O^ CITRUS AURANTIUM. 



there is a fragrance in the aroina which never satiates nor ofTends; and, as the 

 tree is at one and the same time in aU stages of its hearing in llower, in fruit 

 just set, and in golden I'rnit, inviting the "hand to pull and tlie palate to taste," 

 it is hardly possihle to conceive or imagine any ohject more delightful. Tliere 

 is something, too, jicculiar in the organization of the fruit of this tree. Its rind, or 

 external covering, is of a spongy texture, containing hut little juice or sap of any 

 kind in its substance ; but the external surface is covered, or tuberculated with 

 little glands, which secrete an acrid, volatile oil, very inflaimuable, and of a 

 strong, pungent taste. The interior of the fruit is usually divided into from nine 

 to twelve carpels or cells, which contain the pulp, seeds, and juice, and are united 

 by a whitish pellicle or leathery skin, radiating from the centre to the rind, and 

 may easily be separated without wasting the juice. The seeds are solitary or 

 several, and are attached to the inner angle of the carpel, and in some varieties, 

 are entirely wanting. 



Varieties. The varieties or races of the orange have been greatly multiplied ; 

 hut whether from the proneness to change from some original ditferences in the 

 species, or from dilference of soil and climate, it is difiicult to determine. It was 

 the opinion of Galesio, who described forty principal kinds, as cultivated in 

 Italy, that they were all derived from the common orange, although some are 

 more acid, and others more bitter in their flavour. The most important varieties 

 may be described as follows : 



1. C. A. UMBiLiCATA. Ncivcl Goldeti-fruited Orange-tree; Oranger nombrll. 

 of the French ; Nabel Orangenbainn, of the Germans ; Melarancio umbilico, of 

 the Italians ; Naranjo ombligo, of the Spaniards ; Laranjeira enibiga^ of the 

 Portuguese and Brazilians. This variety is a curious lusus naturae, differing 

 from the common orange by having, near the crown, and in some instances, 

 quite outside of the pulp, at the end opposite the stem, an excrescence resembling 

 a small orange when the rind is removed, into which is drawn all the superflu- 

 ous or objectionable portion of the fruit, leaving the legitimate production free 

 from impurities, and rendering it the most delicious and agreeable of its kind. 

 The fruit is usually round, or slightly oblong, rather larger than that of the com- 

 mon orange, with a rind of kbout the same colour, surface, and thickness. The 

 pulp is of a yellowish colour, of a delicious flavour, and better filled with juice 

 than oranges generally in the torrid zone. It is chiefly cultivated in the neigh- 

 bourhood of Bahia, in Brazil, where it is thought to be one of the greatest 

 prodigies of the vegetable kingdom. The author of the present work claims the 

 honour of flrst introducing this variety into the United States. He brought sev- 

 eral trees from Brazil, in 1835, and caused them to be planted on the estate of 

 the late Z. Kingsley, on Drayton Island, Lake George, East Florida, where 

 they are believed still to exist. 



2. C. A. SINENSIS. Chinese Golden-fruited Orange-tree, with ovate-oblong 

 leaves ; round, smooth, and rather flattened fruit, which is much esteemed, and 

 is called by the Portuguese, Laranja da Xina ; by the French, Orange douce; 

 and Porto-gaUo or Poma de Sino, by the Italians. 



3. C. A. PYRiFORMis. Pear-s/iaped Golden-fruited Orange-tree. This variety 

 may be known by its elliptical, acute leaves, and large, top-shaped fruit. It is 

 one of the most hardy kinds, and is well worthy of cultivation. 



4. C. A. SANGUiNEA. Blood-red-pulped Golden-fj-uited Orange-tree, distinguished 

 by Its ovate-oblong pellucid leaves, and medium-sized, round, rough, and red- 

 dish-yellow fruit, with a pulp irregularly mottled with crimson. The Arancio 

 di sugo rosso of the Sicilians, is a sub-variety of it, who call the true blood-red 

 variety, Arancio di Malta sanguigjio. There is another sub-variety with small 

 fruit, growing about Nice, called by the Italians, Arancio a foglio stretta. 



5. C. A. coRTiDULCicuLA. Sweet-skinned Goldeti-fruited Orange; Pomme 



