12 



(O-ltrus Aurantiijm) , sour orange (C, A.urantitua, var. Bigardia) , 



pomelo (Citrus Decuraana) , Otaheite oraii.o;e, trifoliate orarif^e 

 (Citrus, or Aegle trifoliata), and various lemons, as the 

 "French" or Florida Rouf^h and the Chinese, 



iRlxperiments in California have shown that the sv/eet orange 

 root is a persistent sur-face feeder, having almost its entire 

 root system ahove a depth of eighteen inches and rising to 

 within eight inches of the surface. The stock produces an 

 a'bundance of fibrous roots that concentrate near the surface, 

 just beneath the reach of the ploiigh and cultivator, thus 

 making the tree too susceptible to draught. 



On the other hand, the root of the souj- oraiige penetrates 

 to a depth of nine feet or more, sometimes having numerous 

 laterals near the surface, and sometimes having fewer hut more 

 sharply descending laterals. Both a deep root system and 

 "broadly extending laterals, not too near the sur.iace, are 

 essential to the ideal stock. There would seem to he rcom for 

 some selection among sour stocks so as to obtain these quali- 

 ties in the highest possible degree, Thoiigh the sour stock 

 does not appear to bring stocks into full beaj'lng as soon as 

 do the sweet orange and the pomelo stocks, the value of the 

 sour stock in other directions maji: compensate for this defect, 

 and in localities when the sweet stock fails, the sour stock 

 may be advantageously used. The so^xr stock is obtained from 

 wild seeds, this variety having extensively run wild in Florida 

 from early times. « 



The pomelo laterals are found at a somewhat greater depth 



