164 FLORIDA FRUITS OTHER CITRUS FRUITS. 



from the lime ; but it is better to let nature take her own 

 way, and she intended the lime to be a tall, pyramidal 

 bush, rather than a tree. All that is desirable is to prevent 

 the lower branches from lying on the ground, and to trim 

 out the center so that air and sunshine may reach every part. 



In raising seedling limes always select the seed from the 

 largest and most perfect fruit, and the fruit from this is 

 sure to be of the same quality as the parent ; a seedling 

 lime destined to bear the best quality shows it at once by 

 the dark color of its new growth. There are only two or 

 three varieties of the lime, and these are the 



Tahiti. Strong grower, nearly thornless; very early 

 and heavy bearer ; fruit large ; strong, rich acid. 



Florida. Introduced from Mexico, and known in Cal- 

 ifornia as the Mexican. Fruit medium size ; skin smooth 

 and thin ; juice, acid, rich and abundant. 



Sweet or DuLds. Large, thick-skinned, pulpy; valued 

 only as a variety, and for preserving. 



Persian. Lately introduced ; a very superior sort. 

 Fruit large, and often exceeds the ordinary lemon in 

 size; juice a very pleasant acid; pulp. tender and seed- 

 less ; bears frost well. 



THE CITRON. 



The citron, like the lemon and lime, is more susceptible 

 to cold than the orange, and is the least esteemed of the 

 citrus family, with the single exception of the shaddock. 

 The tree is rather dwarfish, attaining the height of eight 

 feet; is erect and irregular in growth, and has many 

 drooping branches, with short thorns. 



The fruit is quite large and heavy, and of several varie- 

 ties and shapes. In Florida but two kinds are extensively 

 known, but in Europe six varieties are cultivated, the 

 common, the flat-fruited, the forbidden-fruited, the round- 

 fruited, and the thick-leaved. In all these sorts there are 



