428 FRUIT CULTURE IN FOREIGN COUNTRIES. 



Mr. Hart to Consul Satcyer. 



[InclosuiB ill Conanl Sawyer's Keport.] 



Varieties.— The St. Michael, or ordinary sweet orange. Citms aurantium, or the 

 Mandarin and Sangerine. 



Situatiou.— In sheltered valleys, at elevations from 100 to 1,000 feet above sea-level, 

 and from one-fourth mile inwards. The trees are slightly shaded from the sun. Shel- 

 tered valleys are best; soil, loamy, alluvial; subsoil, volcanic (trap). 



Temperature.— Mean maximum, 87°.5 Fah. Mean minimum, 69°. 7. Mean annual, 

 78°.6. Maximum, 91°, September mean for month. Minimum, 66°.9, February mean 

 for mouth. Range of temperature varies from 21° to 30° daily. 



Average rain-fall for tweuty-live years, 65.49 inches. Growth takes place during 

 rainy season, from July to December. (Driest month, February.) 



Irrigation. — No artificial irrigation used. 



Cultivation.— F[3.ctioaMy the trees grow without attention. (Weed.) 



Fertilizers. —No manure used, except near a homestead, when farm-yard manure is 

 very beneficial. 



Prtt/wn^.— Little or no pruning practiced. Trees would be better for attention in 

 this direction. 



Picking. — When commencing to turn yellow, or when " full," to use the local term. 



Curing. — Simply dried. 



Packing.— PaokeA in cases containing 3 cubic feet, with one division ; wrapped in 

 paper. 



Planting.— 'No regular plantations yet exist. Trees are planted irregularly, and all 

 trees are raised from selected seed at Royal Botanic Gardens and distributed through- 

 out the colrny. 



Maturity. — Trees begin to bear at five to six years, and reach full maturity at twenty 

 years. 



Insect iKsts. — Insects common: Brown and white scale, cottony scale ; sometimes 

 destructive; cleaned with lime wash and soap solutions. I know of no useful insects 

 but the numerous varieties or species of wasps. 



No printed matter available. 



Ctt«j»3s.— Cuttings can be secured through the New York agents of Direct Line 

 Steamers, George Christall & Co. 



J. F. Hart, F. L. S., 

 Government Botanist and Superintendent of the Royal Botanic Garden, Trinidad. 



DUTCH WEST INDIES. 



REPOBT ST CONSUL SMITH, OF CURACAO. 



In regard to the information relative to tlie cultivation of oranges, 



leinpns, figs, and olives, requested in circular dated thel'Sth September, 



I have to report that said fruits are not cultivated hero. In former 



times, when rains were more regular, a kind of bitter oranges, from the 



peels of which the CuraQao liqueur is made, was grown hero, but is now 



almost entirely abandoned. 



L. B. SiNtiTH, 



Consul. 

 United States Oonsulatk, 



Curasao, ]V. I., Noremher 8, 1889. 



