40 STATE BOARD OF HORTICULTURE. 



where large areas were planted far from pollen varieties. These 

 able observers, aided by other horticulturists, have failed to 

 detect any difference in the fruitfulness of the Navel when 

 grown far from other varieties and outside the area of mixed 

 pollination. 



Mr. B. M. Lelong, along the same line of investigation, says: 

 " Cross-pollination only tends to the production of seeds, and 

 can not in any way increase the production of fruit." 

 Professor Webber says to the same effect: "That we should not 

 take means to secure the cross-pollination of our Navel trees, 

 hoping thereby to secure a larger crop of fruit. The effect .of 

 the cross-pollination apparently being the production of seedy 

 fruit, but not necessarily more fruit." From these experi- 

 ments and observations we may conclude that in the two great 

 areas of Florida and California, the Navel will fruit without 

 pollination, and that fecundation will not increase fruitfulness 

 in either area, but simply cause the development of the embryo 

 into rudimentary or perfect seeds. 



Professor Webber, in a series of experiments in artificial 

 pollination of the Navel, proved by them that some of the 

 pistils of the Navel could transmit the impulse of the foreign 

 pollen to the ovules of both the Washington and the Parson 

 Navel, and that the embryo developed into full and perfect 

 seeds, carrying a marked individuality, so apparent that from 

 photographs of these seeds their form and appearance indi- 

 cated the variety of pollen experimented with. 



We can infer from this how few are the qualities and how 

 small the group is that remains of this variety to represent a 

 type. This shows the Navel to be very sensitive to climate 

 and treatment. The climate of Florida destroys its profitable 

 bearing in that State. Its fruitage, as a profitable orange in 

 Arizona, from information received from that Territory, is an 

 experiment which indicated that it will not be profitable to 

 cultivate it there. Its area of fruitage is therefore confined to 

 California, as the only area in the United States where the 

 conditions exist for its development, and in many locations 

 and areas in this State where planted conditions will be found 

 as unsuitable to its best growth. Its fruitfulness and habits 

 are too sensitive to climatic changes and treatment to sustain 

 the universal confidence reposed in it as a variety to plant in 

 all conditions and soils. The orchardist should be enlisted to 

 plant more sexualized varieties to guard his future interests. 



