120 SEEDS AND PLANTS IMPORTED. 



6933 to 6958 — Continued. 



6946. Ficus carica. Fig". 

 Black Parsot or Barnisotte. (No. 685d. ) 



6947. Citrus aurantium. Orange. 



"The round blood orange of the island of Malta. This variety has nearly 

 always a blood-colored flesh and is one of the best strains of oranges on the 

 island. Probably originated here or was brought here at a very early date. 

 It is quite distinct from No. 6948 and not esteemed so highly." (Fairchild.) 



6948. Citrus aurantium. Orange. 



"An oval blood orange, said by Dr. Giovanni Borg, a specialist in citrous 

 matters in Malta, to be the finest flavored orange on the island. Personally I 

 find it superior to No. 6947 and unparalleled for its remarkably vinous flavor. ' ' 

 (Fairchild.) 



6949. Eriobotrya japonica. Loquat. 



' ' Seeds of some very large loquats from Bosketto Gardens, Malta, collected 

 May 22, 1901. ' ' {Fairchild. ) 



6950. Citrus aurantium. Orange. 



Maltese oval seedless. " Cuttings taken from trees in the governor's palace 

 grounds in Malta. This is the best known seedless Malta orange. My expe- 

 rience is that it sometimes has a few seeds or rudiments of seeds in it. By 

 many it is thought to be the best orange in Malta. ' ' ( Fairchild. ) 



6951. Citrus limetta. Lime. 



"A variety of lime growing in the gardens of San Antonio near Valetta. 

 The origin of this variety is unknown by Doctor Borg, the citrus specialist. 

 The fruits are almost without exception quite seedless and attain a very con- 

 siderable size for limes, being often 3 inches long by 2\ inches in smaller 

 diameter. Doctor Borg says that owing to the peculiar flavor (a typical lime 

 flavor) this is not appreciated in Malta, people preferring forms with seeds. 

 It is a very juicy sort, with thinnish rind, and of a good color. Possibly this 

 is the same as that sent in by Mr. Swingle (No. 3412) from Algiers. The 

 trees are very vigorous here, even strikingly so. They commonly bear only 

 one crop of fruit, but occasionally two crops are produced. A single fruit 

 yielded one-fourth of an ordinary drinking glass full of juice of good flavor. 

 Secured through the kindness of Dr. Giovanni Borg, of San Antonio Gardens, 

 at the governor's palace." (Fairchild.) 



6952. Ficus carica. Fig. 

 Tin Baitri or St. Johns. "Precocious fig, two cropper." (Fairchild. ) (No. 



685h.) 



6953. Ficus carica. Fig. 

 Tina baida. (No. 685b.) 



6954. Citrus aurantium. Orange. 



Lumi-laring. "A remarkable variety of orange otherwise known as the 

 Sweet orange or China orange. It is always sweet even when quite green and 

 immature. Doctor Bonavia, well known as a specialist on the oranges of India, 

 speaks of this variety in a recent article in the Journal of the Royal Horticul- 

 tural Society, April, 1901 (Vol. XXV, pt. 3, p. 308). He remarks: 'I am 

 informed that in Malta there exists a unique orange of the same (Portugal 

 orange) group, but which is never sour from beginning to end, but sweet and 

 juicy. * * * I have never met with an orange of this description in India. 

 It would be worth while getting hold of it for the purpose of multiplying it 

 and bringing it into commerce. Such a unique orange, I believe, has never 

 appeared on the English market.' In Malta this orange is not very highly 

 esteemed, and personally I find it not nearly so agreeable as the sour varieties, 

 but nevertheless it is far superior to an immature sour orange. It is as sweet 

 as sugar and water, and is declared to be just as sweet when half grown as 

 when mature. It may have a decided value commercially, and will find many 



