1643 
Citrus grandis (Rutaceae), 52388. Pummelo. Prom Nakorn 
Chaisrl, Slam. Seeds presented by Dr. Yai , of Bangkok, 
Minister of Agriculture, through Mr. J. F. Rock, agri- 
cultural explorer. "'Nakorn Chaisri pummelo.' There 
are three distinct seasonal crops, and I was told that 
the crop borne during the rainy season usually pro- 
duced seeds, while in the other seasons the fruits are 
seedless. Dr. W. A. Graham, agricultural advisor, says 
that the occasional formation of seeds is due to pol- 
lination by a fly which is apparently absent at other 
seasons . 
"Dr. Yai, who is an expert on pummelos, etc., 
says that it will be futile, to take the Nakorn Chaisri 
pummelo to America. He says that when plants of this 
pummelo are brought to and planted in Bangkok, they 
change their character entirely and become quite a 
different thing, that the trees, in fact, bear fruits 
identical with a pummelo long cultivated in Bangkok 
and known as 'Ban Kun Non. ' Dr. Yai thinks that the 
Nakorn Chaisri pummelo originated from this Ban Kun 
Non, and that when brought to Bangkok from Nakorn 
Chaisri, only an hour or so distant by rail, it re- 
verts to the Ban Kun Non. The Nakorn Chaisri pummelo 
cannot be shipped for various reasons, the main one is 
that it loses its aroma. 
"The citrus fruits differ considerably here: for 
example, all citrus fruits grown south of Bangkok, 
i. e., nearer the sea, are far superior to those north 
of Bangkok. A matter of eight miles or so makes a tre- 
mendous difference. Citrus fruits evidently require 
salt or brackish water. Those grown south of Bangkok 
are irrigated or inundated by very salty water as the 
tide carries the ocean water a considerable distance 
up the Menam river. When planting the Nakorn Chaisri 
pummelo elsewhere the natives always add salt to the 
soil . 
"North of Bangkok the river water is quite sweet. 
I tasted Mandarins (choice fruits grown south of Bang- 
kok) and fruits from stock which was derived from the 
southern garden but grown north of Bangkok, and the 
difference was tremendous. Those grown south of Bang- 
kok sell six ticals a hundred, while those grown north 
of Bangkok, although larger than the southern Mandar- 
ins, are not comparable in aroma and sell for three 
ticals per hundred." 
Citrus grandis (Rutaceae), 52389. Pummelo. From Bang- 
kok, Siam. Seeds presented by Dr. Yai, Minister of 
