THE KUMQUAT 8. 55 



Society, who brought it with him from China to London, 

 May 6, 1846. It was one plant of a lot collected in the 

 districts of Foo-chow-foo, Chusan and Ningpo, China. 



The Nagami (oblong) variety appears to have been 

 the only one introduced by him, for in his remarks, pub- 

 lished in the Journal of the London Horticultural Society, 

 page 239, 1848, he says, "The fruit ripens late in the 

 autumn, being then about the size of a large oval goose- 

 berry." Very soon afterward specimens of the kumquat 

 must have been forwarded to America. A. J. Downing, 

 in his Horticulturist, of February, 1850, pages 375-377, 

 gives a description of the variety Nagami, with illustra- 

 tions, and quotes largely from the remarks of Mr. Fortune. 

 He further makes the following statement: "We have a 

 small tree growing on our own grounds, which was kindly 

 sent us by Mr. Ranch, exotic florist, near Greenwood Cem- 

 etery, Brooklyn. We believe Mr. Buist, of Philadelphia, 

 and probably other men, now have it for sale, so that 

 amateurs can make trial of it in various parts of the 

 country." Some time later, probably very shortly after 

 this date, it was brought to Florida. Since then several 

 importations have been made by various nurserymen. The 

 original trees imported by G. L. Taber, of Glen St. Mary, 

 in 1885, were still standing in his grove in the autumn of 

 1901. Eeasoner Bros., of Oneco, imported the variety 

 Nagami in 1885 and the Marumi in 1890 from Japan. 



The kumquat can scarcely be considered a tree, it 

 partakes more of the nature of a shrub or bush. 



The largest and most symmetrical kumquat bushes 

 with which the author is acquainted are those growing in 

 the grove, until recently owned by Mr. John Thompson, 

 at Clearwater, Fla. The following are the actual meas- 

 urements made December 10, 1901: 



