AURANTIACE^, OR ORANGE TRIBE. 401 



common Orange the sugar prevails, and the acid (when the 

 fruit is ripe) is subordinate. In the Lemon, the acid is always 

 predominant in the pulp, and the oil is more abundant in the 

 rind. In the Shaddock, and still more in the Seville Orange, 

 the bitter principle manifests itself. Various species, unknown 

 in this country, are used as articles of food by the inhabitants 

 of the countries of which they are natives; and from some a 

 valuable timber is derived. The Orange and its allied species 

 require two years to mature their fruit ; and, as they continue 

 flowering all through the summer, a healthy tree exhibits, 

 during a considerable part of each year, every stage of the pro- 

 duction, from the flower-bud to the ripe fruit, in perfection at 

 the same time. Most of the oranges and lemons intended for 

 transportation to a distance, however, are gathered whilst they 

 are still green ; for if the fruit were allowed to become mature, 

 it would spoil in the conveyance. The gathering of oranges 

 and lemons for the British market generally occupies from the 

 beginning of October to the end of December ; and they would 

 require to hang until the commencement of the spring, to ripen 

 fully on the tree. It is remarkable that the Orange trees from 

 which the fruit is gathered green, bear plentifully every year ; 

 whilst those upon which the fruit is suffered to ripen, afford 

 abundant crops only in alternate years. The Oranges of St. 

 Michael are the best that are known in Europe ; but the tree 

 was introduced there by the Portuguese, as it was by the Spa- 

 niards into the New "World. The Orange is extensively culti- 

 vated in Spain and Portugal, where it was early introduced by 

 the Moors ; near Cordova there are trees which are considered 

 to be 600 or 700 years old ; and in Andalusia there are exten- 

 sive orchards, which have formed the principal revenue of the 

 monks for ages. In the south-east of France, also, and in the 

 North of Italy, the orange is cultivated with great success ; but 

 it does not thrive well in the peninsular part of the latter coun- 

 try, except at the South. Besides the refreshment afforded to 

 Man by the cooling fruits and delicious perfume characteristic 

 of this order, it yields him an article of great importance in his 

 manufactures, lemon juice, the chief uses of which have been 

 formerly mentioned ( 402). 



