70  Orange  Flowers  and  Oranges.  {AmF{K\^9arm' 
specimen,  but  other  varieties  are  probably  made  from  whole  flowers,, 
branches  and  young  fruit. 
The  time  of  flowering  is  from  the  beginning  of  February  until  the 
tenth  of  April,  in  healthy  trees  ;  unhealthy  ones  are  found  in  bloom 
sooner  or  later.  The  last  week  of  February  finds  most  of  the  trees, 
blooming.  The  petals  remain  on  the  flowers  for  about  two  weeks.  Un- 
favorable conditions  shorten  the  time.  The  humidity  of  the  atmos- 
phere materially  affects  the  flowers — when  too  wet  the  pollen  heads 
are  injured  and  the  secretions  are  imperfect.  Dryness  has  a  similar 
effect  on  the  pollen  and  nectar,  but  does  not  affect  the  secretion  of  oil. 
When  the  temperature  is  too  low,  but  few  flowers  are  fructified,  the 
oil  cells  are  limpid  and  no  nectar  is  secreted.  The  most  favorable 
temperature  is  about  68  to  j6°F.  Under  6o°F.  flowers  are  blighted.. 
When  the  busy  bee  is  found  collecting  the  nectar,  the  conditions  are 
favorable  for  the  development  of  flowers  and  fruit,  and  then  the  flowers 
contain  their  most  agreeable  odor. 
An  ordinary  tree  will  yield  from  two  to  ten  pounds  of  flowers^ 
ordinarily  about  seven.  As  soon  as  the  petals  begin  to  fall  a  canvas  is 
spread  under  the  tree  and  by  brisk  shaking  the  petals  will  fall,  with  some 
leaves,  which  are  easily  separated.  The  time  when  flowers  are  most 
fragrant  is  early  in  the  morning,  and  late  in  the  day  the  odor  is  greatly 
diminished.  Prior  to  the  late  conflict,  negroes  collected  and  sold 
orange  petals  in  New  Orleans.  A  tea-saucer  full  (about  2  ozs.)  was 
measured  out,  put  upon  a  china  plate  and  set  in  the  room,  for  which 
the  negro  received  about  fifty  cents.  From  two  to  three  plates  would 
perfume  a  room  for  a  week.  Orange  flowers  produced  in  the  extreme 
southern  borders  are  believed  to  possess  a  stronger  odor  and  more  oil. 
The  difference  is  accounted  for  in  this  manner  :  In  the  tropics  and 
semi-tropics  the  trees  do  not  begin  to  bear  very  much  until  about 
twenty  years  old,  while  in  this  country  they  begin  at  about  seven. 
The  development  is  more  rapid,  the  tree  more  vigorous,  and  it  is  rea- 
sonable to  suppose  a  better  development  of  odor  in  the  flower.  The 
writer  was  informed  by  an  orange  grower  who  had  extensive  observa- 
tions in  different  countries  and  fully  confirmed  this  supposition.  The 
flowers  are  more  fragrant  and  the  fruit  more  juicy,  but  not  so  sweet 
as  in  some  other  countries. 
The  pharmacist  buys  the  products  of  the  orange  from  over  the 
sea.    That  oft  used  name  imported  always  adds  an  imaginary  value  of 
