BUD VARIATION IN" THE WASHINGTON NAVEL ORANGE. 141 



pack the crop in which they are found is likely to be discounted in 

 value when marketed. 



The Washington strain, so far as production and the commercial 

 quality of the fruits are concerned, is superior to any other known 

 navel-orange strain. The Thomson, as a rule, produces fruits having 

 a smoother texture and better color of rind than the Washington. 

 This improved appearance results in a higher price per box for 

 Thomson than that paid for similar boxes of Washington fruits in 

 some markets. It is generally conceded that Washington strain 

 oranges are of higher quality than those of the Thomson strain. 

 However, the very smooth texture and deep reddish orange color of 

 the Thomson fruits outweigh other considerations in certain markets. 

 In other important markets the Washington fruits command the high- 

 est prices, on account of their superior flavor and the texture of their 

 flesh. 



A combination of the valuable characteristics of both the Washington 

 and Thomson strains is desired. As mentioned previously, this con- 

 dition has been found to exist in the fruits produced by trees of the 

 Thomson-Washington strain. This strain is therefore deserving of a 

 thorough test by orange growers. 



The Golden Nugget, Yellow Thomson, and Yellow Washington 

 strains possess some characteristics of value, and their fruits are in 

 some respects, under favorable conditions, considered to be of good 

 quality. . Small commercial orchards of these strains have been 

 planted by a few citrus growers in California, and the results of these 

 tests will do much toward deciding their ultimate commercial value. 



The remaining strains are more or less undesirable and unprofitable 

 in every respect. The causes for this condition are apparent from 

 their descriptions and their comparative performance records, or from 

 both. Inasmuch as commercial orange orcharding is conducted by 

 the growers in order to make a profit on their investment and labor, 

 the propagation of these inferior strains or their continued culture in 

 established plantings should be discouraged. 



As a whole, these investigations have shown that the Washington 

 is the most valuable of all the strains, with the Thomson of secondary 

 commercial importance for special conditions of soil, climate, and 

 market, while the others are of little or doubtful commercial value. 



THE UNINTENTIONAL PROPAGATION OF UNDESIRABLE STRAINS. 



The prevailing methods of securing bud wood of the Washington 

 Navel orange variety have been to cut this wood either from bear- 

 ing trees in established orchards or, to a limited extent, from young 

 nursery or nonbearing trees. Where the buds have been cut from bear- 

 ing trees, little or, usually, no selection of parent trees has been 

 practiced. Suckers, or unusually vigorous nonbearing branches, 



