SUB-TROPICAL SEEDS USE OF CUTTINGS 17 



grafting. It is to be regretted that no greater effort has 

 been put forth to improve some of our native nuts. They 

 are widely variable, and in the hands of the right person 

 could be developed into improved and highly desirable 

 strains or varieties. 



Sub-tropical Seeds. In the case of the tree fruits 

 of the warmer climates no great choice of seeds exists. 

 The citrus fruits (orange, lemon, pomelo, etc.), have quite 

 a wide range of stock as they will readily interwork on the 

 different species. The Florida sour stock, the seedling 

 pomelo and the sweet orange comprise the bulk of the stock 

 for all the different kinds of cirtus fruit. Formerly many 

 lemons were used but these have since been discarded. 

 They grow well, make a strong union but are not as hardy 

 as the others. The Florida sour stock is preferred, and 

 many propagators use it altogether. 



The olive is sometimes grown from seed but more fre- 

 quently from cuttings. The olive seeds are peculiar in 

 that they have an oil sack surrounding the embryo which 

 prevents moisture from getting in to start germination. 

 Thus most olive seeds must have two years to germinate, 

 making the process a long, tedious one. In Europe the 

 hard seeds are cracked. But this is difficult as each seed 

 has to be screwed up in a vise just enough to make a small 

 crack. If overdone the germ is destroyed. However, 

 they root fairly well from cuttings and do not have to be 

 budded or grafted over. 



Use of Cuttings. Some few tree fruits are grown from 

 cuttings because the seed is either lacking or hard to grow. 

 Of these the most important are figs and mulberries. Both 



