43 



half to three ounces ; thin skin, oval shape ; few seeds, 

 solid pulp, strong acid juice; sweet rind and highly aro- 

 matic. Lemons which are large, thick skin, spongy pulp 

 and bitter rind, are not marketable ; hence it is better to 

 procure trees budded with fruit of known and tried quali- 

 ties than to trust to seedlings, as they often turn out to be 

 worthless. 



A statement has lately been going the rounds to the 

 effect that in the gathering of lemons for market, a lemon 

 was ripe enough to gather when it was large enough ; that 

 is, when it had arrived at a certain size. It has generally 

 been understood that leaves have their time to fall, and 

 fruits a season of maturity ; and we question whether a 

 lemon gathered green, although of a certain size, possesses 

 all the qualities requisite in a perfect fruit. The theory 

 may hold in trees of old age, and among that variety 

 which are said to be ever bearing, but it is open to doubt. 



The lemon tree is too uncertain in Florida, on account 

 of its sensitiveness to cold, to warrant extensive planting, 

 except in very favored localities ; and besides, the profits 

 are likely to be less than the orange, from the fact that 

 large quantities are imported at prices which are not con- 

 sidered remunerative as compared with the orange. 



However, a few trees should be planted in the most 

 favored localities about the premises, in regard to the cold 

 waves, and moderately fertilized and pruned, to produce 



the best results. 



.* 



LIMES. 



The next fruit in importance to the lemon is the lime. 

 The tree or bush is still more sensitive to cold than the 

 lemon, and requires more care in exposed situations. The 

 fruit is generally small, tender rind, and does not bear 



