CITRUS FRUITS 



139 



According to the thirteenth United States census, there were in the 

 United States in 1910, 11,486,768 bearing citrus trees and 5,400,402 of non- 

 bearing age. The production in 1909 reached a grand total of 23,502,128 

 boxes valued at $22,71 1,448. This production was divided as follows : Cali- 

 fornia, 17,318,497 boxes; Florida, 5,974,135 boxes; Louisiana, 153,319 

 boxes; Arizona, 32,247 boxes; Texas, 10,694 boxes; Mississippi, 3779 

 boxes; Alabama, 1201 boxes. A few boxes are also produced in Georgia 

 and the Carolinas. The increase in yield and acreage since 1909 has been 

 very great in California and Florida, so that the above data are very 

 much below the present production. 



Propagation of Citrus Varieties. In the early days of the citrus 

 industry, many seedling trees were grown in commercial groves. Now all 

 groves are planted with stock budded with varieties of known excellence. 

 It is important that the proper stocks be used. Orange and lemon varieties 



GOOD ORANGE SEEDLINGS. 



are most extensively budded on sour orange stock, largely because of the 

 resistance of this stock to foot-rot or gum disease. Wherever there is 

 danger from this malady, the sour orange stock should surely be used. 

 Sweet orange stock is also used widely, both in Florida and California. 

 Trees on sweet stock probably in general grow rather more rapidly and 

 rather larger than on sour stock, but the susceptibility of sweet stock to 

 the gum diseases renders its use more limited. In dry, well-drained soils 

 in Florida and in the dry interior regions of California it is a very satisfac- 

 tory stock. Pomelo and Florida rough lemon stocks have some advocates, 

 but have not been generally used. The Trifoliate orange is probably the 

 best stock for the Satsuma and some oranges grown in the Gulf states, 

 but has not given satisfaction in general. It has a very marked dwarfing 

 effect on the Eureka lemon and some other varieties. 



