2368 



ORANGE 



ORANGE 



the articulation above a, at which point the blade is 

 jointed to the rachis; this blade is a leaflet, and the 

 side leaflets have not developed, as they do in the tri- 

 foliolate orange (Citrus, or Pontirus, trifoliata). 



There are three well-developed orange regions within 

 the confines of the United States: central and southern 



2612. Orange (Satsuma). Showing the multiplication of 

 locules or compartments. 



Florida; the delta region of the Mississippi; California. 

 Parts of Texas and the Mexico-Arizona region will no 

 doubt develop into commercial orange sections in the 

 near future. Until within recent years a large part of 

 the oranges consumed in this country had come from 

 Mediterranean regions, but the Florida and California 

 oranges have taken the place of the imported fruit. 



Oranges under glass. 



Years ago, oranges were commonly grown under 

 glass in England and parts of the continent. At that 

 time there was no rapid transportation between the 

 orange-growing regions and northern countries, and the 

 orange fruit was a luxury. Special houses, known as 

 "orangeries," were devoted to the culture of the fruit. 

 The trees were ordinarily grown in large tubs or boxes, 

 and were kept in the open in summer and were placed in 

 the orangery in winter. These orangeries were scarcely 

 greenhouses in the modern understanding of the term. 

 In many cases they had slate or shingle roofs, the sides 

 only being provided with an extra extent of glass in the 

 shape of windows. Some of them, however, were houses 

 with glass roofs. As imported oranges came to be more 

 common, these orange-houses gradually fell into disuse. 

 It is doubtful whether there are any of these establish- 

 ments now standing in this country; but one sees them 

 sometimes in Europe. As the orange trees disappeared, 

 other plants were grown in the house, so that an orangery 

 came to mean a particular kind of house in which 

 plants are grown that will thrive in conditions suited 

 to the orange. It came to be no uncommon thing to 

 see orangeries in which there were no oranges. 



The orange tree is still a popular subject in conser- 

 vatories, however, and in window-gardens. In the latter 

 conditions it rarely produces fruit of any consequence, 

 but the shining evergreen foliage and the very fragrant 

 flowers make the plant interesting and desirable. The 

 plant is subject to scale and mealy-bug, and constant 

 attention must be given to syringing and sponging the 

 foliage. The leading difficulty in the rearing of an 

 orange tree in the dwelling-house is a tendency to have 

 it growing the entire year and to keep it too wet at the 

 roots. After the fruiting season, in late autumn or early 

 winter, the plant should be allowed to rest for a time in 

 order to harden its wood for the next year's bloom. It 

 may then be kept at a temperature of 40 to 50 and 

 fairly dry at the roots. Water should not be with- 

 held entirely, however, because the plant should be 

 kept in such condition that the foliage will not drop. 

 After a period of relative inactivity of one or two 

 months, the plant may be set in a sunny place and given 

 a somewhat higher temperature, and water and liquid 



manure may be applied at the roots. It should be in 

 bloom in the summer and early autumn. Best results 

 are secured if the roots are somewhat confined. When 

 the plant is small, it may be potted on from time to 

 time; but after it has attained the height of 5 or 6 feet, 

 it should not be given more root-room than a small tub 

 or a half-barrel. Ordinarily, it will not need repotting 

 for several years at a time after it has attained this 

 size. Some of the surface soil may be removed from time 

 to time and fresh soil added and liquid manure applied. 

 Usually the plants are grown from seeds, and they vary 

 as peaches or apples do. Some of the plants may give 

 desirable fruit, but the larger part of them will give 

 fruit of indifferent or even inferior quality. If the best 

 kind of fruit is wanted, the young plants should be 

 budded after they are well established in the pots. Buds 

 may be secured from any tree that bears a desirable 

 fruit, or they may be brought from the South. 



In recent years the Otaheite orange (described in 

 Volume" II, page 785) has come into prominence as a 

 pot-plant. It is known botanically as Citrus taitensis 

 (Fig. 2617). It is undoubtedly the best form of orange 

 for growing in the house. The fruits are small and hand- 

 some, and the flowers have a pinkish tinge and ' are 

 very fragrant. These plants will bloom and bear when 

 not more than a foot high if the roots are somewhat 

 confined or the plants not over-potted. Usually they 

 will bloom the greater part of the year, but, like most 

 hard-wooded plants, the best results are secured if they 

 have a period of rest, as indicated above. The tempera- 

 ture for all oranges should be relatively low; that is, it 

 should be the temperature of the intermediate house or 

 one that will grow carnations, chrysanthemums, 

 geraniums, and the like. 



Literature. 



There is much literature on the orange, a large part 

 of it in the form of bulletins and reports. An authorita- 

 tive general work on oranges is Rissoand Poiteau, "His- 

 toire et Culture des Oranges," Paris. On the oriental 

 forms and histories of oranges, one should consult Bon- 

 avia, "The Cultivated Oranges and Lemons of India 

 and Ceylon," London, 1890. The American books on 

 the orange are as follows: Hume "Citrus Fruits and 



2613. One of the two original Washington navel oranges 

 still standing in California. 



Their Culture;" Coit, "Citrus Fruits;" Garey, "Orange 

 Culture in California;" Moore, "Treatise of Orange Cul- 

 ture in Florida, Louisiana and California;" Manville, 

 "Practical Orange Culture: including the Culture of the 

 Orange, Lemon, Lime, and other citrous fruits as grown 

 in Florida;" Spalding, "The Orange: Its Culture in 

 California;" also small books or pamphlets or reports 



