Factors Affecting Quantity and Quality in Citrus Fruits

The .interest of fruit growers must in each grower must use his own judgment the nature of the case be centered oil the in evaluating the relative importance of qttality and quantity of the fruit prothese factors in handling his own grove. duced~. This interest has always been reNo attempt is being made to lay down fleeted in the previous meetings of this rules for guidance; it is more desirab'le Society, and no doubt will continue to be to discover fundamental principles which a vital tqpic for discussion at future the gro\ver may apply to his special needs meetings for years to come. This paper and .purposes. is presented to the Society, not with the Let us first take up the factors in the idea that anything new or startling has environment which affect quantity. In been discovered, but rather with the purorder to get a maximum crop it is necpose of making a survey of'the subject essary that the tree be situated.in a favfrom a slightly different angle from that orable soil, that is, one which contains at of previous discussions. all t.imes sufficient water and plant food In the first place it must be emphasied for full development. In .order to conthat the factors affecting fruit quality are tain at, all times a large amount of ,plant related to those affecting quantity both food such a soil must have a heavy wadirectly and 'jndirectly; that conditions ter holding capacity. It will also be well favoring quality tend to reduce quantity drained, with an abundant humus supply, and vice versa; and that citrus fruit a favorable soil reaction (neutral or growing must be a compromise between slightly acid), the largest possible amount these I groups of two factors; for we can of favorable soil bacteria, sufficient plant not make a profit if we produce a small food so no deficiency ,may act as a limamount of fruit of good quality or a large iting factor, and there must be no toxic amount of fruit of poor quality. substances in the soil which might pre:Furthermore, in discussing the' factors vent absorption or injure tissues~ In, orinvolved it may be pointed out that while der to develop and maintain such soils any factor mentioned may be of importin Florid~ ~ttention must be paid to ferance no way has-yet been found to ·meastilization, cover crops, irrigation, drainure its relativ~ value. In consequence age and cultivation. A further requisite