ORANGES AND LEMONS IN AUSTRALASIA. 463 



tioi) colonies on the banks of the Murray River, several hundred miles 

 inland, and all their trees are in a flourishing condition, thus disprov- 

 ing the contention that the orange will not grow away from the influ- 

 ence of the ocean. 



Mr. Angus McKay, agricultural and horticultural instructor at the 

 Tecnological College, Sydney, says that the best results are obtained 

 on laud from 10 to 20 miles from the coast, and Mr. D. A. C rich ton states 

 that the orange thrives and bears excellent fruit in the inland districts. 

 He says in a pamphlet published at Melbourne during the last year: 



Having had an extensive experience in the cultivation of citrus fruits in Australia 

 I can say there is no foundation for the belief that the orange will not grow and do 

 well away from the influence of the ocean. I am certain that both the orange and 

 lemon may be grown successfully in many districts north and south of the Mnrray, 

 provided the trees receive the attention they require. In fact I believe that the 

 cultivation of the citrus fruit will rank among the most profitable of our industries, 

 as there is a rapidly expanding home market for them and any surplus that can be 

 produced can be sold to advantage in other parts of the world. 



The Siletto (or cluster orange). 7X11 is variety is much liked in Australia 

 and is a great favorite with gro wers. The fruit is fine, large and deli- 

 cious, and is something like the Mediterranean sweet, but better suited 

 to the soil and climate of Australia than the latter variety. The Siletto 

 as its name implies, grows in clusters and some of the longest and finest 

 1 have ever seen may be found in the orange groves of New South 

 Wales. 



The St. Michael. This orange is also a great favorite both with grow- 

 ers and consumers. It is sweet and thin-skinned when grown under 

 proper conditions. It is said, however, not to be a hardy tree and to 

 require very great attention and experience to cultivate it properly. 

 Mr. D. A. Crichton says that it should have a sheltered situation, for, 

 like the Navel, if circumstances are not favorable, it is a shy bearer and 

 the fruit is apt to lose its high character. 



The hardier varieties of the orange wili ripen at an elevation from 50 

 to 2,000 feet above the sea, but they must be kept from frost. The 

 Navel, St. Michael, and some other varieties are more easily injured by 

 the hot winds than the Paramatta, Rio, or common orange. 



The Seville, or bitter orange (citrus vulgaris), is also grown in this 

 colony, but only to a limited extent. It is one of the best varieties for 

 marmalade and for the manufacture of perfume. 



The Mandarin orange (citrus nobilis}. This forms an interesting group 

 in Australia. The group embraces the Canton, the Emperor of China, 

 the Thorny, and the Kumquat. The first three are valuable, and es- 

 pecially the Canton. The fruit is thin-skinned, sweet, and delicious. 

 The Emperor is equally sweet, juicy, and fine flavored, but smaller in 

 size than the Canton. The Thorny is also a sweet and juicy fruit, but 

 is smaller than the Emperor. Mr. S. W. Pye cultivates with fair suc- 

 cess two new varieties, the Capera and the Ruby. 



Of the different varieties of the lemon (Citrus lemonium) grown in 



