ToL. VII. No. 1C.3. 



THE AGRICULTUEAL NEWS. 



229 



SPINELESS LIMES AND ORDINARY 

 LIMES. 



An article on the characteristics of the spineless 

 variety of lime as compared with the onlinar}' kind 



-appeared in the AgrtctUtund New»', Vol. VII, p. 84, 



-and it was there mentioned that fuller particulars on 

 the subject, together with data as to the relative purity 



-and richness in citric acid of the juice of the two 

 varieties were included in the Report for 1900-7 of the 

 Dominica Botanic Station, 



Spineless liine.s are believed to have originated on the 



.Shawford estate, Dominica, where, in the year 1891, a lime 

 tree was noticed from which tlie usual spines w'ere absent. 



■Care was taken to produce seedlings from this interesting 

 tree, and about 75 per cent, of the plants proved themselves 

 to be spineless. The young trees fruited well, althougli the 

 limes yielded were smaller in size than those frcjm the 



•ordinary variety- Ai)art from the absence of spines, this 

 lime is characterized by the smallness of the leaves, an erect 

 habit of growth, a smooth, thin skin, a greater richness of 

 juice, and the presence of but a small number of seeds as 



-compared with the ordinary variety. 



Fid. -5. OKi>i-NAi;y Limk Tkke. 



show 



The accompanying illustrations (Figs. -5 and 6) 

 the different habits of growth of the two kinds, of limes. 

 Fig. 5 represents an ordinary variety possessing spines. In 

 Fig. 6 appears a spineless lime, and the more erect and less 

 spreading habit of growth of this variety in comparison with 

 that of the ordinary kind is well shown. It should be men- 

 ■ tioned that this upright character is more marked in the 



earlier stages of gr<;)«th of the trees, and that as the latter 

 grow older and bear fruit, the branches tend to bend down- 

 wards, thus altering materially the appearence of the trees. 

 The photograjihs from which the blocks for these illustrations 

 have been prepared were forwarded by Mr. .Joseph Jones, 

 Curator of the Botanic Station, Dominica. They represent 

 trees growing on the Bath estate in that island. 



Fig. C. Spineless Lime Tkee -\t Domink a. 



There are now^ over 20,000 trees, or about 100 acres, of 

 the spineless variety of lime growing in Dominica, and infor- 

 mation, based upon observations made on large field jilots 

 should soon be forthcoming. In 1906-7, the number of plants 

 of this variety sent out from the Botanic Station reached 

 10,087. Mr. .Jones reports that the demand for plants con- 

 tinued steady throughout 1907-8. There is little doubt that 

 the absence of spines from the tree is a character to be 

 appreciated, and one which should facilitate the gathering of 

 the fruit. 



DEPARTMENT NEWS. 



Mr. Joseph Jones, Curator of the Botanic Station, 

 Dominica, left for England on July 15, by the 

 R.M.S- ' Thames,' on three months' vacation leave of 

 absence. 



Mr. Alleyne G. Howell, Chief Clerk at the Head 

 Office of the Imperial Department of Agriculture, also 

 sailed for England by the ' Thames ' on six months' 

 leave. 



