50 

 CHAPTER XIV. 



SPECIES, VARIETIES, &C. 



Hitherto no mention has been made of any of the Citrus family 

 except the sweet orange and the wild or sour orange bigarade. 



The methods of propagation and cultivation of all the family are 

 so similar that no difference need be mentioned, except the fact that the 

 citron, the lime and the lemon, are much more tender than the orange 

 and need to be planted in more sheltered places. 



Gallesio recognizes but four distinct species in the family: the 

 orange, (sweet,) the bigarade, (sour orange,) the citron and the lemon. 

 He justly remarks as to the varieties: "The citrus is a genus whose 

 species are greatly disposed to blend together, and whose flower 

 shows great facility for receiving extraordinary fecundation ; it 

 hence offers an infinite number of different races which ornament our 

 gardens, and whose vague and indefinite names fill the catalogues." 

 Gray remarks : "The species or varieties are much confused and mixed." 

 Reese in his quotations from authorities makes a similar confession. But 

 if the species and varieties are so confused in Europe, where the classi- 

 fication of the citrus family has been principally discussed and , where 

 the multiplication of varieties has been somewhat held in check by their 

 method of propagating the orange, mainly by graft or bud, what must 

 be "the number of different races" which are to be found in Florida 

 where the general method of propagating the orange is from seed ? 



At the late meeting of our State Fruit Growers' Association, a com- 

 mittee was charged with the work of naming our best marked varie- 

 ties. They made a short report on the few varieties which came under 

 their observation. But their work is not complete, nor likely to be for 

 the next year or two. They are competent men, but their task is end- 

 less as well as important. Almost every community, where the orange 

 has been long grown from seed, has some excellent and well marked 

 variety. Some of these varieties vary greatly. Some ripen early and 

 others late. Some have thick tough skins with finely flavored fruit 

 and well adapted to shipping a long distance, while others are of such 

 a delicate skin and pulp, they will have to be eaten nearer home. 



