BUD VARIATION IN THE WASHINGTON NAVEL ORANGE. 141 
pack the crop in which they are found is likely to be discounted in 
value when marketed. 
The Washington strain, so far as production and the commercial 
quality of the fruits are concerned, is superior to any other known 
navel-orange strain. The Thomson, as a rule, produces fruits having 
a smoother texture and better color of rind than the Washington. 
This improved appearance results in a higher price per box for 
Thomson than that paid for similar boxes of Washington fruits in 
some markets. It is generally conceded that Washington strain 
oranges are of higher quality than those of the Thomson strain. 
However, the very smooth texture and deep reddish orange color of 
the Thomson fruits outweigh other considerations in certain markets. 
In other important markets the Washington fruits command the high- 
est prices, on account of their superior flavor and the texture of their 
flesh. 
A combination of the valuable characteristics of both the Washington 
and Thomson strains is desired. As mentioned previously, this con- 
dition has been found to exist in the fruits produced by trees of the 
Thomson-Washington strain. This strain is therefore deserving of a 
thorough test by orange growers. 
The Golden Nugget, Yellow Thomson, and Yellow Washington 
strains possess some characteristics of value, and their fruits are in 
some respects, under favorable conditions, considered to be of good 
quality. Small commercial orchards of these strains have been 
planted by a few citrus growers in California, and the results of these 
tests will do much toward deciding their ultimate commercial value. 
The remaining strains are more or less undesirable and unprofitable 
in every respect. The causes for this condition are apparent from 
their descriptions and their comparative performance records, or from 
both. Inasmuch as commercial orange orcharding is conducted ^by 
the growers in order to make a profit on their investment and labor, 
the propagation of these inferior strains or their continued culture in 
established plantings should be discouraged. 
As a whole, these investigations have shown that the Washington 
is the most valuable of all the strains, with the Thomson of secondary 
commercial importance for special conditions of soil, climate, and 
market, while the others are of little or doubtful commercial value. 
THE UNINTENTIONAL PROPAGATION OF UNDESIRABLE STRAINS. 
The prevailing methods of securing bud wood of the Washington 
Navel orange variety have been to cut this wood either from bear- 
ing trees in established orchards or, to a limited extent,, from young 
nursery or nonbearing trees. Where the buds have been cut from bear- 
ing trees, little or, usually, no selection of parent trees has been 
practiced. Suckers, or unusually vigorous nonbearing branches, 
