The Winslow mail., 1899-06-01
SEEK A NEW ORANGE.
Experiments Going On in the Agri-
cultural Department.
Success of Present Efforts Would
Revolutionixe and Expand the
Oranxe-Growfng Industry
I'm the North.

Man is seeking to improve natures
work upon the orange, and it is likely
that he will be able TO do it. 1t 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 rpel off as easily as a tangerine's.
and haps devoid of the seeds that
now threaten the peril of appendicitis.
Such recreation of this luscious
frui1-fcr that is what it would amount
to-wo' d deserve to rank with the
greatest marvels of the end of the CEN
tury Ii would revolutionize and ex-
PAID the orange-growing industry. and
D. move all danger from the frosts and
freezes that now either blight CT en-
TIA l, roy the trees ond their fruit
in where they are grown.
Tt re in the southern states in
I 1898 destroyed every orange
ir uSing loss upon the crop cx-
pc li nearly s5.000,0O0. and dam
zoe e industry in general that has
puted at the extraordinary
+ IF S75.OOO.GOO. 1t will be FIVE
years YET before eorange-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-
partment has been experimenting in
the Decentralization of oranges in the
here OF producing one or more varie-
ties that will resist the attacks of frost
and that will possess the other quail
ties not found in the fruit of to-day.
The practical part of the work is be-
f:g conducted under the supervision OF
H i Webber and w. T. Swingle. spe-
cial agents of the division of vegetable
physiology and pathology.
u to the present the experimental
processes have been productive of the
results expected, but the most inter
esting and delicate stages are yet to
come In the greenhouse there are at
least 1000 hybrid growths from the
seeds that have been crossed. and this
spring many of these will be taken
to the southern states and grated on
the orange trees growing there. Then
at least three years must elapse be-
fore the grated trees will begin TO bear
the fruit that is TO be hardy. sweet.
loose-skinned. and perhaps seedless.
In 1892 Messrs. Webber and Swingle
were in the south studying the diseases
that affect oranges, and the need OF
harder orange than the usual varieties
was brought to their attention. This
was emphasized by the disastrous
frosts of 1894 and 1895. The growers
had sought to overcome their foe by
selecting for planting and developing
trees growing in their fields, but even
these succumbed to the severe attacks
of the invading cold.
In the meantime experiments con-
Quoted by Mr.. Webber in this city
turned out unfavorably, through no
fault of hi7 own. 1t was not until 1897
that he succeeded in hybridizing he
orange in way to insure the favorable
result of planting or grating. He had
found prior to the hybridiZing that the
Jarantse trifoliate orange. although
fits fruit is small and of little value ex-
cepi fer preserves. is delicious. and so
hardy hat it can be grown without pro-
lection as far north as Philadelphia. A
numb. Of these trees had been planted
in the department grounds. and. in
spite of cold. had borne fruit. small
and bitter 1t occurred to him to cross
the Jananese variety with the different
kinds i,.t flourish in the south TO get
the bar uality. The practical work
of hyL ....ng them commenced.
If the seedlings that are grated on
the southern trees develop fruit that
cannot e killed in blossom or maturity
by the winters in that section. the sci
entists will feel that they have been
sufficiently repaid for all their efforts.
Orarre growing then would not be at
tende, i:y the great risks that now en-
comrass it In addition. if hardy or
angr 81 he produced that Wal 1--we in
the ro i and yet have The sweetness
and j.: r:ress of the southern fruit.
then \, work of nature will have been
wholly improved by the hand and i'm
telligt net of fman.-Washington Star.