ORANGE 



4394 



ORANGE 



at the same time on the trees. Because of their 

 beauty and fragrance the flowers have long been 

 worn in bridal wreaths. Florida has chosen the 

 orange blossom as its state flower. 



Distribution and Kinds. Oranges are natives 

 of Asiatic countries, but have been introduced 



CROSS SECTION OF AN ORANGE 

 (a) Central edible part of fruit; (b) 

 cross section, and Its location; (c) oil reservoirs, 

 near outer surface of rind; (d) corky layer of 

 rind. 



into the United States, the West Indies, the 

 Azores, Europe and Africa, where they are 

 widely cultivated. In the United States, Cali- 

 fornia and Flprida lead in the production of 

 oranges. Almost 25,000,000 boxes of oranges 

 are grown in the United States every year, and 

 over half are raised in California. The seed- 

 less navels are most popular. Oranges grown in 

 Florida are known as russets ; they have lighter- 

 yellow pulp than the others, and the peel is 



California 

 16500 



Florida 

 7500 



Louisiana 

 Arizona 



150 

 32, 



Figures Represent Thousands of Boxes 



ORANGES GROWN IN A YEAR 

 Production in the United States, representing 

 the average crop during five years. 



bronze colored, hence the name. The manda- 

 rin orange, introduced from China, is small and 

 somewhat flattened, and has an exceedingly 

 rich and agreeable flavor. Blood oranges are 

 so called because they have a darker and some- 

 what red juice. 



Uses. The refreshing juicy pulp of the or- 

 ange makes it a popular dessert fruit. The 

 juice also affords a refreshing drink for fe\ vr 

 patients. Orange peel is used in the making 

 of marmalade and to flavor puddings and other 

 cookery, and when candied is a dainty confec- 

 tion. The leaves of the orange tree and small, 

 unripe fruit contain a volatile oil which is used 

 in the manufacture of perfumes. Orange trees 

 are especially cultivated by some florists for 

 their flowers, to be used in bridal wreaths and 

 to be distilled with water to make a perfume 

 called orange-flower water. The wood of tin- 

 orange tree is fine-grained and of a yellowish 

 hue; it is used for inlaid work and for small, 

 turned articles. 



Orange Culture. Oranges are grown from 

 seed. As a rule the seedling is a variation from 

 the parent stock, and desired varieties are usu- 

 ally obtained by budding (see GRAFTING, sub- 

 head Bud Grafting). Deep, rich, moist soil with 

 good drainage is best. Oranges cannot be grown 

 where severe frosts occur during the growing 



ORANGE BLOSSOMS 



season, but dry land can be used, if properly 

 irrigated. Trees two years from seed are ready 

 to bud, and a year or two later are set into an 

 orchard and are placed thirty or forty feet 

 apart. Clean cultivation must be continually 

 practiced, and the trees require liberal amounts 

 of water and the aid of fertilizers, unless the 

 soil is exceptionally rich. About four years from 

 budding the trees will begin to bear, and with 

 proper pruning and care one tree will produce 

 500 or more oranges each year for from fifty to 

 a hundred or more years. 



Harvesting is done by hand by cutting the 

 fruit from the tree. After careful scrubbing by 

 hand or by machinery, the fruits are assorted 

 according to size, wrapped in tissue paper and 

 packed for shipment in wooden boxes. 



Diseases and Insects. Like all other citrus 

 fruits, oranges are subject to numerous destruc- 

 tive diseases and insects. Foot-rot is the most 



