CHAPTER XXIV. 

 ORIGINATING NEW VARIETIES. 



The day has come when a knowledge of the art and 

 science of crossing plants should be as much a part of a 

 horticulturist's education as a knowledge of the art and 

 science of budding and grafting. So great are the improve- 

 ments, along certain lines, which may be brought about 

 in citrus fruits through cross-pollination and consequent 

 cross-fertilization, that it has been deemed advisable to 

 give specific directions for the use of those who desire to 

 experiment in this interesting and inviting field. The ope- 

 rations necessary for the performance of the work are so 

 simple that any novice may perform them. All that is 

 necessary is a knowledge of the methods, a little patience 

 and a considerable amount of care. 



While something may be done in improving varieties 

 by bud-selection, still any radical improvements in the 

 fruits under discussion must be brought about by raising, 

 fruiting and selecting seedlings. The seeds used may be 

 selected from fruits of desirable trees or they may be pro- 

 duced as a result of hand-pollination. The method of 

 selecting and propagating desirable seedlings is the one 

 by which all of the varieties now cultivated commercially 

 in the State where produced, and it is, perhaps, not too 

 much to say that their origin has been in a large measure 

 due to chance. If attempts are made at improvement by 

 cross pollination, the parent plants may be chosen at will, 

 and there is always a strong probability of the offspring 

 inheriting some of the desirable characteristics of the 

 parent varieties. After persistent efforts for a number of 



