CHAPTER XVII. 



s 



SPECIES, VARIETIES, ETC. 



flTHERTO no mention has been made of any 

 of the Citrus family except the sweet orange 

 and the wild or sour orange bigarade. 



The methods of propagation and cultivation of 

 all the family are so similar that no difference need 

 be mentioned, except the fact that the citron, the 

 lime, and the lemon, are much more tender than 

 the orange, and need to be planted in more shelter- 

 ed places. 



Gallesio recognizes but four distinct species in 

 the family : the orange (sweet), the bigarade (sour 

 orange), the citron, and the lemon. 



He justly remarks as to the varieties : " The 

 citrus is a genus whose species are greatly disposed 

 to blend together, and whose flower shows great 

 facility for receiving extraordinary fecundation ; it 

 hence offers an infinite number of different races 

 which ornament our gardens, and whose vague and 

 indefinite names fill the catalogues." Gray re- 

 marks : " The species or varieties are much con- 

 fused and mixed." Reese in his quotations from 

 authorities makes a similar confession. But if the 

 species and varieties are so confused in Europe, 



