54 



SEEDS AND PLANTS IMPORTED. 



37822 to 37869— Contd. (Quoted notes by Mr. Dorsett and others.) 



smooth to rather coarsely pitted ; color varying from yellow- 

 ish green to greenish yellow early in the season, becoming 

 entirely yellow later and bright orange-yellow when fully 

 ripe; skin one-eighth to one-fourth of an inch thick, usually 

 thickest around the base of the fruit, the oil glands large and 

 abundant ; segments 11 to 13, rag extremely tender, but core 

 rather large, frequently one-fourth of an inch in diameter at 

 the center of the fruit, usually solid ; flesh light orange, ten- 

 der, very juicy; flavor never mawkish or insipid, always 

 sprightly, subacid, with plenty of character, probably as good 

 as the Bahia navel, and with greater acidity; quality very 

 good ; seeds variable in number, ranging from 1 to 20, but com- 

 monly about 12 perfect ones and 6 abortive or undeveloped 

 ones, in size rather large, varying from one-fourth to one-half 

 an inch in length. 



" It is common to find rudimentary navels in Selecta oranges 

 from trees which ordinarily produce normal fruits. This 

 phenomenon is so common that in some lots of fruit examined 

 in the Rio de .Janeiro markets as many as 10 per cent showed 

 rudimentary navels in varying stages of development. In some 

 instances the navels are as large as in an average navel orange. 



" Natives of Rio de Janeiro generally consider the Selecta, 

 as grown in that locality, superior to the navel orange as 

 grown in Bahia. The Bahians, of course, do not admit this, 

 but the fact remains that Selecta as grown in Rio de Janeiro 

 is somewhat more highly flavored than the Bahia navel. For 

 this and other reasons it seems important that Selecta be 

 given a thorough trial in the orange-growing sections of the 

 United States." 



37841. Laranja selecta tranca. The white Selecta orange, a 

 subvariety of the commercially important laranja selecta, 

 propagated by the firm of Eickhoff, Carneiro Leao & Co. As 

 yet it does not appear to be widely distributed, and we have 

 had no opportunity to examine specimens of its fruits. It is 

 said to be a desirable form and should be given a trial along 

 with laranja selecta" 



37842. " Laranja selecta rajada. Another subvariety of the 

 Selecta orange, of w^hich no description is available. For trial 

 in the orange-growing sections of the United States." 



37843. " Laranja da pera. This variety is distinguishable from 

 Selecta by its elongated form, smaller size, thinner skin, and 

 sw^eeter flavor. It is extensively cultivated in the vicinity of 

 Rio de Janeiro, especially at Maxambomba and in the neigh- 

 borhood of Cascadura. It is not pyriform in shape, as the 

 name ' pear orange ' would indicate, but is usually oval, and 

 as seen in the markets is rarely more than 3 inches in diauie- 

 ter. Ripening at the opposite season of the year from Selecta, 

 the two do not usually compete in the markets. 



" The typical fruit may be described as follows : Form 

 broadly oval to nearly spherical ; cross section round ; size 

 medium small, length 2| inches to 3^ inches, diameter 2^ to 

 Si inches ; stem in.serted squarely ; base rounded, cavity none 



