276 FLORA DOMESTICA. 



" Difficiles primum terrae, collesque maligni, 

 Tenuis ubi argilla ! et dumosis calculus arvis, 

 Palladia gaudent silva vivacis olivae. 

 Indicio est tractu surgens oleaster eodem 

 Plurimus, et strati baccis silvestribus agri." 



VIRGIL, Georgic 2. 



" In the first place, stubborn lands, and unfruitful hills, where the 

 bushy fields abound with lean clay and pebbles, rejoice in a wood of 

 long-lived Palladian olives. You may know this soil by wild olives 

 rising thick, and the fields being strewed with wild berries," 



MARTYN'S TRANSLATION. 



ORANGE-TKEE. 



CITRUS AURANTIUM. 



AURANTIACEJ2. POLYADELPHIA ICOSANDRIA. 



The derivation of the word Citrus is unknown : some say it is the 

 name of a place in Asia ; others will have it of African origin ; some 

 fix it on the Arabian. French, 1'oranger. Italian, melarancio ; aran- 

 cio; melangolo. 



THE Orange most known in England is the China or 

 Portugal Orange, so called from its having been brought 

 from China by the Portuguese. There are several other 

 varieties in the English gardens; as the Turkey-orange^ 

 the Double-flowering, the Dwarf or Nutmeg-orange, the 

 Seville, &c. 



The leaves of the Dwarf-orange are very small, and 

 grow in clusters ; the flowers grow very close together and 

 appear like a nosegay, the branches being completely co- 

 vered with them. This species is very ornamental ; and, 

 when in blossom, will perfume a room most delightfully. 

 The blossom is white, and begins to appear in June. 



Towards the middle of September Orange-trees should 

 be housed; and it would be well to keep them in an in- 

 habited room, but not too near a fire. When it is not 



