BUD YARIATIOX IX THE VALENCIA OEAXGE. 7 



The principal plats of Valencia oranges finally selected for indi- 

 vidual-tree performance-record work are located in a citrus orchard 

 of approximately 750 acres about equally divided between Valencia 

 oranges, Washington Navel oranges, and Eureka lemons. A study 

 of all the Valencia trees on this ranch, was made before the plats of 

 trees for detailed observation were finally selected. This selection 

 was made with, the idea of securing a representative lot of trees 

 which would include typical trees of some of the most important 

 strains of the variety. Trees to the number of 115 which, bad been 

 planted in the fall of 1903 were selected. Actual performance- 

 record work was begun in 1912. Complete annual records secured 

 from 105 of these trees for four successive years are available for 

 study. Later in 1912 a plat of 9 trees of the Valencia strain was 

 selected in another Valencia orchard several miles distant, where 

 soil conditions are markedly different. In 1914 an additional plat 

 of 55 trees was chosen in the same orchard where the first plat was 

 located, mainly for the purpose of studying the individual-tree 

 behavior of the Valencia or best strain of the Valencia variety. In 

 this publication the discussion of results will be confined to those 

 secured from the records obtained from the plat first selected. 



METHODS OF KEEPING PERFORMANCE RECORDS. 



In securing the individual-tree performance records for investi- 

 gational purposes 1 each tree is given a number, and the trees in the 

 plats are marked annually with cloth streamers to prevent their 

 being picked accidentally by the regular picking crew of the ranch. 

 Each tree is picked separately, and all notes concerning the quantity 

 and quality of fruit borne by that tree are recorded before the picking 

 of the next tree is begun. 



The fruits are assorted into three grades: (1) An Orchard grade, 

 including all of the valuable first-class commercial fruits ; (2) a Stand- 

 ard grade, including marked, misshapen, unevenly colored, or other 

 blemished fruits which are distinctly of a second class in commercial 

 quality, but still worthy of marketing; and (3) a Cull grade, con- 

 sisting of fruits of such inferior quality as to be wholly unfit for the 

 market. By means of a small mechanical sizer, similar to those in 

 actual use in orange-packing houses, the fruits in the Orchard and 

 Standard grades are sized into the commercial sizes varying from 

 288 to 80. The fruits of each size in each grade are counted and 

 weighed and the notes recorded on forms arranged especially for this 



i For a complete description of the methods followed in securing the investigational performance records 

 see the following publication: Shamel, A. D., Scott, L. B., and Pomeroy, C S. Citrus-fruit improvement: 

 A study of bud variation in the Washington Navel orange. U. S. Dept. Agr. Bui. 623, 146 p., 16 fig., 19 pi. 

 191S. 



Directions for securing performance records as a part of commercial orchard picking operations are pre- 

 sented in the following publication: Shamel, A. D. Citrus-fruit improvement: How to secure and use 

 tree-performance records. U. S. Dept. Agr., Farmers' Bui. 794, 16 p., 4 fig. 1917. 



