8 Oranges and Lemons of India. 



that the distinctive aroma of the Seville leaf should not, 

 at some subsequent period, reappear in some of its 

 sweet descendant varieties. I have seen several 

 varieties of the Malta or Portugal orange in India, 

 and never have I met with the Seville scent in their 

 leaves. This need not, however, trouble us much. 

 Man, who is supposed to have originated from some 

 animal with an external tail, never now reproduces 

 that character except in embryo. The internal tail in 

 the fully formed man has become so fixed a character 

 that no reversions are ever met with. In the same 

 way we never see the horse reverting to his three -toed 

 progenitor. I may, however, briefly state why I don't 

 think, as botanists do, that the bitter orange is the 

 direct progenitor of the sweet Malta or Portugal 

 orange (C. aurantium sinense). 



(a.) Gallesio, during an experience of 60 years, found 

 that on no occasion did seedlings of the Malta orange 

 ever revert to the Seville. 



(b.) The counter-statement of Macfadyen that it does 

 sometimes revert, is tainted with the suspicion that 

 sufficiently accurate records were impossible in the 

 West Indies, where negroes were concerned (if negroes 

 were then the gardeners). Even in India, where 

 natives are supposed to be more intelligent than 

 negroes, the people can never be relied on for accuracy 

 in anything. 



(c.) Wherever I have seen the Seville orange it has 

 always had a bitter pungent rind, sour pulp, and a 

 highly scented leaf, with a very distinct aroma ; and 

 wherever I have seen the Maltaor Portugal orange (and 

 of this type there are many varieties in India) it has 

 alw r ays had a characteristic scent, a sour-sweet pulp, 

 and a totally different and weak scent in its leaves. 

 Never have I found in the leaves of the Malta orange 



