48 CITRUS FRUITS AND THEIR CULTURE. 



the following: "Shaddock is a still larger fruit (than the 

 citron)*, in form more resembling the orange, curious, but 

 worthless." W. N. White (2), in 1868, says: "Pulp dry, 

 sweetish or subacid, but not very desirable, except for its 

 showy appearance." Rev. T. W. Moore, in his Hand Book 

 of Orange Culture, 1881, does not mention it. Thomas, in 

 his Fruit Culturist, makes no reference to it up as late as 

 the edition of 1885. Wm. A. Spalding (3), in 1885, makes 

 the following remark: "Meanwhile the Pumalo and its 

 congeners, when allowed growing space, continue to load 

 themselves down with fruit as large as footballs. They 

 are matters of wonder and that is all." Chas. Downing 

 (4) (1885), under the head of Shaddock, has the follow- 

 ing note: "The pulp is sweetish or subacid and the juice 

 is rather refreshing. It is, however, more showy than 

 useful, and certainly makes a magnificent appearance in 

 a collection of tropical fruits." 



Northern visitors to Florida learned to know and like 

 the pomelo and a certain demand was created by their 

 desire for the fruit upon their return. Somewhere about 

 1880 or 1885 the first pomelos were shipped from the State, 

 sold in New York and Philadelphia, and netted the ship- 

 pers about fifty cents per barrel. This was the beginning 

 and better prices were soon realized. The freeze of 1894- 

 95 greatly reduced the Florida crop and the small amount 

 of fruit sold that year brought an enormous price, in some 

 cases as much as f 15 or $20 per box. 



With a return of normal climatic conditions in Flor- 

 ida and a consequent increase in the quantity of fruit the 

 price has dropped, the crop now generally bringing from 

 $4 to |7 per box for good fruit and less for inferior pack- 



2. Gardening for the South, page 384. 1868. 



3. The Orange in California, page 89. 1885. 



4. Downing's Fruits and Fruit Trees of America, page 579. 1885. 

 *( ) Inserted by the author. 



