xvi Introduction. 



orange, and the true lime have rarely, if ever, been 

 raised in India in any other way than by seed, and 

 from being grown together, and flowering at the same 

 time, there must have been frequent opportunities for 

 centuries, for natural crosses to have occurred, if these 

 could easily happen ; yet in no case, either in the leaf, 

 the fruit, the flower, or in the general habit of the tree, 

 have I noticed the slightest suspicion of disturbance, 

 which could be attributed to crossing. 



It will be seen that there are two distinct types of 

 sweet oranges, viz., the close skinned Portugal orange, 

 and the loose-skinned suntara orange of India.* 

 Their trees are quite distinct. The former appears of 

 comparatively recent introduction in India, while the 

 latter must have existed from a very remote period, 

 on the Eastern Border. In Emperor Baber's time it 

 was hardly known in the plains of India, and even in 

 Roxburgh's time it appears to have made very little 

 progress. Now, however, it is found under various 

 forms, all over India and Ceylon. In the time of 

 Rumphius it was well known in the Malay Archi- 

 pelago, under the name of China orange. Although 

 from its prevalence on the Eastern hills in a semi- 

 wild state, it might be thought indigenous in India, all 

 my researches point to its being of foreign origin, 

 either directly from Cochin China, across the Eastern 

 border, or by way of the Malay Archipelago ; although 

 now, and for a very long time back, it . has become 

 naturalized. Some future student of the Indo-Chinese 

 languages, and ancient writings, may perhaps succeed 

 in throwing new light on this point, f 



* It may be possibly found that its proper designation was 

 originally seng-tara. 



t Vide Appendix, No. 41 (;), regarding the Chinese names of 

 oranges, Bit-cam and Seng-cam. 



