The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1899-11-07
SEEK A NEW ORANGE.
Experiments Going On In the Agri-
cultural Department
Success of Present Efforts Would
Revoiufionsze and Expand b
oranEe-GrcwfnK Industry
in the North.

Man is seeking to improve natures
work upon the orange. and it is likely
that be will be able to Go it. II sue
cess crowns experiments now in prog
ress the orange will become a hardy
fruit. able to grow and bear even as
far north as Canada. with skin that
will peel OF as easily as a tangerine's.
and perhaps devoid Of the seeds that
now threaten the peril Of aPpe ndicitis
Such a recreation of this luscious
fruit-for that is what II would amount
to-world deserve to rank with the
greatest maFvels of the eud Of the cen
fury. II would reFolutiOnize and ex-
pand the orange-growiDg industry. and
remove all danger from the frcsts and
freezes that now either blight or en-
tireiy destroy tie trees and their fruit
in the states where they are grown
The freeze In the southern states in
1891 and 1895 destroyed every orange
tree. causing a loss upon the crop ex-
pected Of nearly 100000. and a dam
aye 10 the industry in general that has
been computed at the extraordinary
Egure Of s~75lO00.0oO. II viii De fTe
years yet before orange-growing is on
a paying basis and ten to fifteen years
before the orange crop is as large as it
was at the time Of the disastrous
weather.
Since that time the agricultural de-
partnent has been experimenting in
the cross-fertilization Of oranges in the
hope OF producing one or more vaTie-
lies that will resist the attacks Of frost
md that will possess the other quali-
ties not found in the fruit of to-day.
The practical part Of the work is be-
ing conducted under the supervision OF
Il. j. Weber and W. It. Swingle. spe
,ial agents Of the division Of vegetable
physiology AID pathology.
u 10 the present the experimental
processes have been productive Of the
results expected, but the most inter
zsting and delicate stages are yet TO
come. In the greenhouse there are al
least 1000 hybrid growths from the
seeds that have been crossed. and this
snrine many Of these viii be taken
TO the southern states and grated on
the orange trees growing there. Then
al least three years must elapse be
fore the grated trees will begin TO bear
The fruit that is 10 be hardy. sweet,
loose-skinned. and perhaps seedless-
In 1892 Messrs. Webber and Swingle
were in the south studying the diseases
hat affect oranges. and The need OF q
harder orange than-the usual varieties
was brought TO their attention. This
was emphasized BY the disastrous
frosts Of 1891 and 1925. The growers
had sought 10 overcome their foe by
selecting for planting and developing
seeds from only the hardest OF the
trees growing in their fields. but ever
these succunbed TO the severe attacks
Of The invading cold
II the meantime experiments con
Quoted by Mr.. Weber in this citl
turned out ~unfavorabiy, through NJ
fault of hi9 own. 1t was not until lS9'
that he succeeded in hybridizing HI
orange in a wa 20 insure the favorabl'
result of planting or grating. he ha'
found. prior TO the hybridizing, thatth
! japanese trifoliate orange, although
its fruit is small and Of little value eS
i EEDI lot UENSCINCS- - ANANAO-1 1N -
hardy thatitcan be grown without pro
lection as far north as Philadelphia :
2 number of these trees had been pfante'
o in the department grounds, and. /
spite of cold. had borne fruit smaI
e and bitter. 1t occurred 10 him to eros
the japanese variety with the diferen
kinds that flourish in the south 10 &c
the hardy quality. The practical wor
of hybridizing them commenced.
If the seedlings that are grated o
the southern trees develop I fruit tha
= eanuot be killed in blossom ormaturit
by The winters in that section. the sc
= entists will feel that they have bee
e sufficiently repaid for all their effort
d Orange growing then would not De a
tended by the great risks that now el
) compass it In addition, if a hardy o
ange can be produced that will live
n the north. and yet have the sweetnei
and iuiciness of the southern frui
IL then the work of nature Will have be-
wholly improved by the hand and /
telligencs of man.-Washington Star.