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Pomona College Journal of Economic Botany 



and in some respects finer than the native variety, still the latter, known by various 

 names, one of which is mexicano, is often preferred by the native and foreigner 

 alike. The large market for both varieties demands that both be improved to 

 their highest point of quality. 



As in the case of the avocado, so the mango, also, may be made an article of 

 export to the United States — but only after the orange maggot has been completely 

 exterminated! Mangoes have been shipped from the Philippine islands to 

 Pomona College in Southern California, being a month in transit, and yet they 

 arrived in edible condition. If that is possible, exportation from Mexico is readily 

 feasible. Although both the avocado and mango have been produced in Southern 

 California and will be later to a much larger extent, yet there will always be an 

 increasing demand for the Mexican fruit to supplement our own productions. 



In a previous paper the possibilities in the improvement of the Mexican seed- 

 ling orange were brought out. While the seedling orange may be considered by 

 many of superior quality in taste to the navel varieties, yet the latter command a 

 price in the markets from two to five times as large as do the seedlings. The gen- 

 eral statements made in regard to seedling trees above apply equally to the citrus 

 group. There is a large market for all the numerous varieties, both seedling and 

 hybrid. One variety may be better adapted to certain soil and climatic conditions 

 than the others, in which case that variety ou^ht surely to be planted. 



It was stated at the Oaxaca Experiment Station that trials of budded citrus 

 stock had been made without success, due, it was said, to the inability of the stock 

 to resist frosts and other unfavorable conditions. It is hardly possible that ac- 

 climatization might not be effected, thus rendering the improved hybrid varieties 

 just as resistant as the original seedling. This must be proven, however, by care- 

 ful and extensive experimentation. A good start in this direction is being made 

 in Vera Cruz state at Plantation Roma. This is a citrus orchard of about three 

 hundred acres operated entirely by modern scientific methods. Mr. R. D. Huber, 

 in charge, insists on cultivation by means of steel plows and cultivators drawn by 

 mules. Some budded stock has been planted and a thorough trial of it is being 

 made. Experimentation such as this — on a large and practical scale, experimental 

 and at the same time yielding large returns financially — will surely help to ad- 

 vance agriculture, horticulture and pomology to its proper state. 



The same may be applied equally well to the culture of lemons, and all other 

 citrus fruits. The producers should be satisfied with nothing less than the best, 

 and should bend every energy toward bringing about these improvements. And 

 so we might go through the long list of native fruits, pointing out where improve- 

 ment and resulting financial gain could be effected. Some varieties of the sapote 

 might profitably be grown for shipment. The white sapote, sapote bianco, is too 

 soft and thin-skinned to allow of exportation, but the sapote negro and sapote 

 domingo might easily be shipped. The cherimoya and other fruits, also, can be 

 greatly improved and increased in value. 



More or less experimentation is now being carried on in the way of selecting 

 and determining the best variety of Castilla rubber tree, the best variety of coffee, 

 the best varieties and adaptability of cotton, the most productive sugar cane, etc. 



