66 CITRUS FRUITS AND THEIR CULTURE. 



Since the tree is very tender (even more so than the 

 lemon), it is not found in regions exposed to frost and its 

 culture is, and must be, confined to districts exempt from 

 heavy frosts. 



No other spiecies of citrus succeeds so well on poor 

 sandy soils, or on the rocky soils of the Florida Keys, as 

 the lime. It grows and fruits quite well when poorly cul- 

 tivated and cared for, or even neglected entirely. 



The Mexican lime, the most common variety in Flor- 

 ida and the Islands, is propagated entirely from seed, as 

 a result of which it has varied greatly and at present the 

 name Mexican is little better than a group name, embrac- 

 ing a conglomeration of distinct forms. The fruit is very 

 variable in size and shape, that borne by some trees being 

 scarcely larger than a pigeon's egg, while others produce 

 fruit as large as an ordinary medium-sized lemon. The 

 name stands for no definite fruit. 



If more attention were paid to the propagation of 

 this group of limes, good fruit of uniform size and quality 

 could readily be secured by selection, but under the present 

 careless system, much of it is very inferior. Most of the 

 groves which have been set are of the Tahiti variety, though 

 in California one or two other varieties are planted to 

 some extent. The so-called Kangpur lime is a prolific 

 variety, the fruit of which is very acid and well flavored. 

 It should not properly be classed with the limes, but I have 

 placed it in the group provisionally. 



The lime is used in much the same way as the lemon, 

 in the making of "limeade" and for seasoning food. Citric 

 acid and lime juice are obtained from the lime. At present 

 most of the product comes from the West Indies, but there 

 is no reason why they could not be manufactured in South- 

 ern California and Florida as well. 



