BUD VAKIATIOlSr IN THE LISBON LEMON. 7 



The typical fruits, as shown in Plate I, are oblong oval in shape, 

 of medium size, and of very smooth texture. The rag is tender, and 

 the juice is abundant and of strong acidity. The fruits average about 

 four seeds each, and the rinds are thm. 



In addition to the characteristics noted in the foregoing para- 

 graphs, it seems evident that the trees of this strain are more inher- 

 ently hardy than those of the other Lisbon strains. They are usually 

 more thorny than the trees of the Open strain, but the thorns are 

 usually not very large or dangerous to the fruits. For certain con- 

 ditions* of soil and climate, such as locations where the trees are 

 subjected to strong winds at certain seasons of the year or to long 

 periods of hot sunshine, it seems likely that the trees of the Lisbon 

 strain are preferable to those of the Open strain on account of the 

 protection afforded the fruits by the dense foliage and the resistance 

 of the trees to unfavorable environmental conditions. 



OPEN STRAIN. 



The name of this strain v\^as adopted because it describes the habit 

 of growth of the trees, which is one of its most easily identified char- 

 acteristics. The trees of the Open strain were more numerous 

 than those of any other strain in the performance-record plat. In 

 near-by orchards the proportion of trees of this strain was found to be 

 much smaller than in the performance-record plats, and the leading 

 strain was the Lisbon. In other Lisbon orchards in several impor- 

 tant districts most of the trees in the orchards were found to belong 

 to the Open strain. In certain districts the Lisbon strain is most 

 commonly found, while in others the Open strain predominates. 



It has seemed Hkely that the trees included in this strain reaUy 

 represent two rather distinct strains, the trees of one being very much 

 more productive than the other. However, for the purposes of this 

 study the two classes of trees have been brought together under 

 one head and considered as belonging to one strain. 



The trees produce fruits during aU seasons of the year under nor- 

 mal conditions, resembling in ^Aiis respect the trees of the Eureka strain 

 of the Eureka lemon variety. As shown in figure 2, they have an 

 open and somewhat drooping habit of growth. The leaves are of 

 medium size, ovate in shape, obtuse, slightly crenate, rather few in 

 number, and are of a deep-green color. The flowers are usually per- 

 fect. 



The typical fruits, as illustrated in Plate II, are oval to oblong in 

 shape and of medium size ; the rinds are thin and of smooth texture ; 

 ihe rag is tender; and the juice is abundant and of strong acidity. 

 The average munber of seeds found in the fruits of this strain in the 

 performance-record plats was five. 



