360 



TRIFACIAL OEANGE. 



yoiith under tlie British Consul at Smyrna. He might, 

 therefore, have had his tree from the same garden as that in 

 Which the one I speak of grew. The fruit sent to me had the 

 size and appearance of a large Orange with two or three large 

 patches of Lemon neatly stuck on it; the colour, almost to 

 the very edges of the different pieces, being distinctly that of 

 the respective fruits ; and on removing the rind, which, as in a 

 common Orange, was all of one piece, the portions beneath the 

 Lemon- coloured parts had not only a considerable degree of 

 acidity, while the Orange had its proper degree of sweetness, 

 but they were separated from their sweet neighbours by a 

 distinct membrane, which in some degree accounted for their 

 difference in taste. The pulp was also, I believe, of a lighter 

 hue. The patches of Lemon were merely superficial, and of 

 no great thickness. They made bumps, or irregular elevations, 

 on the rind of the fruit." 



Up to the present time we have no evidence to show whether 

 or not it is practicable to graft three embryos in the manner 

 jstated by Mr. St. John's informant ? Is it physically impos- 

 sible that the result should be such as is described ; namely, 

 that each fruit should consist of three parts, the one of the 

 nature of a Lemon, the other of a Citron, and the third of an 

 Orange ? I think not. If the stems of two or three plants, 

 when brought in contact, .will adhere and become one, so may 

 the sides of two or three embryos : and, in fact, this occurs occa- 

 sionally in the Mistletoe, the Cress, the Sun-spurge, and others, 

 without the assistance of art. Now if three embryos of different 

 varieties could be made to unite, would their several natures be 

 go blended as to form but one whole, consisting of a mixture of 

 each ; or would they grow in union, each retaining its own 

 peculiar qualities ? This is a question that vegetable physiology 

 does not at present enable us to answer. 



