PROMISING NEW FRUITS. 313 



shipped to New York the first box of fruit of the variety marketed 

 in the United States. This box is reported to have sold for $7 in that 

 market. 



The variety has not proved well adapted to the present citrus dis- 

 tricts of California and has attained little commercial importance 

 there. In certain localities in Florida it attains high perfection, 

 however, and when well grown, so as to be free from thorn scars and 

 sunburn, it brings higher prices in northern cities late in spring than 

 any other variety grown in that State. 



The tree is of stiff and upright habit, sprawling awkwardly when 

 in fruit, and is peculiarly subject to breakage of limbs, owing to the 

 brittleness of its wood. As introduced the variety was very thorny, 

 but the strain disseminated by Mr. Cutter is a distinct improvement 

 in this respect. The evident close reproduction of the more impor- 

 tant and desirable characteristics through seed suggests the strong 

 probability of the existence of other desirable allied sorts in the 

 region from which it came. 



DESCRIPTION. 



Form oblate to roundish oblate, often irregular; size medium to 

 large ; surface lumpy and uneven, frequently giving the fruit a rather 

 uncouth appearance; oil cells large, numerous, depressed; color dark 

 reddish orange ; base often contracted and grooved ; calyx small ; stem 

 slender; apex an irregular dot in a broad, shallow depression; rind 

 moderately thick, rather soft, and possessing a distinctive aroma and 

 flavor, agreeable to most persons; much more closely adherent to the 

 flesh than that of the true mandarins ; segments 10 to 13, fairly even 

 in size, rather loosely attached, leaving an open, pithy center; flesh 

 very dark orange, loose and soft in texture, with large, tender juice 

 vesicles; seeds rather numerous, medium to large, long, pale green; 

 juice abundant, having a rich orange color when fully ripe and a 

 peculiarly rich, sweet, sirupy flavor, with a distinctive and agreeable 

 aroma ; quality very good ; season late, March to May in the Florida 

 orange districts. 



As found in the markets the fruit of King is quite variable, the 

 same " strap " or half box often containing specimens of the very 

 highest quality and flavor with others of indifferent quality. This 

 fruit probably needs more protection against sudden and extreme cli- 

 matic changes than most varieties of its class, but taken at its best it 

 ranks with the very best oranges in quality and is therefore worthy 

 of the attention of commercial growers for special markets that 

 demand and will pay for such quality. The specimen illustrated on 

 Plate XXXIV was grown by Mr. John Fabyan at Conant, Lake 

 County, Fla. 



