Dear Sir
Mosambi (sweet orange) is an important fruit crop . This crop requires a dry and hot climate, loose and loamy soil well-drained, neither limy nor sticky. The seedlings are raised for about a year in the nursery beds and budded in the fair weather after transplanting in rows in the nursery. After the buds have successfully established themselves, the saplings are planted, in their permanent places. Pits of size 2' x 2' each are taken 20' apart (in poor soils, 15'—18' apart) and filled with soil mixed with farm-yard manure, bone-meal, etc. The plants are usually manured every year for five years. Inter-crops /not those requiring heavy irrigation) like vegetable are also taken during early years till fruiting commences. After the harvest of these crops, land is properly ploughed, harrowed and weeded. Trees start bearing when about 5 to 7 years old. Mosambi flowers during ambe-bahar (i.e., January or February) and fruits are ready for harvest by August-September. The plantation yields the maximum when the trees are about 10—20 years old. On an average, each tree yields about 300—1,000 fruits per year.