446 



PRODUCTS OP THE ORANGE FAMILY. 



from Jamaica, Trinidad, Cuba, and the Bahamas. West Indian 

 oranges are preferred for their flavour to those brought from Europe. 

 They begin to arrive in October, and are most abundant in January 

 and February; Mediterranean oranges are not received extensively 

 until April or May. 



California. — Oranges and lemons, with more or less protection, gi'ow 

 luxuriantly along and near the line of coast for 500 miles. 



In 1874 the State of Los Angelos had 90,057 orange trees, which 

 furnish from 1000 to 3000 fruit each, and these sell readily at 2d. a 

 piece. The tree takes 12 years to come to maturity, and the lemon 

 16 years. Many of the latter trees yield 20Z. profit yearly to their 

 owners. There are in the State of California 13,606 lemon trees. 



Bahamas. — The quantity of oranges shipped from the island of New 

 Providence to the United States, in the season of 1875, was about 

 2,000,000, in 20 vessels, 6 of which took 160,000 or more per load. 

 The largest cargo was 320,000 (equal to 1280 barrels). The trade is 

 conducted in schooners, with the exception of the generally smaller 

 quantities that are carried away by the steamers which call at the 

 port. Eight of the 20 vessels carrying oranges were steamers. As a 

 barrel is stated to hold, on an average, 250 oranges, the number 

 shipped to the States from Nassau is equivalent to 7594 barrels. The 

 ' Nassau Times ' states 2,000,000 were also shipped to the States 

 direct from Abaco, Andros, Eleuthera, and other of the islands, 

 and the total shipped from the group was about 4,000,000 fruit 

 (equal to 16,000 barrels), estimating the average price at 30s. per 

 1000, worth 6000Z. to the growers. Adding the smaller shipments to 

 London, along with grape fruit and shaddocks, it believes the crop of 

 the season would realize 7000Z. Extensive orange orchards having 

 been lately planted in the islands, the trade is expected to soon double 

 itself in quantity, increasing further by the greater productiveness of 

 the trees as they approach full bearing; but with such increase a 

 decrease in price is considered possible. 



In Tahiti there were, in 1874, 48,927 orange trees, which produced 

 11,260,000 oranges, valued at 281,200 francs. 



The progress of the exports of oranges from the island is shown 

 by the following figures : 



1849 151,000 186i 5,000,000 



1850 373,000 1873 4,500,000 



1851 3,043,000 1874 .. .. 5,000,000 



1852 6,670,000 



The orange trade between Tahiti and San Francisco is declining in 

 consequence of the progress making in the culture, and the abundance 

 of the produce, of Los Angelos, and the south of California. The 

 price of Tahiti oranges has fallen from K60 to ^15 the 1000. 



Italy. — A large trade is carried on between New York and Italy 

 in green fruit. In 1869 nearly 500,000 boxes of oranges, containing 

 about 113,000,000, were received from Palermo and Naples. The 

 steamers employed make the voyage in about 28 days, and carry from 

 13,000 to 15,000 boxes. In the same year (1869), 243,790 boxes of 

 lemons, in all 85,664,000 were received. The box of oranges contains 



