The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1893-05-24

australasia has yellow, 1nger-shaped, acid fruits,
three-fourth oinch long by onench in diameter, it
grows in tropical Australia. OF still great inter-
est is the variety Sanguine of the same species,
discovered as late as 1892, 1t is called Reg
fruted finger lime, and has bloOd-red fruit two
thirds inches long and only three-fourths inches
in dia METER the pulp is sharply acid and of a
pink color. 1t bears abundanty and grows
so luxuriantly that it is OF general usein orange
culture on account of it's general vigor. In it's
present formit might prove valuable from it's odd
shape and brilliant color. It would unquestion-
ably be of use in by bridizing.
OF the loose skinned oranges, Roneva emu
mcrates many kinds varying from very sweet
to very sour, from very snail (the size Of u
kumquaD to very large (nearly as large as q
pOmelo), from smooth to very rough, from
yellow or green to lobster red Or even i'll part
tomato red. 1t is needless to call attention to
such varieties. 1t is highly probable that many
kinds equal to OF better than the King of Siam.
Targerine and Mandarin could be obtained
in Eastern India.
It would be needless to multiply further tt e
referencest to fine citrus frutsa and their allies so
shall proceed at once to the practical part of
my paper.
How can these varieties be introduced?
Unfortunately the department of agriculture
cannot send it's agents out of the country and
CIV III if il were attained there are no funds
available for such purposes. The agents
of the State department could obtain some of
the varieties about the ports where they are
located but it is out of the question to ex-
pect them to procure the allies of the orange,
n
ognize them. especially fnOt in fruit. NJ borrower
the cOnsuls more often than not have had no
experience in horticultural pursuits and have
other duties 10 which they must devote their
time.
The only way then is for the Florida horti-
culturists themselves to take the matter In
hand.
After considerable thought it has seemed
most feasible 10 me to organize a stock CT
pany or society for the express purpose OF
introducing these and other economic plants.
Though have restricted myself in this paper
TO citrus plants since had especially studied
them. firmly believe that equally valuable
opportunities stand open TO growers of other
crops. For instance there are til! ee species
of rice and Belatn enumerates thirteen well
marked varieties (nOt strains) Of one Of those
species occurring in Russia alone.
In Brazil Pechlidt enumerates thirty.sx
valuable varieties OF cassava belonging to 8 "
eral species. In the HaWaiin Islands fourteen
kinds of Tango or TarO (colOcasia ereulente)
are grown. Baron Won Muller enum crates 24S5
species Of useful plants suitable for cuItiva.
ton outside the tropics and there are probably
more than these found within the tropics.
In compassion with these numbers how few
plants have been tried in Florida? Very macy
of the most important subtrOpical and
tropical plants have never been introduced
much less tried here,
L would suggest therefore that the company
senda trained agent to various counties and
thathe collect whatever other economic plants
he can obtain as we'll as citrus fruits and their
allies. The economic plants thus imported
could be plu cd on Gale either independently
or on commission with some good nurseryman
and wouldif judiclously adve rtised hardly fail
to pay expenses from the very start, and Ger.
tainly would be a most profitable investment
in the end. 1 feel sure q well trained intelli-
gent young man could easily be induced to go