298 Remarks on the Culture of Exotic Vegetables, 



quiring - only to be packed in paper, and kept dry. The 

 loamy soils of Uitenhage, Graaff-Reinet, and Albany, appear 

 particulary adapted to the growth of this tribe. In the latter 

 district are two indigenous kinds of fruits, belonging to the 

 same natural family as the Psidium. The common guava 

 also thrives in moist sandy soils. 



CITRUS. Orange-tree. Polyadelphia Polyandria, of 

 Lin. and Nat. Ord. Aurantiacese. Decandolle. 



We need require no more convincing- proof of the necessity 

 to improve our exotic fruits, than to take into consideration 

 the value and importance of the Genus Citrus ; and we may 

 rely on the chance of success which must attend on well con- 

 ducted experiments, in the endeavour to procure so desirable 

 an object. Notwithstanding- the praises bestowed by persons 

 coming direct from Europe, on the g'oodness of oranges 

 grown at the Cape of Good Hope, others, who have visited 

 South America, on giving their candid opinion, must declare 

 in favour of the produce of that continent. Among the many 

 varieties of orange grown (I cannot say cultivated) at the 

 Cape, there is none which deserves to be called excellent. I 

 shall, therefore, endeavour to point out the most likely 

 methods of improvement, and hope that some of these sugges- 

 tions will he put in practice, at least those which will enable 

 us to get rid of the worst kinds, which now disgrace the 

 country. 



Of Citrus Aurantium. Orange, or Zoetlemoen ; there are 

 three leading - varieties — the sweet, the sour, and the bitter ; 

 and those will produce, from seed, sub-varieties without end, 

 and of different qualities. Although this method may be 

 deemed tedious, it is necessary to pursue it. 



In choosing seeds for planting, the finest flavoured, and 

 deepest coloured, well shaped fruit, and such of these as pro- 

 duce the fewest seeds should be selected. In regard to the 

 Seville, or bitter orange, a thick rind is to be preferred. The 

 fruit may be allowed to remain till nearly rotten, before the 

 seeds are cleaned from the pulp, and dried for a day or two 

 before they are sown. 



Beds of a sandy loam, well manured with old cow-dung, 

 should be prepared for their reception. The seeds are to be 

 sown in drills drawn about three feet apart from each other; 

 and, if the weather should prove dry, they must be occasion- 

 ally watered. The young plants will appear in about three 

 weeks ; soon after which they must be thinned out to about 

 nine inches from each other in the rows. The leaving them 

 thus close, is to cause them, if possible, to form but one clean 

 and upright stein, from IB inches to 5 or G feet in height, 

 which will give a variety of stocks for grafting upon, (should 



