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640 REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF AGRICULTURE. _ 
> planted the seeds, and raised from them two trees, One of them died; but eal 
other did exceedingly well, and he propagated from it quite largely. It proved to . 
be a very good orange and considerably above an ordinary seedling. It ripens about 
one month earlier than an ordinary seedling, is of a fine, rich, lively color, of good _ 
size, medium number of seeds, and, take it all in all, it is a first-class orange, but — 
not equal to the Washington Navel, Mediterranean Sweet, Maltese Blood, or Paper-— ~ 
rind St. Michael. (eee 
From personal observation in the orchard of J. EK. Cutter, of Riv- Pes 
erside, I know the tree to bea handsome, upright grower, productive — 
and thornless. The leaves are very pale green; the fruit 1s of met ~ 
dium size, about three inches; in shape almost round, but inclining —— 
avery little to oblong; skin, rather smooth, of pale color and thin; | 
Core, medium, sometimes a little hollow; seeds, numerous, well de- 4 
veloped, but usually pointed at both ends; flesh, pale colored, very 
juicy; flavor, mild. pleasant, but not rich; quality, very fair. 
Harts Late. 
(Synonym, Hart’s Tardiff.) 
. . . . . : . *. / - 
The origin of this orange is uncertain. The first positive know]- 
edge of it is that S. B. Parsons, of Flushing, Long Island, about 1875, © 
took it from his greenhouses on Long Island to his nursery near 
Palatka, Fla. He thinks it came to him from Thomas Rivers, of — 
7 e . . ‘ \ } 
England. Edmund H. Hart, of Federal Point, Fla., gotitfrom Mr, = 
Parsons’s nursery, and it was in his hands that the real value of the 
variety first came into public notice. Onthe 25th of April, 1877, the 
‘fruit was first brought before the meeting of the Florida Fruit. | 
Growers’ Association by Mr. EK. H. Hart, and ‘‘it was found unripe ~~ 
and unpleasantly acid.” On June 13 of the present year (1887) Mr. , © 
-Hart sent specimens to this office which were in prime eating con- 
dition. ie.’ 
Size, medium, about 3 inches; shape, oblong, a little tapering — 
towards the stem, which is set ina slight depression; skin, rather * | ~ 
thin, a little roughened, deep pits on surface; color, bright orange; a, 
core, medium, quite firm; seeds, numerous, rather slender, pointed; 3 
flesh, light colored, very juicy; flavor, a pleasing combination of | 
sweet and acid; quality, very good; season, very Tate, from May to © 
July in Florida. < vea 
Washington Navel. Catan 
(Synonyms, Bahia, Riverside Navel.) 
This orange was illustrated in my report of last year, and a brief 
history of it there given. The name Bahia which was then used is ~~ 
that which has the prior claim, but as I stated in that report, Wash- ~~ 
ington Navel has become so much more commonly used instead that — 
the old name which Mr. Saunders, of this Department, gave it is © 
forced to give way. There has been so much interest shown within — — 
the last year regarding the origin and bearing qualities of this 
variety by the fruit-growers of the orange regions, and it is of so 
much practical importance that I have taken special pains to investi-- = 
gate the entire subject. Th ie 
As a result I have to say, that the twelve orange trees which Mr. 
Saunders, as superintendent of the gardens and grounds of this 
Department, imported from Bahia, in Brazil, were all of the same 
yariety. After examining the original trees yet in the orange-house 
