The " Suntara " Oranges. 5 1 



semi-wild existence on the eastern border certainly does 

 not indicate a very recent introduction. 



As to its Sanskrit name, I have made great efforts 

 to ascertain whether the words narang, or naranghi, 

 and suntara may be of indigenous or Sanskrit origin, 

 but from the chapter on " Derivations of Native Names 

 of Citrus," it will be seen that this question is pretty 

 much where it was, that is, not satisfactorily solved.* 

 In the appendix and chapter on derivations, I have 

 given every information that I have been able to collect 

 on this subject, for the benefit of future investigators, 

 as the derivation of native names may throw some 

 light on the source from which the various kinds of 

 citrus now in India came. Suffice it to say that the 

 suntara orange appears to have been known on the 

 eastern border from pre-historic times. Whether it 

 came from a distinct sour variety I am unable to say. 

 This I know, that at the present day, there appear 

 to be various sour varieties of this same Suntara 

 type, viz. : those called kumquat y hazdra, and surkk 

 nimboOy and not improbably Sir J. Hooker may have 

 come across some of these, and which he describes as 

 " a small slender tree, in the very bottom of valleys, 

 along the foot of the Himalayas, from Gurhwal to the 

 Khasia Hills, with fruit about two inches in diameter, 

 uneatable, mawkish, and bitter." This type of orange 

 is shown in pis. 93 to i i6A. 



It should not be forgotten also that certain animals, 

 especially parrots, are fond of the citrus pulp whether 

 sweet or sour, and are quite equal to carrying its seeds 

 to long distances. Moreover the flavour of the orange 

 pulp is liable to great change, according to soil, climate, 

 &c. 



* Perhaps Rumphius may again help us by his mentioning the 

 seng-cam of China. 



E 2 



