FRUITS. 263 



THE ORANGE. 



The wild or bitter orange is found in Florida, in groves 

 sometimes of thirty miles in extent. From its existing in no 

 other part of North America, in its natural state, it is sup- 

 posed to have been planted there by the Spaniards, in the 

 early settlement of the country. This is the more probable, 

 from its ready propagation, and the deterioration of the fruit 

 from neglect. These native stocks are hardy, and are usu- 

 ally taken for grafting, or more frequently, innoculating 

 with the best cultivated varieties. They afford a taller, har- 

 dier tree, and more vigorous and glossy foliage than the 

 cultivated. They bear a profusion of fruit which, however, is 

 worthless. 



There are many choice kinds, among which, are the Man- 

 darin, the Navel, the Chinese, the Blood-red, the Sweet- 

 skinned, the Pear-shaped and the Seedless. They grow 

 in profusion in Louisiana, Florida, Georgia, S. Carolina and 

 Texas, where they afford a remunerating crop to the planter. 

 The soil most propitious to the orange, is moist yet not 

 wet, varying between a loamy sand and light clay, but 

 loose and fertile. 



They are propagated by layers, suckers or seeds ; but are 

 usually innoculated o'r grafted. They require little attention 

 except to guard them from frost where the climate is severe. 

 Most of the orange groves in Florida, were killed down to 

 the roots by severe frosts, in the winter of 1834 and '35. But 

 they generally withstand the effects of frost near the Gulf 

 coast. The worst enemy to the orange tree in this country, 

 has been the Coccidce. or bark lice, which fasten themselves 

 by a thin pellicle or covering to the bark, beneath which a fa- 

 mily of these insects grow up, and gradually extend their pro- 

 geny by the same means, over the whole trunk and branches. 

 No effectual remedy has been discovered against their rava- 

 ges ; and many extensive plantations have been cut to the 

 ground, in the hope that fresh shoots and a more vigorous 

 growth would withstand their deleterious effects. 



The produce from the orange tree is large, averaging in 

 the best specimens, under favorable circumstances, 2.000 

 per annum. " Mr. Alvarez had a tree on the St. Johns, in 

 Florida, which, in 1829, produced 6,500; and one tree in 

 the same neighborhood, is said to have yielded 10,000 in one 

 year . ' ' ( Browne's Trees of America.) They yield a luscious, 

 healthful fruit, and their cultivation should be extended 



