THEIR CULTURE AND* MANAGEMENT. . 



27 



of all citrus fruits it will be seen that 

 it is more imperative with lemons on 

 account of the time that intervenes be- 

 tween picking and selling the fruit. 

 After the fruit goes to the consumer it 

 is not used immediately. Therefore if 

 the keeping quality is poor the con- 

 sumer will look for another brand 

 when buying again. 



THE STANDARDS. 



Eureka. A California seedling and the rec- 

 ognized commercial variety in this State. Tree 

 a vigorous grower, practically thornless and a 

 prolific bearer. Fruit medium size, sweet, 

 smooth, glossy rind, an excellent keeper, 

 abundant acid and very little rag. Its great 

 popularity in the lemon sections is due to its 

 continuous blooming and setting of lemons all 

 the year, and particularly for its heavy sum- 

 mer crop, when lemons are in greatest demand. 

 The most extensively planted lemon in South- 

 ern California. 



Lisbon. Imported from Portugal. Med- 

 ium size; sweet rind and very strong acid, 

 few seeds, an excellent keeper ; fruit very uni- 

 form ; tree a strong grower, with compact 

 foliage, a prolific bearer; quite thorny, but the 

 thorns decrease as the tree grows older. Quite 

 hardy and very popular in the interior. Con- 

 sidered to be the best lemon produced, but on 

 account of its only maturing one crop a year 

 (and that in the fall and winter), it is not 

 favored by many planters. We especially 

 recommend it for planting in the interior, as 

 it produces a heavy fall crop of lemons that 

 size up early enough to reach market at a 

 time of year when prices are good. 



Villa Franca. A fine variety and desirable 

 for commercial planting. Fruit oblong; rind 

 thin, without any trace of bitterness ; pulp 

 acid, juicy, nearly seedless ; tree thornless, 

 spreading habit ; will stand a lower tempera- 

 ture than any other variety. Considered by 

 some planters to be preferable to either the 

 Eureka or Lisbon, and is being quite exten- 

 sively planted in some sections. 



THE LIME, THE CITRON AND THE POMELO. 



THE LIME 



Valuable for its citric acid, which is 

 extensively used in the concoction of 

 summer drinks, and especially palat- 

 able as a lemonade. The juice is also 

 used in medicine and in the arts. Its 

 export from the West Indies consti- 

 tutes an important article of com- 

 merce, great quantities being exported 

 to Europe and the United States. 

 Fancy limes, and especially the newer 

 seedless sorts, command good prices 

 in the leading markets of the Western 

 States, the average being from $4 to $6 

 per box. The tree is more tender than 

 the orange, hence should be planted 

 only in the sheltered foothill regions 

 of t^e state. Commercial orchards 

 should be planted twenty feet apart. 

 It likes a moist soil, and in California 

 a lime grove should be liberally irri- 

 gated. 



THE STANDARDS. 



Bearss Seedless. Fruit large, more than 

 twice the size of the Mexican and seedless, very 

 juicy, with pronounced acidity. Quite hardy, 

 enormously productive, fruits mature all the 

 year around. Pronounced by experts to be one 

 of the best in cultivation. 



Mexican. Very largely grown in California 



and equal to the imported Mexican. Is much 



used for hedges, for which purpose it is well 

 adapted. 



Tahiti. A strong grower; fruit much larger 

 than the former, but coarse and of inferior 

 quality. 



THE CITRON 



The tree is even more tender than 

 the lemon, and should therefore be 

 planted where there is very little dan- 

 ger from damage by frost. The fruit 

 is prepared for use by immersing in a 

 brine for several months and after 

 washing it is placed in a hot syrup, re- 

 maining for three weeks. Later it is 

 cooked with crystalized sugar dis- 

 solved in water, being cooked and 

 cooled alternately until it has taken in 

 sufficient sugar, when it is ready for 

 market. 



Citron of Commerce. Fruit large, weigh- 

 ing from three to five pounds ; shaped like 

 a lemon ; skin bright yellow, smooth and very 

 glossy. The tree is of a dwarf habit, with 

 large, glossy leaves and very ornamental. 



THE POMELO 



Known as Grape Fruit, because 

 much resembling in appearance a 

 bunch of grapes; fruit borne in im- 

 mense clusters from three to fifteen 

 fruit in a bunch, hence the name. 

 Fruit much sought after for its medici- 

 nal qualities, especially by people suf- 

 fering from dyspepsia and other stom- 

 ach troubles. As a healthy breakfast 

 relish it excels every other fruit. As 

 its valuable properties are becoming 

 appreciated the demand for it is in- 

 creasing. Fruit round, somewhat 

 larger than a Washington Navel, of a 

 pure lemon color, with white flesh of a 



