76 



METHODS OF PROPAGATING THE ORANGE AND 

 OTHER CITRUS FRUITS, 



By Herbert .J. Webber, Assistant. Division of Vegetable F^hysiology 

 and rathology, U. S. Department of Agriculture. 



Reprinted from the Year hook of the Department of Agriculture for 1896. 



General Remarks. 



The methods used in propagating citrus trees do not materially differ 

 from those used in the propagation of other fruit trees. However 

 there are certain differences with which the prospective grower of 

 citrus trees should be familiar, and it is therefore the intention of the 

 writer to briefly describe the principal methods employed by Citrus 

 nurserymen and growers in Florida as a guide for those not already 

 familiar with the industry. 



One of the mo^t difficult questions the prospective orange grower 

 must decide is whether to use seedling or budded trees. Such con- 

 flicting opinions exist among orange growers in Florida regarding this 

 question that to decide the best policy is confusing and somewhat diffi- 

 cult. The pros and cons of the question, however, cannot be discussed 

 here. Suffice it to say that the general tendency of intelligent and 

 progressive growers is to use only trees budded with thoroughly tested 

 and approved varieties Practically all the advance that has been 

 made in improving citrus fruits by propagating from selected seed- 

 lings, hybrids, sports, etc,, which produce superior or peculiar fruits, 

 deipends entirely upon propagation by budding and grafting, as the 

 oharacteristic features are commonly lost by seed propagation. How- 

 ever, many continue to use seedling trees, and there will probably 

 always be some used. 



Seedling Trees. 



When seedling trees are to be used, the selection of seed become* 

 an important feature. Any and 'every orange seed should not be 

 used. On the contrary the greatest care should be exercised in selec- 

 tion. It is not an uncommon report that seeds of sweet oranges fre- 

 quently produce sour oranges, and vice versa but this is probably 

 never true unless the seeds are the result of hybridization. It is well 

 recognised by growers in Florida, California, and Italy that when seeds 

 of a sweet orange are planted, trees bearm^^ sweet fruit, of a fairly 

 good character, almost invariably result. Orange trees, however, are 

 generally grown in close proximity to lemons, iimes, sour oranges, 

 pomelos, etc., and it is not to be wondered at, if hybridization occasion- 

 ally occur?-. When hybridized with the sour orange, lemon, etc., the 

 resulting seedlings may naturally be expected to produce sour, un- 

 marketable fruit, or fruit with rough and unsightly skin While 

 seedlings of the sweet orange almost invariably produce sweet fruit 

 similar to that produced by the parent, there is nevertheless c nsidera- 

 ble variation wholly aside from that resulting from cro^sing ai:d hy- 

 bridizing. This uncertainty as to fruits, especially the finer sorts, 

 reproducing themselves true to seed is what renders budding and graft- 

 ing desirable in the orange as in other fruit industries. 



Where sweet seedlings, or in fact any kind of seedlings, are to be 



