544 ORANGES. 



figure in the European catalogues, we select a few of those 

 really deserving attention in each class of this fruit. 



I. THE ORANGE. 



THE Orange (Granger, French ; Pomeranze, German; Arancio, 

 Italian; and Naranja, Spanish) is on the whole the finest tree 

 of the genus. Its dark green leaves have winged foot-stalks, 

 its fruit is round with an orange coloured skin. It is one of 

 the longest lived fruit trees, as an instance of which we may 

 quote the celebrated tree at Versailles, called " the Grand 

 Bourbon," which was sown in 1421, and is at the present time 

 in existence, one of the largest and finest trees in France. 



The fruit of the orange is universally esteemed in its ripe 

 state. The bitter orange is used for marmalades ; the green 

 fruits, even when as small as peas, are preserved, and used in 

 various ways in confectionary ; the rind and pulp are used in 

 cooking ; and the orange flowers distilled, give the orange 

 flower water, so highly esteemed as a perfume and in cookery. 



Besides the COMMON SWEET ORANGE, the most esteemed sorts 

 are the MALTESE, and the BLOOD-RED, both of excellent flavour 

 with red pulp. The MANDARIN Orange is a small, flattened 

 fruit, with a thin rind separating very easily from the pulp, 

 frequently parting from it of itself, and leaving a partially hol- 

 low space. It comes from China, and is called there the Manda- 

 rin, or noble orange, from its excellent quality. The flesh is 

 lark orange coloured, juicy and very rich. 



The ST. MICHAEL'S orange is a small fruit, the skin pale yel- 

 low, the rind thin, the pulp often seedless, juicy, and lusci- 

 ously sweet. It is considered the most delicious of all oranges, 

 and the tree is a most abundant bearer. 



The SEVILLE, or bitter orange, is the hardiest of all the 

 varieties, enduring very hard frosts without injury. It has the 

 largest and most fragrant flowers : the pulp, however, is bitter 

 and sharp, and is valued chiefly for marmalades. The Double 

 Bigarde is a French variety, of this species, with fine double 

 blossoms. 



The BERGAMOT orange has small flowers, and pear-shaped 

 fruit. The leaves, flowers, and fruit, being peculiarly fragrant, 

 it is highly esteemed by the perfumer, and yields the bergamot 

 essences. " The rind, first dried and then moistened, is pressed 

 in moulds into small boxes for holding sweetmeats, to which 

 it communicates a bergamot flavour." 



Besides the above, the Fingered, Sweet-skinned, Pear-shaped, 

 and Ribbed oranges, are the most striking sorts, all chiefly cul- 

 tivated by curious amateurs. 



