376 



THE KUM-QUAT ORANGE TREE. 



" This species, long known to botanists, 

 and to those who have visited Canton, was 

 one of the plants which Mr. Reeves recom- 

 mended me to send home to the horticultu- 

 ral society. In the south of China great 

 quantities of it are grown in pots ; and 

 hence it is met as a common plant in the 

 well known nursery gardens at Fa-tee. It 

 is, however, evidently of a more northern 

 origin ; for I met with numerous groves of 

 it on the island of Chusan, and elsewhere 

 in that part of China, where it grew in far 

 greater perfection than it does about Can- 

 ton. It seems also to be largely cultivated 

 in Japan, where it has been seen and de- 

 scribed by Japanese travellers, — such as 

 Thomberg and Sieboldt. 



" The Kum-quat groves of Chusan are 

 formed on the sides of the lower hills, in 

 those situations where the tea-shrub (Thea 

 viridis,) flourishes. The plants are ar- 

 ranged in rows, about four feet apart, and 

 do not attain a much larger size than about 

 six feet in height ; from three to six feet is 

 the size they are usually seen. A small 

 kind of orange is also found in these 

 groves ; but good oranges, such as those 

 known in the south, as 'Mandarins,' and 

 'Coolies,' are entirely unknown; indeed, 

 the Chusan winters would be far too co'd 

 for them. This shows, therefore, that the 

 Kum-quat is of a much hardier nature than 

 any of the plants belonging to the orange 

 tribe with which we are acquainted in gar- 

 dens. 



"The fruit ripens late in autumn, — being 

 then about the size of a large oval goose- 

 berry, having a sweet rind, and a sharp 

 acid pulp. It is largely used by the Chi- 

 nese as a preserve, and very frequently 

 finds its way to England as presents to 

 those who have friends in China. Pre- 

 served in sugar, according to the Chinese 

 method, it is excellent. 



Fig. 99. — The Kum-quat, or liule Japanese Orange. 



" In China, the Kum-quat is propagated 

 by grafting on a prickly wild species of 

 Citrus, which seems of a more hardy na- 

 ture than the Kum-quat itself. This fact 

 should be borne in mind when the plant is 

 increased in this country ; otherwise we 

 shall have a comparatively hardy plant 

 growing on a tender one."* 



Mr. Fortune further remarks that the 

 Kum-quat groves in the island of Chusan, 

 (a cold part of China,) were among the 

 prettiest sights that came under his notice ; 

 particularly when the fruit was ripe, hang- 

 ing in profusion over the bushes, and con- 

 trasting so well with the clear green fo- 

 liage. 



Dr. Lindley adds, that " this plant, as 

 cultivated in the London Hort. Society's 

 garden, resembles a dwarf, small-flowered 

 orange tree, with thinner, smaller, and 

 narrower leaves. Its fruit is as Mr. For- 



* We commend this to the attention of nurserymen here. 

 If the Kum-quat is ever so hardy, it will not stand if budded or 

 grafted on the common orange, or lemon stock. It will be 

 safest to raise il from cuttings. Ed. 



