The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1880-09-08

True, JldI leIHOu Trees can De seen dC
various places in the orange belt, yet
the most Of these trees are growing
i'll the immediate vicinity of houses
which gives the necessary protection
against cold. This is not field culture,
hence l say, that the area of lemon
culture will be limited. This fact
being known by fruit growers has
prevented them heretofore from Civ
ing the study of the lemon much
thought, consequently the old ex,
perienced fruit growers hesitate about
giving opinions as to the particular
sort OF lemon for cultivation. Our
much learned nomenclature commit
tee have, l think, helped to throw
mud on the subject by asserting, as [
understand, that no large lemon is
worthy of cultivation. Had this
position been assumed by any one
less learned in pomology than our
nomenclature committee, | would
say the man certainly had his head
filled with scrabbled eggs in place of
brains. Now when did the average
fruit buyer ever fail to take as large
fruits, whether lemons, ,apples,peaches,
or any kind of fruit that he could get
for the smallest pile of money! what
man will ever select the small I'M
ported lemon provided he can get
a larger one equally as good for the
same money. All this talk about a
lemon being too large is all bosh,
provided it is good. Ii any one has
a lemon that is thin skinned, tree
from bitterness, good bearer, good
keeper with plenty OF acid, l say let
him stick TO it, even if the fruit Is as
large as his head. Many years ago
some OF the large, ugly, rough skin,
native Florida lemons were shipped
North, and was the cause of prejudic-
ing the commission men against Flor
ida lemons, as many of them con-,
i lcluded that Al largeE snaons fso,ss!
I ! TFs T7da nj &c De il Ime sort.7HS lJl is
only the last year or two that this
prejudice has been particularly re-
moved, and now the Florida lemon
is much sought after by the knowing
fruit merchants of the northern cities,
and bring from two to three times as
much per box as the small i'm
ported lemon. This has been tested
two years by lemons shipped from
the grove OF Col. Eagleton and E. >.
Carney, two gentlemen who are en-
gagged very largely in lemon culture
at Lake Weir. The above named
gentlemen are the same parties who
are working up a grove, budding
with the famous Parson Brown or
ange. They have also 'budded a
large number ofsour trees with both
their orange and lemon, that will be
offered tor sale tnis tall. The lemon
grown by Messrs Eagletou & Carney
is known here as the McGahagin Sic
lily lemon, and no better or finer
lemon can be found. Other parties
in Florida may have as good, if 50, |
say stick to it, it pays, don't be per-
suaded to abandon it; it. will pan
you out from S450 to $3.50 per box
in northern cities, even if the market
is over stocked with the imported.
For the benefit of all I will describe
this lemon and if any OF your readers
have similar lemon let them stick
to it. The lemon of Messrs. Eagle
ton 81 Carney is the pure Sicily lemon,
good SIZE packing about 16O per
box-thin skin, when dry not thicker
than a case-knife blade, extra ship
ping lemon, acid in abundance and
/ perfection as to flavor, and when ripe
not a trace OF bitterness. A friend
and neighbor of mine, who has used
many varieties of lemons, informed
me. a short time since, that he had
cut this lemon up and placed it in a
pitcher with water, letting it remain
all night to test the quality, and he
could not detect particle OF bitter
ness in the aie. This lemon is also
a fine bearer. On some of Messrs.
Eagleton & Carney's trees, four and
five, year>old buds, can be seen as
many as two thousand lemons. Now
if any one has better lemon than this
one, let them tell it. What we want is
a lemon "size or no size" that brings
the money. That is the important
qualification OF any fruit think