LIMITATION OF SATSUMA ORANGE. 



9 



Fig. 6.— a small group of thick-walled cells 

 from the pith of the Trifoliate orange. (Mag- 

 nified 372 diameters.) (Drawn by Dr. Theo. 

 Holm.) 



A longitudinal section of the pith of the sour orange is shown in 

 figure 5. It will be noted that there is an entire absence of cross 

 partitions, and there are no thick walls to be seen. All of the ordi- 

 nary types of citrus fruits, including 

 the sour orange and all that are 

 ever used as stocks in this country, 

 have pith of this cliaractcn* without 

 an}' trace of cross partitions built up 

 out of thick-walled cells. 



These peculiar cells are of such a 

 striking character as to make it easy, 

 by using a low-power microscope, to 

 distinguish between Trifoliate and 

 sour orange stocks — in fact, to dis- 

 tinguish Trifoliate-orange from any 

 other citrus stock — with absolute cer- 

 tainty. To make such an examina- 

 tion it is of course necessary to take 

 out some of the pith of the stock. 

 In the case of nursery stock this 

 can even be done, if desired, without killing the plant, since a cut 

 extending half wa}^ tlirough — necessary to take out the pith — will 

 soon Ileal up. 



WARNING AGAINST THE PURCHASE OF SATSUMA ORANGES ON 



SOUR-ORANGE STOCKS. 



In spite of the fact that Satsuma oranges budded on sour-orange 

 stock are known to be a total failure, some nurserymen have budded 

 them largely on this stock and are even offering tliem for sale on 

 the ground that the Trifoliate stock does not succeed on light, sandy 

 soil, whereas sour-orange stock does succeed in such situations. All 

 this is perfectly true, but no mention is made of the additional and 

 very important (jualification that the Satsuma orange budded on 

 sour-orange stock is perfectly worthless from a commercial point of 

 view on anv soil. 



In view of these facts, this occasion is taken to urge intending 

 purchasers of Satsuma oranges to insist that they be budded on 

 Trifoliate-orange stock. In no case should they be accepted on 

 sour-orange stock. If the experiment is to be made of growing 

 Satsuma oranges in a region where the soil is light, especially in 

 southern Florida and southern Texas, it may be worth while to experi- 

 ment with the Satsuma on certain other stocks, such as grapefruit 

 or seedling citrange, but there is little hope for financial success in 

 growing Satsuma oranges in such situations. 



[Clr. 46] 



