ORANGE, LEMON, &c. 



311 



Fruit), and ft Aurantium (the Sweet Orange 

 and the Bergamotte). 



The genus is essentially an Eastern one, and 

 the forefathers of Oranges, Lemons, Citrons, 

 and Limes may be found in the hot valleys of 

 the Himalaya, of the mountainous districts of 

 Eastern Bengal, and of the Deccan. They 

 have been transported in their numerous 

 cultivated forms into Africa, Australia, 

 and the New World (Hooker). 



Whilst the Lemon, the Lime, and the 

 Shaddock may be grown in the conserva- 

 tories of this country for their interest and 

 decorative qualities, the Sweet Orange has 

 a still higher claim. The varieties recom- 

 mended by Mr. Rivers for cultivation on 

 account of the excellence of their fruits, 

 of which a list is given here, are certainly 

 worth the expense incurred in growing 

 them. The value of the flowers, although 

 not a matter for consideration in a chapter 

 on Fruits, is nevertheless of sufficient im- 2 

 portance to be referred to. ' 



A well-grown Orange-tree, both when in 

 flower and in fruit, is an object of excep- 

 tional attractiveness, and when to this can 

 be added the value of the fruits for dessert, 

 their claims as garden fruits must be ad- 

 mitted. 



To grow Oranges well, they should have 

 a good light house, essentially different from 

 the old heavy-roofed, half-glass, half-wall 

 sort of structures — orangeries they were 

 called — in which they used to be wintered, 

 and where they little more than existed. A 

 modern house for Oranges should be span- 

 roofed, with glass at both sides to within 

 3 feet of the ground, and may be from 14 feet to 

 20 feet in width, and any length. The house 

 should have a passage down the centre, with a 

 row of trees on each side. In the larger size a 

 row of trees should occupy the centre of the house 

 with one on each side, and two paths betwixt the 

 rows. After space for the paths is taken, the 

 house should be divided into beds for the trees ; 

 efficient drainage must be provided for them, 

 by placing at least 9 inches of broken bricks 

 under each bed, with a drain from each leading 

 outside the house; over this good tough turf 

 should be laid, the grassy side down. The beds 

 should consist of free loam that has lain together 

 for some months until the grass has been killed ; 

 this should be chopped moderately fine, and 

 some rotten manure added, in quantity accord- 

 ing to the more or less rich nature of the loam, 

 sufficient sharp gritty sand being also incorpo- 



rated with it. The amount of sand required 

 will be dependent upon the nature of the soil; 

 it is not well to make it too sandy, yet it must 

 be borne in mind that the material in which 

 plants are grown under glass is more liable to 

 get into a sour, unhealthy condition than in 

 the case of anything growing in the open air. 



Fig. 1093.— Orange (Citrus Aurantium). (J.) 



The soil should be 18 inches in depth over the 

 drainage. If two or three shovelfuls of burned 

 ballast, or refuse bricks (such as may be had 

 at any brick-kiln), broken so that the whole 

 will pass through an inch-mesh sieve, is added 

 to each wheel-barrow load of the soil, it will 

 do much to ensure its keeping in a satisfactory 

 condition. 



The distance apart at which the trees should 

 be planted will of course depend upon their 

 size at the time of planting; if small, it will 

 be advisable to plant at a sufficient distance in 

 order to afford them room when they are large, 

 and to fill the space between with other plants 

 in pots, which can be removed as the space is 

 required for the Oranges. This is a better 

 arrangement than planting the whole out, as 

 these that are not planted out can be supplied 

 with larger pots as they need more root-room, 



