Citriobatus 



( 216 ) 



Citrus 



and may be propagated from cuttings under a bell- 

 glass over bottom heat. 



Principal Species : 



caudatum, 20', Je.,wh. 



quadraugulare, 30', Je. , 

 wh. Fiddle Wood Tree. 



subserratum, 15', Jy., wh. 

 villosum, 10', Jy., wh. 



Other Species : 

 dentatum, 15', Jy., wh. 

 molle, 1")', Jy., cream, 

 pentandrum, 6', Jy., wh. 



CITRIOBATUS. 



The three species of this genus (ord. Pittosporeae) 

 are Australian fruit-bearing evergreen shrubs, and 

 may be accommodated in the greenhouse. A com- 



EMBIOUO ou NAVEL ORANGE (see CITRUS). 



post of fibrous peat three parts, with loam one part, 

 and charcoal and sand, suits well. Propagation may 

 be effected by cuttings in sand under a bell-glass. 



Principal Species : 



multiftorus, 3', Aug., wh. pauciflora, 3', Aug., wh. 



CITRULLUS. 



Eambling stove plants (ord. Cucurbitaceas), liking 

 rich loam and a hot, moist atmosphere. 



Principal Species : 



Colocynthis, 6', sura., 

 flowers yel. , fruits grii. , 



. , . , 



wh. "Colocyuth," or 

 ' ' Bitter Apple . ' ' 



vulgaris, 6', sum., flowers 

 yel. , fruits reaching 10" 

 in diameter. "Water 

 Melon. ' ' 



CITRUS. (ORANGE, LEMON, etc.) 

 This most, valuable genus (ord. Rutacese) provides 

 us with the Orange, Lemon, Citron, Lime, and 

 Shaddock of commerce. The numbers of these 

 fruits that are imported into this country are almost 

 beyond count. Apart from the value of the fruits, 



Citron (see Curtis'). 



the demand for Orange flowers far exceeds the 

 supply. Some few of the species are hardy, but 

 the majority must be accorded a place in the green- 

 house or the warm conservatory. Both Citrons 

 and Lemons do well if trained to cover the walls 

 of greenhouses, while the little Otaheite Orange 

 (C. japonica) makes a charming pot plant. 



Propagation. (1) Seeds, which will germinate 

 in the greenhouse ; (2) layers and cuttings, the 

 plants resulting being employed as stocks for buds 

 (see BUDDING); or grafts (see GRAFTING) from 

 fruiting plants. Cuttings should be formed of 

 two year old wood, and inserted in very sandy 

 soil under a bell-glass or in a propagating case, 

 preferably with bottom heat. Side-grafting is 

 usually niost successful. Some of the best growers 

 find inserting the buds just as growth commences 

 in spring more profitable than when the plants are 

 in very active progress. 



Soil. For the young plants leaf mould and 

 fibrous peat. This encourages growth, but is not 

 favourable to fruiting. In the later stages, there- 

 fore, employ fibrous loam, chopped or pulled to 

 pieces, with pounded charcoal and crushed bones ; 

 add coarse sand if the loam be very adhesive. Pot 

 or plant firmly over perfect drainage. 



Other Cultural Points. Plants fruit better when 

 planted out than when grown in pots. Where the 

 latter system is adopted liquid manure will be 

 found advantageous. The plants must be kept 

 scrupulously clean, especially from thrips, which 

 are liable to do much damage. The winter tem- 

 perature of the structure should not fall much 

 below 45. 



Principal Species : 



Anrantium, 15', wh. ; the 



Orange. There are 



several vars., of which 



the St. Michael's (in- 

 cluding the forms Bo- 



tellia and Exquisite) ; 



the Malta (including 



Blood and Egg) ; Em- 



biguo (Navel Orange) 



(fee figure) : Jaffa, the 



largest Orange ; the 



Silver or Plata (see p. 



217) ; and the small flat 



fruit Tangerine, are ex- 

 cellent. 

 vulgaris, 18', sum..wh.; 



the Seville or Bitter 



Orange, which is used 



in the making of mar- 

 malade, 

 decumana, 15', Je., wh. ; 



the Shaddock. The 



12 lb., and the slightly 

 acid juice is an excellent 

 thirst quencher. 

 Medica, 10', Je., wh. : the 

 Citron. This is lire- 

 served in large numbers 

 and is of great economic 

 value. 



Limetta, 10', Je., wh. ; 

 the Lime. There are 

 large and small, hitter 

 and sweet vars. 



Limonum, 15', sum., 

 wh. ; the Lemon. The 

 best vars. are the Im- 



Ejrial and the White ; 

 ivers' Bijou is a 

 splendid small var. 

 nobilis, 18', sum., wh. ; 



the Mandarin Orange, 

 trit'oliata, 4', sum., wh., 

 hdy. ev. shr. 



fruits sometimes weigh 



It is worthy of note that well-cultivated home- 

 grown Oranges and Lemons are immeasurably 

 superior in flavour to imported fruits, as they can 

 be ripened on the tree, whereas those imported are 

 harvested long before the flavour has become fully 

 developed. All the following are suitable for 

 cultivation under glass : 



Varieties of Orange : 

 Blood. St. Michael's. Sustain. 



Jaffa. Seville. Tangerine. 



Navel. 



Varieties of Lemon : 

 Bijou. Sweet. White. 



Imperial. 



