IMPROVEMENT OF CITRUS FRUITS THROUGH BUD SELECTION. 9 



Navel orange so far as could be determined, were selected and picked 

 in various parts of the groves for illustrative purposes. 



On the Vivienda ranch, lying west and below the Eureka ranch, 50 

 individual trees were selected on the basis of high yield. These 50 

 trees are all of the type of the Washington Navel orange and are 

 located under conditions similar to those in the remainder of the grove. 

 A record of the yield of each size and grade of fruit from both the 

 Eureka and Vivienda ranches is kept by the National Orange Co., so 

 that the yield of the select trees can be compared to the average yield 

 per tree of the groves. 



TREE MARKERS AND NUMBERS. 



Strips of heavy white cotton cloth about -t feet long and 2 inches 

 wide were tied in conspicuous places at four regular intervals around 

 the tree and at a height of 6 or 7 feet above the ground. These 

 streamers can be plainly seen from an}^ side of the tree and were placed 

 to prevent the picking of the trees by the regular picking gang. 



In the case of the Washington Navel orange every select tree was 

 given a number, from one consecutively to the total nun^ber of trees 

 studied. This number was stamped with a metallic die in a strip of 

 copper 1 hy 4 inches in size, so as to be inefiaceable. A heavy copper 

 wire 1-J, inches long was soldered to this tag, and the tag correspond- 

 ing to the number of the tree was attached to the tree by twisting the 

 wire loosely around one of the main branches near the tree trunk. 



In order to assist in finding the tree numljers readily and conveniently, 

 the number was also painted with Avhite paint on the tree trunk in 

 large numerals and always on the same side of the tree. 



A diagram was made of each grove, showing the location of each 

 tree marked, in order to assist in finding indi\idual select trees scat- 

 tered over the groves. It is evident that great care must be exercised 

 in preserving the tree numbers in order to avoid the loss and confusion 

 of the data through a period of years. 



PERFORMANCE RECORDS. 



By ••performance records" is meant the data obtained from the 

 individual trees as to the yield and quality of fruit each year. A con- 

 secutive series of these records constitutes a performance record of 

 the trees from which the data are obtained. '•Quality" in this w^ork 

 means the proportion of the ditierent sizes and grades of fruit, thus 

 determining the commercial value of the fruit from each tree. No 

 definite means of recording the fia\or, sweetness, acidity, quantity of 

 juice, rind, etc., has been evolved as yet, although a serious attempt 

 is being made to secure these additional data for future records. 

 These performance-i-ecord data are obtained in the grove and one ti-ee 

 is finished before any other is picked. The fruit from each is picked, 

 88655°— Cir. 77—11 2 



