48 THE FRUIT GROWER'S GUIDE. 



LEMONS. 



THE Lemon is the fruit of Citrus limonum, a tree more vigorous than the orange, and 

 is cultivated extensively in the Mediterranean islands and the countries bordering on 

 that sea. Home-grown lemons are not found in the markets ; but excellent fruit may 

 be grown in this country. The uses of the lemon for cooling drinks and flavouring 

 are well known. The Common or Lisbon, Genoa, and thin-skinned Villa Franca are 

 sufficient to grow, the last named being considered the best of the trio. 



LIMES. 



THE Lime is the fruit of Citrus limetta, a tree closely resembling that of the 

 lemon, with small, white, fragrant flowers. The fruit is pale yellow, roundish oval, 

 with a protuberance at the tip, like a nipple; the vesicles of the rind are flat and 

 concave, and the pulp slightly bitter. Chiefly used for cooling drinks. In respect of 

 varieties it is only necessary to say that the Bijou has small, the Common medium, 

 and the Imperial and Brazilian large fruits. 



PROPAGATION AND MANAGEMENT OF ORANGES, LEMONS, AND LIMES. 



Propagation. The orange, lemon, and lime are increased by seeds, cuttings, layers, 

 budding, and grafting. The object of raising plants from seed is mainly to obtain stocks 

 for grafting. The seeds will grow in a greenhouse; but they are best sown about 1^ 

 inch apart in pots, and covered f -inch deep with fine soil, early in spring, placing the 

 pots on a hotbed. In the course of a few weeks the seedlings will be ready for 

 placing separately in 3-inch pots, shading them from sun until established ; then allow 

 plenty of air, and eventually shift them into a size larger pots. They may be continued 

 in the frame during the summer, or be removed to a warm house. In the second year 

 they will be sufficiently strong for budding to form dwarfs, but seedlings to be budded 

 or grafted standard high must be grown and trained with a clean, straight stem until as 

 high as required. 



Cuttings about 9 inches long, made of the strongest shoots, with a portion of two- 

 years' -old wood, cut transversely below a joint, the leaves removed to the extent of 

 about 5 inches from the lower part, and this part inserted in pots filled with sand in 

 August, watered, and allowed to stand a day in a shady place, then plunging the pots 

 in a bottom heat of 80, under a hand-glass, shaded with a double mat, will emit roots 

 in seven or eight weeks. Two-years' -old wood strikes well at any time. When 



