IHE NAVEL ORANGE OF BAHIA. 15 



orchards, and in addition several new ones, were found to be present 

 in Bahia. The type known in California as the "Australian Navel " 

 orange, characterized by a somewhat corrugated appearance and 

 flattened shape, was observed in several groves. In some cases the 

 production of these fruits was limited to certain limbs on a tree or 

 even to certain fruit spurs ; in other cases there were entire trees of 

 this type. "Australian Navel " oranges are inferior in quality, and 

 the great vegetative vigor of the tree is correlated with a poor yield 

 of fruit. Another type was found in which the fruits have a small 

 and almost rudimentary navel. Opposed to this were forms with 

 the navels extremely large and in several instances protruding. 



These and other types were studied with the object of determining, 

 if possible, whether there existed in Bahia any navel oranges superior 

 to those already known in California and therefore worthy of intro- 

 duction into the United States. Bud wood of a number of the most 

 promising of these forms was secured and they are being tested in 

 California and Florida. Because of the important effect of climate 

 on the size and character of the fruit, it is impossible to determine in 

 advance whether types which appear valuable in Bahia will retain 

 their characteristics in the United States. This can only be decided 

 by a trial. 



CITRUS FRUITS OF BAHIA OTHER THAN THE NAVEL ORANGE. 



In addition to the navel orange there are several other citrus fruits 

 which are cultivated to a limited extent in Bahia. One of the most 

 important of these is the tangerine, grown commercially in a small 

 way, the trees usually being scattered among the orange trees in 

 the orchards. (PI. I.) The bitter or sour orange {Citrus aurantium 

 L.), which already has been mentioned in connection with propaga- 

 tion, is usually represented by one or two trees in each grove, which 

 provide seed for nursery purposes. Sweet and sour lemons and the 

 common lime are occasionally seen, the lime usually being present 

 in the markets in small quantities. 



Good grapefruits are unknown in Bahia. A few fruits seen in a 

 garden near the city, which appeared to be inferior forms of the 

 shaddock {Citrus grandis (L.) Osbeck),were seedy and thick skinned, 

 and no use was made of them. The so-called " lime orange," laranja 

 lima {Citrus sp.), which appeai-s to be more common in Rio de 

 Janeiro, was seen in an orchard at Agua Comprida, about 20 miles 

 from Bahia. It is the size of an ordinary orange, very juicy, and 

 combines the taste of the orange and the lime. The citron {C. medica 

 L.) and one or two other citrus fruits are occasionally grown, more 

 as curiosities than anything else. 



