Discussion on the Origin of Varieties. 235 



more plentiful in Java. A certain variety, however, 

 is called "lemon Java, because there it is sup- 

 posed to be indigenous." Loureiro says it is only 

 found "cultivated" in Cochin China and China. This 

 need not, however, militate against the citron having 

 been of Chinese origin. Alphonse de Candolle gives 

 several cultivated plants, whose wild forms appear to 

 have become extinct. And, in spite of want of evi- 

 dence in Chinese books, I would say that if the orange 

 had its birthplace in China, the citron must have 

 originated in the same place. For it would be un- 

 reasonable to suppose that two fruits structurally 

 identical could have been evolved in two places, 

 from two distinct centres. Of course it may be 

 quite possible that the ancestral form of the citron 

 became improved into our modern form, after it had 

 left China, either in the Malay archipelago, or some 

 where between China and India. 



Taking everything into consideration, however, it 

 still appears doubtful where the citron proper, citrus 

 medico,) originated. That it found a resting-place in 

 India is highly probable, whence it may have found 

 its way to Persia and Media, and eventually to Europe, 

 about the third or fourth century of our era. It does 

 not, however, follow, that it was not re-introduced in 

 India, from two or more different directions. From 

 Persia it probably found its way to Bajour and Lemg- 

 hanat, and eventually into Northern India again, under 

 the name of bajoura. It is not likely that this latter 

 name is of Sanskrit origin (bija-pure' full of seeds). 

 It is truly full of seeds, but as the sour citron was 

 plentiful in Bajour, it is more likely that some were 

 brought to India from there, and retained the name of 

 bajoura, or bajouri. Then Lemghanat was noted 

 for sweet citrons ; and it is not unlikely that the large 



