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16.

difficulty is experienced in getting the buds to "break" - commence to
grow after the stock is lopped or topped - the veneer graft may be used.
Planting and Culture
Based on experience in Central America, a spacing of 20 x 20 feet
seems appropriate. Trees may be planted in the orchard at any time
of the year, if given after-care, but the beginning of the rainy season
is usually preferred. Little need be said about cultural attention;
it should be about the same as for citrus. During the dry season
monthly irrigations are right, unless the soil is very light and sandy,
when they should be more frequent. Nothing can be said about fertilizers
on the basis of experience in tropical America. Very little pruning
is necessary, except to cut out dead twigs and small branches. The
loquat usually forms a shapely, compact crown, with fruit borne at the
ends of the branchlets.
Where conditions of growth are favorable, the trees should come
into bearing not later than three or four years after planting. Lo-
quats may be harvested individually or by clusters; the former way
is usual in tropical America. Little is known about diseases and pests;
the fire-blight of pears (Erwinia amylovora) attacks loquat trees in
some regions, but nowhere seems to be a serious pest. Birds and bats
may destroy some of the fruit.