The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1884-12-17
CHAPTER ".

CHAPTER ".
ART VII.-Of the Varieties and Hybrids
of the Citrus-History of The Origin and
1rdnsmigrations-Their Multiplication.
The introduction of the sweet orange
tree into Europe certainly preceded that
Of the most Of the varieties and hybrids
forming now the family of the Hesper-
ides.
Doubtless few of these races were
formed in the original countries where
Nature had placed the species. In the
ancient woods of India and China, the
mingling of pollen of many differing in
dividuals would have given birth to the
varieties with which those peoples after
wards embellished their gardens, and
which, step by step, passed into the bor-
dering provinces, and are at last spread
over Europe. But great number were
formed only in the orchards of Syria and
Egypt, after the naturalization of the
species, which were mixed, the one with
the other, by culture. Some varieties
have originated only in the gardens OF
Europe.
The Oldest variety known in the Occi-
dent is certainly the Adams apple. 1t
was cultivated in Palestine in the twelfth
century, and Jacques de Nitry, who calls
it by this name (pomum dddn,i) gives us
description so exact as to leave not
doubt of its identity with that we now
possess. 1t is thought that it came from
the Indies, where it appears very old,
and is regarded as a sub-variety OF the
pompelmous (durdntiuDl decunadnual.)
We cannot attribute the same origin to
varieties cultivated at about the same
time in Egypt. 1t would appear that
those were formed in this country. ADD
Allatif, who describes them, says they
were unknown in Irak and Bagdad,
countries which served as passage for
the lemon and bigarade (citrons ronds),
and adds, that these species combine
with each other, producing an infinite
Description of Egypt, bk. 2, p. 3, transs
lated by NJ de Sacy.) This last observ-
alton, remarkable in a writer ignorant
of the sexual system of plants, is a sure
indication that these new races were
formed in Egypt. 1t is certainly difficult
to connect these varieties with those
known to us. Some varieties, perhaps,
have passed from Egypt into Spain, and
thence into the rest Of Europe, but they
have surely disappeared in great part,
with time and want of culture, and have
no connection with ours, or only vague
resemblance, CHASING them in the same
rank upon the chain of varieties, yet not
permitting us to regard them as identi-
cal. H- 1855
have always been astonished by the
difficulty experienced in all the genera,
when attempting to connect to our vari-
cites those of the ancients; but since
have become persuaded of the true ma
ture of these races, and of the laws
ruling their existence and propagation,s
my astonishment has ceased, and | am
convinced of the impossibility of attain
8 ing to this end. E s## SD F
4 A rariety has precarious existence,
due to an accidental combination, and
which cannot be perpetuated, except by
art Thus it disappears whenever the
action of art is suspended by the effect
of some crisis, re-appearing often under
forms very analogous, but never identi-
cal forms never complete, having al
y ways differences impossible to reconcile.
: Because of this, one occupies himself
without success, seeking in our orchards
the varieties of the olive, the apple, the
pear, &C., of which Pliny and Latin wri-s
ters upon agriculture give us descrip-
tions. These varieties perpetuated them
selves then only by culture. This art
suffered in Europe by the invasion of
the Barbarians, causing these varieties
to disappear, and ON the return of cul-
ture new forms appeared, resembling
the old, yet which can never correspond
exactly to them. ,E2As .~a,sa4 j
Perhaps for the same reason we seek
in vain, in modern Egypt, the persea of
Theophrastus, and the baumier of the
ancients. These two vegetables-re-
sgarded by some as two species, the one
lost entirely, and the other disappeared
from that country y-were, perhaps, but
two varieties; and from want of care they
have submitted to their natural fate.
Yet they exist still in their type, and
any one could obtain them anew, if one
could attain to naturalizing this type in
an agricultural country, and on grand
scale. - ~ fT 49,
Curious passages of several writer's
relative to the balm tree, all collected by
NJ. de Sacy in his translation of the De-
scription of Egypt by Abd-Allatif, fur
! nish me with proof Of this fact.
/ will commence by transcribing these
passages, and afterwards give my refec-
tioNq