PRODUCTS OF THE ORANGE PABIILT. 



Ml 



on American custom, whicli they almost entirely monopolize, as 

 tlie lemons produced in the districts surrounding this port, being 

 of a very superior quality, have the merit of beariug a long voyage 

 uninjured, provided they are carefully packed previous to their em- 

 barkation. The lemons cannot bear the shock of removal in a cart, 

 and are carried in baskets to the packing shed, where they are 

 severally wrapped in silver paper, and laid in rows in the packing 

 cases, care being taken to pack them loosely enough to avoid bruising 

 the fruit, and yet tightly enough to prevent their becoming dis- 

 placed during the voyage. The American steamers engaged in this 

 trade carry 5000 cases ; the case contains 500 lemons, and therefore 

 each of these vessels conveys 2,500,000 of this useful fruit to the 

 United States. 



The real Lime (C. Limetta, Risso). The best lime juice is obtained 

 from this variety. In several of our colonies attention is now given 

 to the production of this article. From the island of Dominica, in 

 1874, 12,462 gallons, valued at 16001. , were exported. 



The requirements in the culture of the lime are very simple, and 

 consist mainly in keeping the trees free from weeds, allowing them 

 to spread freely, and irrigating during the dry months. No pruning 

 is required, but merely the removal of exhausted and dry branches. 

 Although the lime tree delights in a good soil, and is strengthened 

 by a degree of moisture somewhat above the average, being a hardy 

 plant it will thrive and be fruitful in soils and situations that may 

 prove too poor and dry or exposed for coffee and cacao. Protracted 

 drought is particularly fatal to the lime tree. The process of ex- 

 tracting and preparing the lime juice is most simple, consisting of 

 submitting the fruits to the pressure of a mill of no great power, and 

 boiling down the resulting juice (which may be kept a great length 

 of time without deteriorating) to the required density, and putting it 

 into casks for exportation. The density which has been found most 

 satisfactory in Dominica, is reached by boiling down to one-eighth 

 the original volume. In Jamaica, lime juice has been, of late years, 

 concentrated and shipped to America, to be used in fixing certain 

 dyes. The exports, in 1874, amounted to 107,558 gallons, of the 

 value of 5378/.; 475 barrels of limes, worth 190l, and nearly 

 5,000,000 oranges, were shipped from Jamaica in 1874. From 

 Montserrat 400 to 500 puncheons of lime juice have been shipped in 

 the year. 



The quantity of oranges and lemons we receive in the United 

 Kingdom has doubled in the last ten years. Our imports, in 1876, 

 reached nearly 3,000,000 bushels, of the value, in round numbers, of 

 1,300,000L 



The imports of oranges, citrons, and lemons into France from 

 Spain and Italy have increased fourfold since 1836, when only 5,943,022 

 kilos., valued at 111,660/., were imported ; in 1866 the quantity 

 received had increased to 25,923,700 kilos., valued at 296,553/. 



Marseilles receives the largest quantity. The imports there were, 



in 



Kilos. Kilos. 



1836 2,217,589 1856 9,214,537 



1846 7,133,758 1866 9,592,120 



