 degrees in the heated area. These continued freezes had“defoliated all varieties of citrus fruits, except the Satsuma orange and the Kumquats. With the exception of a few trees badly injured in January, 1911, these two varieties were not hurt. . The amount of wood lost on all other varieties was pretty large. The following varieties of oranges seemed most resistant, saving from 40 to 95 per cent of their wood: Dugat, J affa, Washington Navel, Oneca, Ruby, Pineapple. However, none of these varieties will bear a crop in 1912. -—17-+ fiWfiHH fiWH-QHB. flOH QQQNOQO 2H QOOB. 3.5504: HO Hfiawfi ——l 9-“ The Cost 0f Equipment. ' The cost of equipping an orchard for smudging will vary, owing to ; age, the price of fuel oil, freight and labor. Below is given the gt of equipping six acres, of four and five year old trees on the Bee- ‘ e Station, using 125 Hamilton Reservoir Heaters per acre, and ying oil in car lots: J heaters at 45c . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$337 .50 ‘ eight on heaters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15.00 a 8 barrels of fuel oil at $1.10 per barrel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184.80 "I gallon oil storage tank and cover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85.00 atform for storage tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 15.00 ad pipes, valves and connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12.50 good thermometers . . . . ._ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12.00 ‘bor, hauling and storing oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 18.00 . k for wagon and hose to fill heaters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18.00 vsoline for lighting purposes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 6.00 Total cost . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $710.80 It is possible that some of this equipment may not be required in l cases, but the grower should have at his immediate command sufli- , t heaters and oil for any emergency. Good thermometers are of = very highest importance. Without them he is at a complete loss to when to fire or whether his efforts are successful’. Buy only efully tested thermometers and place them in the coldest part of - grove. . ~ "Every arrangement should be made weeks before the earliest known eze. It will then be foundthat many things have been overlooked. nty of labor should be available, because orchard heating is a big d hard job. - Cost of Protection. The cost of protecting the grove after the first equipment will de- a on the number of times the heaters must be used, the number of - rees of frost to fight, the wind velocity, whether windbreaks are g vided, and the condition of'the trees, uring the winter of 1911-1912 the heaters were used at the Bee- e Station on the following dates: ovember 29, 1911. a anuary 6, 1912. anuary 12, 1912. anuary 13, 1912. l ebruary 5, 1912. "I the night of November 29, _1911, with little wind, the total ount of oil consumed per acre was 375 gallons. With labor and oline, this will give a cost of about $8.10 per acre for the eight >1 s burning, Considering the fact that we were fighting 16.5 rees of frost, this large consumption of fuel is not surprising. J January 6 the second severe freeze of the season occurred. This ll was accompanied by a very high wind which greatly added to _g()_ SATSUMA. CHANGES. The Grove in 1912. _21._ AHPOfiU MPHHHU fiHkrOH "Hmfi ._.22__ the expense and discomfort of heating. The heaters were burned; 111/2 hours, with 10 degrees of frost to fight. The total fuel con-Q. sumed per acre was 458 gallons. This, together with gasoline for’; lighting purposes and labor, made the cost $10.50 per acre for the;- night. On this night the great value of windbreaks was shownb Heaters directly behind a good cedar windbreak burned from two to! three times as long as those exposed to the full force of the wind. a The heaters were burned four hours On February 5, with 10 degrees Q of frost and very little wind. The total cost per acre for this occasion was $2.60. i SUMMARY. 1. Citrus fruit growing on a commercial scale in Texas is yet in its infancy. 2. The great demand for nursery stock resulted in many inferior trees being placed on the market. 3. Many of the growers utterly neglected their groves, which ha caused as much loss as frost. 4. By selecting favorable sites, planting windbreaks, giving good cultivation, and sowing cover crops, the danger from frost injury can be greatly reduced. 5. Protection against frost is recommended. 6. There is no question as to the value of orchard heaters, but whether they may be used for a number of years under Texas condi- tions with a degree of profit to the grower, is yet to be determined.