The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1885-01-07
CHAPTER ".

Nv.
ART. VIII.-11e Citrus Eaotic IN Amer-
icd-Naturalized after the Discovery 5y
Ewropedns-PrOofs Of this fact.
Perhaps no plant has ever spread with
so much rapidity and success as the Or
ange tree. After being propagated a
short time in the temperate climes of
Europe, they have passed into all the
lands where Europeans carried their
commerce and conQuests.
The Portuguese naturalized them at Ma
deira, in the Canary isles, and in all their
colonies in the Atlantic ocean. The
Spaniards carried them to America,
where, shortly after, we see those new
countries, which possessed none of the
trees of the old continent, presenting
forests of orange trees.
1t is surprising that this vast hemis-
phere, uniting in its extent nearly all
latitudes, had not received from Nature
tree thus suited to its soil, and which
has found in its warm, moist climate
position favoring the rich vegetation
with which it is endowed.
Had not the original narratives of the
first Spanish discoverers of these regions,
and the testimony of contemporary his
torians assured us that America received
from Europe these fine trees, one would
surely think them indigenous.
But this fact, reported in very posi-
tive manner by all historians of that
time, is still further strengthened by
proofs not to be doubted without re-
noUncing the principles OF just criticism
We have but to run over the relations
by the conquerors and Spanish histori-
ans, to see that they never speak of or
ange trees, although they often give very
brilliant descriptions of the delightful
gardens of Mexico, especially those of
Mantezuma. The same silence respect
Z ing this tree may be noticed in relations
+, of Peru, Brazil, and other parts of South
America.
Now the orange tree is so well natur-
allied there, that one sees ON all sides
forests of them; but these forests are in
places near habitations, and these trees
do not exhibit marks of the great anti
guilty characterizing trees Indigenous to
the New World.
They are generally of medium size,
although their growth is sufficiently Wig
orous to smother the ancient vegetation,
which is overcome on all sides where
the orange tree grows.
This single fact convinced one learned
traveller that the orange tree did not eX
ist in Paraguay and La Plata until after
the discovery of America by Europeans.
(See Voyage in South America by Felix
AZara, bS /, p. 1861
But it is unnecessary to resort to con-
lectures, when one can rely on unchal-
lenged authorities. | shall cite the Nat
ural History of the Indies by Acosta, an
author contemporary with the first CON
quests by Europeans; the history of Pc
ru, by Garcilasso de la Vega, and the
Natural History of Brazil by Pison,
whose authority is OF the greatest weight.
The first named thus expresses himself:
'Among the trees carried to America
by Europeans not one has taken as rap
idly as the orange, lemon, citron, and
other trees of this genus.
There are now in certain parts woods
of orange trees. Surprised by this,
asked the inhabitants of one isle, Who
has filled the fields with such great
quantity of these trees? They replied
that it was due to chance, as the fruits
fallen from the trees first planted had
given birth to numberless other trees !;
that thus, and by means of rains carry
ing in all directions fruit and seeds, were
formed the tufted woods seen now. This
reply seemed to me very satisfactory.
1T is said that this is the most pros
porous tree in the Indies, where one
finds no section without orange trees,
because this earth is warm and moist,
acondition a required for the growth OF
+. this tree
"We do not see it in mountainous
countries, but in flat lands and near the
coast. / have never tasted a conserve
of oranges as delicious as is made in
these isles" (History, Natural and
Moral, OF the Indies, by Rev. Father
Joseph d Acosta, blk. 4, chap. 3D.
Pison expresses himself in the same
way, in speaking of Brazil 81 shall not
speak," says he, "of all those plants of
which we do not yet know the remedial
virtues, or which, carried elsewhere in
this country, have been well enough de-
scribed before me by other writer's. Such
are the citron, the lemon, the orange,
the grenade, the bic of Turkey, etc."
lGunIELMI PIsoNIs. History, Nat. and
Med, of Brazil, bk. 4, p. 1O7.
Garcilasso de la Vega says much rela-
tive to Peru and Chill, and this writer,
descended from the Incas, and who was