Fruit and Vegetables. 91 



produce fruit. The tree is said to have the property 

 of rendering tough meat tender by washing it in 

 water impregnated with the milky juice, or by 

 wrapping it in the leaves, which causes a separation 

 of the muscular fibres. 



Citrus aurantium Qrzngt-Bortugan. There are 

 three varieties of Oranges grown in Egypt. The 

 Masri or Cairo Orange, a juicy, thin-skinned variety ; 

 the Dhum or Blood Orange ; and the Sharmi or 

 Jaffa Orange, a large, thick-skinned variety. A 

 sheltered position, where the blossoms can fully 

 develop, is one of the chief things in Orange cultiva- 

 tion. Very fair crops may be obtained on the poor 

 soil of Alexandria and Ramleh, though constant 

 attention must be paid to manuring, which should 

 be well decomposed and placed in a trench dug 

 round the trees. 



In the rich alluvial soil of Cairo the trees grow to 

 a larger size than those near the coast, and produce 

 immense crops of fruit. If, however, the soil is too 

 heavy, lime rubbish should be mixed with it. 

 Oranges may he grafted in February and also at the 

 rise of the Nile on stocks of either the Naring (C. 

 Bigaradia), The Citron (C. media), or the Lemon 

 (C. Limonum). The first is largely used by the native 

 growers, from whom grafted trees can be purchased 

 at a very reasonable price. Blood Oranges are said to be 

 grafted on two-year-old stocks of the Black Mulberry. 



C. Limonum The Lemon Limoun Balady. 

 The common Lemon fruits three times a year, and it 

 is not unusual to see ripe and half-developed fruit, 

 together with the flowers . on the tree, at the same 

 time. The culture is similar to that of the orange, 

 and the trees should be occasionally thinned and 

 strong leading shoots shortened and suckers cut off. 



Two other varieties, namely, C. decuma, Small Lemon 

 (Limoun Hindy], and C. Limonum var. dulcis Risso 

 (Limoun Helon\ or Sweet Lemon, are also grown. All 

 may be raised from seed or propagated by layers. 



