COOPERATION IN 
PRODUCTION 
OF CALIFORNIA GRAPE-FRUIT 
LANT breeding in the past has 
Pp proceeded mainly through the 
efforts of individuals. In a few 
industries it has now become the 
object of cooperative effort. The latest 
example is furnished by the grape- 
fruit growers of California. 
There are, it must be remembered, 
two methods of procedure in plant 
breeding: (1) the creation of new varie- 
ties; (2) the improvement and standard- 
ization of existing varieties. The former 
is the more spectacular and interesting, 
and has been much practised by plants- 
men, whereas animal breeders of the 
last generation have limited themselves 
mainly to perfecting the breeds they now 
possess. This perfection of existing 
varieties is no less important in plant 
breeding, and has been undertaken in 
an organized way by ‘The Grapefruit 
Club.” 
Most American grapefruit are pro- 
duced in Florida, the industry in 
California amounting to only 300 car- 
loads this year. The principal variety 
grown in California is the Marsh, which 
originated about thirty years ago in the 
grove of C. M. Marsh at Lakeland, Fla. 
He found one tree which produced a 
smooth, flattened, seedless fruit: its 
origin is not known, and it may be 
either a seedling or a bud sport. The 
tree was killed by the “‘great freeze’ in 
the winter of 1894-95, just after Mr. 
Marsh had made plans to propagate it 
extensively, and had cut about 10,000 
buds, which he was storing. He had 
also grown many seedlings to bud, but 
most of them were killed. He suc- 
ceeded, nevertheless, in propagating a 
number of Marsh trees. In the spring 
of 1895 a representative of Riverside, 
Cal., citrus growers was sent to Florida 
to get new varieties, and succeeded in 
securing a quantity of Marsh budwood, 
which formed the first introduction of 
this variety to California. One of these 
parent trees is still bearing in Riverside. 
A number of distinct introductions of 
the same variety have been made in 
later years. 
In Florida the Marsh is now the 
favorite variety, although H. H. Hume 
says it lacks flavor and is surpassed by 
other varieties. In California there is 
hardly a question about its superiority; 
it is generally considered to be a better 
fruit there than in the place of its 
origin. The same is true of the Bahia 
Navel Orange, which, under the name 
of Washington Navel, is a more attrac- 
tive fruit in California than in either 
its Brazilian home or in Florida;! and 
the explanation of this is to be found in 
the climate. The cold California nights 
give the fruit a better color than it has 
in Florida; while the dry, sunny summer 
results in the production of more sugar, 
the translocation of which to the fruit is 
again favored by the sharp drop in 
temperature at night. The same condi- 
tions likewise result in the production of 
more acid. Cold nights and sunny days 
therefore give the California fruit more 
‘character’? and color; it is both more 
sweet and more sour. The moister and 
more equable climate of Florida, on 
the other hand, while it produces a 
fruit with less pronounced flavor, tends 
to develop the more delicate features 
of the flavor, which are due to ethers 
or volatile oils. 
These varying climatic results are 
easily seen in the Marsh _ grapefruit, 
which when properly matured in Cali- 
fornia is said to have a richer flavor 
than in Florida. Commercially, Cali- 
fornia cannot compete with Florida on 
even terms in supplying grapefruit to 
the eastern market, because the latter 
can market fruit at much less expense. 
The California growers, aside from 
supplying the home market, endeavor 
to supply the eastern market during 
late summer and early fall, when little 
1! See ‘Washington Navel Orange,” by A. D. Shamel, JouRNAL oF Herepity, Vol. vi, No. 10, 
pp. 435-445, October, 1915. 
524 
