THE LEAtdtf. 647 



having sweet rinds are selected for propagation. If allowed to 

 hang till fully ripe, the fruit often grows to an enormous size ; 

 the peel becomes thick and spongy, and the acidulous proper- 

 ties diminish, rendering it unfit for market. To avoid this it 

 is gathered green and partially grown, and stored in cool, dark 

 apartments until the skin changes to a bright yellow. A 

 lemon weighing three ounces is reckoned a convenient size. 

 With proper care it will keep many months in prime condition. 

 Its brief periods of rest and almost continuous stages of growth 

 and bloom render the tree very sensitive to frost. In a state of 

 quiescence it has endured almost as great a degree of cold as 

 the orange. The ideal shape of a lemon is oblong, with a 

 pointed protuberance at the blossom end. The rind should be 

 as free as possible from bitterness, clean, smooth, glossy, and 

 abounding in aromatic oil-cells ; the pulp fine-grained, solid, 

 with few seeds, and highly charged with strong acid juice. 



Bonnie Brae. A California seedling of high reputation. 



Eureka. Fruit medium, sweet, rind a good keeper, few seeds ; tree 

 prolific, not thorny. Very 

 fornia. Native of Los Ange 



prolific, not thorny. Very popular in the coast regions of Cali 



les, Cal. 



Genoa. Fruit medium, oval, sweet rind, nearly seedless ; tree 

 dwarf, thornless. One of the best. 



VARIETIES. 



Imperial Messina. Considered the finest among many desirable 

 varieties, imported into Florida by the late General Sanford. 

 Tree has a few thorns, but the fruit is unsurpassed. 



Lisbon. Fruit medium, oblong, with a thin sweet rind, few-seeded ; 

 tree prolific but begins to bear late, vigorous and thorny. Popu- 

 lar in California. Portugal. 



Sicily. Several imported sorts bearing this name are largely 

 planted and profitable. 



Villafranca. Fruit medium, oblong, thin rind, juicy, strongly acid, 

 nearly seedless ; tree thornless ; withstands lower temperature 

 than other imported varieties. 



MARKETING THE ORANGE AND LEMON. 



The same methods of gathering and packing apply to both, 

 except that the lemon is taken off while green, while the 

 orange, unless in case of the earliest shipments, is allowed to 

 become fully ripe. The fruit should never be pulled, which 



