THE COMMON ORANGE ] 47 



as marble. There is generally a marked depression on 

 the lower part of the sunny side of the fruit, hence its 

 Maltese name "tal ghafsa\ The fruit is of superior qua- 

 lity, keeps fairly well and travels well. The pulp contains 

 few seeds, has a delicious flavour and a refined aroma, and 

 by many it is preferred even to the egg-blood orange. 



6. THE MALTA EGG- BLOOD. (N[. taring tiiil tad- 

 demm, taiiuali or fin tad-demm}. This very superior 

 orange originated as a sport in a small orange grove at 

 Casal Balzan, on a tree of the Malta egg-orange, 

 towards 1850, and the sport was fixed and perpetuated 

 by budding. The leaves are usually curled and wavy 

 as in the egg-oranges, but are often smaller. The fruit 

 is middling or large, oval or elliptical, rarely roundish, 

 the peel is usually thin and smooth, but may be rather 

 thick on trees situated in the shade. In January the 

 blood-red streaks or markings make their appearance in 

 the peel, as well as in the pulp, and later on the lower 

 part of the peel and pulp become suffused with red, but 

 rarely so intensely as in the round blood orange. The 

 pulp has few seeds, occasionally only one, and has a 

 delicately sweet and acidulous flavour, and a distinct 

 aroma. It is at its best in February and March, but is 

 then too ripe to travel well. 



The egg-blood orange is generally considered the 

 best of our oranges, and on account of its superior 

 commercial qualities, it is now largely planted in prefer- 

 ence to other varieties. Until a few years ago, thousands 

 of young trees were annually exported to other countries 

 bordering the Mediterranean, as well as to America, 

 India, Australia, South Africa etc. 



7. The SWEET ORANGE or SWEET CHINA ORANGE, 

 or MALTA VANILLA ORANGE (M. taring kelu}. The 

 tree grows to die same size, and has the same general 

 appearance as the ordinary orange, and is very produc- 

 tive. The fruit is middling or large, round, often slightly 

 flattened or spheroidal, but sometimes is oval. The rag 



