St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1890-03-29
The Oonshiu Orange.

We give below an encouraging letter
FROM G.. Onderdonk, of Victoria county,
Texas, and published in the Southern H0r-
ticulturaI Journal
There seems to be considerable discus
sion concerning the value of this orange
as material for extending the area of
orange culture in the United States.
AS to the quality of the fruit, there
seems to he no question. It's value to the
regions bordering on the north of the
hitherto orange belt, must, of course
depend upon it's hardness in those regions.
1t seems to be quite we'll understood by
horticultursts along the border of the
present orange belt that the reason why
our orange trees have been so sensitive to
cold is not SO much from the degree of
cold that they have to encounter here, but
the condition of growth that the trees are
in when the billiards. strike them. 1t has
been conceded freely that if we could find
a variety that would not be started into
such rapid growth by the temperature
that precedes our northers, that this variety
would endure with impunity any degree
of cold that they would encounter in the
coast regions of Texas, as well as CORES
ponding situations in other States.
Then it would seem that the pertinent
question that covers the whole ground is
this Will the Oonshiu be started in
growth by the temperature that quite
always precedes our northers? If it will
not, then | see no reason why this variety
should not carry the range of orange Gull
ture northwsrd 10 an extent that will sur
prise many of our people.
Next let US inquire what are the known
facts concerning the growth of the Oon-
shiu at comparatively low temperatures.
Mr. G. L. Taber, of Baker county, Fla,
(the most orthern county of that State)
says that he has discontinued the culture
of all other varieties than the Satsuma,
and succeeds we'll with it; that, "This is
the hardest known variety of the sweet
orange" understand that the Oonshiu
and Satsuma are identical.
Mr. ]. l.. Normand, of Marksville, La
says: "lf an orange tree can be kept from
growing in the win cor, it is surprising how
much cold it can stand, aud that is the
poiat gained in the Oonshiu orange"
Next come to my own experience. |
obtained tree from Mr.. Taber, and
planted it in the fall of 1888. 1t grew
we'll in the spring and summer, but
ceased to grow in the fall, while all of the
orange trees of the old type kept on max
ing new leaves, and in one case put out
full crop of fruit in mid winter. Il will
add here that other Japan varieties from
Mr.. Normand also ceased to grow, show
ing other candidates for favors,)
l noticed recently that the Oonshiu
trees of Mr.. Stripgfellow, near Galveston,
were not growing when examined them,
February 16. On the night of February
90, we had the coolest snap of this winter.
Every unprotected Grange tree that I
have seen in this sc ction was scorched con-
siderably, although none were seriously
injured. But the Japan varieties, includ-
ing the OonsLiu, show no trace of the
freeze.
should say that it is prudent to draw
no strong conclusions hastily, but let us
look carefully to the experience of the
coming years, and see if We are to realize
the bright hopes that are excited by the
really encouraging prospect of the extern
sion of orange culture beyond any of the
dreams of our past history.