59 



to those having ungathered fruit frozen, yet there seems not 

 much reason for discouragement. The orange trees have 

 suffered but little, except the shedding of the leaves on the 

 older trees; and the young trees with late grown shoots will 

 be likely to wilt back to ihe older and tougher wood. We 

 think few of the young trees are killed out-right, and all 

 should be encouraged to bring their groves to healthy and 

 successful bearing, and trust that the frost king, hereafter, 

 will make his visits few and far between. 



Those having bearing groves, need have no fear 

 for future crops of fruit ; for in Florida the crop is suffir 

 ciently mature by the first to the twenty-fifth of December, 

 before the period of killing frosts, to gather and house, and 

 if fruit houses are constructed on correct principles, like the 

 one described on a foregoing page, the fruit may be gath- 

 ered and kept for many weeks and months, and then be in 

 better condition to ship than when freshly gathered from 

 the tree. 



We think the orange growers of Florida have little 

 cause for discouragement, and every inducement to con- 

 tinue and persevere in the good work until their efforts 

 shall be crowned with success. The late cold wave which 

 swept over the Slate has demonstrated some facts hereto- 

 fore not well understood in regard to the different species 

 of the citrus family to withstand freezing. The lime, 

 lemon and shaddock, have suffered severely in both fruit 

 and wood ; the sweet orange trees, both seedlings and bud- 

 ded, range next ; the wild orange suffered least, scarcely 

 shedding its leaves in exposed situations; while the Sat- 

 suma, or Japan orange tree, heretofore described, was not 

 affected in the least, not even the leaves turning yellow or 

 dropping from the branches. 



Dr. Hall informed the writer that at his place, on Fort 

 George island, near the mouth of the St. Johns river, at this 

 writing (January 15th), while all other orange trees have 

 shed their leaves and the late growth or angular branches 

 have been killed, yet the Satsuma seems not to have been 

 affected in anv respect, and is as green and flourishing, both 

 imported and'budded trees, as before the frost. 



Mr. A. I. Bidwell, also, has observed and noted the 

 same peculiarities in regard to the Satsuma. 



