
COOK AND COLLINS—ECONOMIC PLANTS OF PORTO RICO. 117 
as might be expected under such circumstances the fruit is anything but uniform 
in character. The majority of those offered in the markets are of such low grade 
that they would hardly have been placed before a public accustomed to a fruit of 
good quality. As arule, the fruits are very juicy but lack texture and flavor. 
Specimens of a high-grade orange were, however, secured at San Juan, and fruit 
specialists at Washington were of the opinion that this variety might even profit- 
ably be used for propagation by budding. 
According to Captain Hansard, a weed called ‘‘cojitre’’ placed around the orange 
tree sweetens the fruit. This is believed to be a leguminous plant and suggests 
the possibility of its use as a substitute for the nitrogenous manure which is said 
to be necessary for the best results with this fruit. 
Ten years are thought to be necessary for a tree to reach full bearing. It is 
claimed that a single tree will sometimes produce several thousand oranges. 
**Naranja china’’ and ‘‘ china dulce’’ arenames sometimes applied to the sweet 
orange. 
Citrus bigaradia. SoUR ORANGE. NARANJA. 
The most common of the citrous fruits is perhaps the sour orange, or *‘ naranja,”’ 
as it is universally called in Porto Rico. The ordinary Porto Rican sour orange 
is believed to belong to this species, and is not the Seville orange, as has been 
reported. 
In Florida the sour orange is used for stocks in all plantings on moist land, for 
the reason that it resists the foot rot, or mal di goma, and other diseases which 
affect other varieties when planted on heavy soils. 
Citrus decumana. PoOMELO. TORONJA. 
Pomelo seems now to be the name preferred for the fruit otherwise known as 
grape fruit. The shaddock is thought to bea slightly different horticultural 
variety. 
Pomeloes were seen growing near Bayamon, but as the fruit was immature 
the quality could not be judged. Although not so sensitive to frosts as the lime 
or lemon, the pomelo requires tropical conditions for properly maturing the fruit, 
and the increasing popularity of this fruit will warrant careful experiments in 
Porto Rico. 
Citrus hystrix acida. Lime. Lima. 
The lime is referred by different authors to both C. medica em C. limetta, as 
well as to the present species. 
The limes of Porto Rico seem to be quite normal and of good quality. 
The lime endures shipment well if properly packed, and as the quality of the 
Porto Rican fruit is good it is perhaps the most eligible fruit with which to open 
a trade. 
In the British island of Montserrat the production of limes for the extraction of 
lime juice has been made quite an industry. About 1,400 acres are planted to 
limes, over 1,200 belonging to a single estate. The annual total of income from 
the industry averages over $30,000, and other islands contribute large quantities. 
Citrus limonum. Leremon. Limon. 
The Porto Rican lemon seems to be somewhat intermediate between the genu- 
ine lemon and the rough lemon of Florida and Jamaica. 
Commercially it can not be expected to compete in the market with the ordinary 
lemon, but for eating and possibly for the preparation of unsweetened lemonade, 
it might become popular with those who are partial to acid fruits. 
Citrus medica. CiTRON. TORONJA. 
To this species are referred by some authors not only the citron, but the lemon, 
| lime, bergamot orange, and the sweet lemon, or ‘‘ lemon dulce.”’ 
