The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1902-10-05
TREE HAS MADE MILLIONS
FOR THE UNITED STATES.
How tHe SeedIess Orange Was DeveI-
0Ped From q Slip sent From
Brazil to Washington.
REPUBLIC SPECIAL

REPUBLIC SPECIAL
Washington. Oct 4-Standing in the cen
ter OF one Of the large conservatories on the
grounds Of the Department OF Agriculture
IS a tree that has made millions Of dollars
for the United States. This Is the first
seedless orange tree. and the parent OF al
the seedless orange trees in the world Its
origin and history are e~Nceedingingly in
1eresting.
To the average lover OF oranges. and even
70 many well versed horticuiturists the fact
thatthe seedless orange Is an accident and
a recent discovery Is unknown. II Is prob
allie that no fruit or flower in the world IS
surrounded with 50 much mystery and TO
nance as this delicious product
Some thirty years ago. before the De-
partment Of Agriculture had been raised
TO the dignity Of q portfolio in the Cabinet.
an American lady travelling in South Amer
lea wrote 70 the Commissioned OF Agricuit-
sweet oranges, she had come across in the
congenial climate OF Brazil. Such commu-
nicauons are very ordinary. and have been
so since the very foundation OF the de-
partment. So. as a matter Of Official rcu-
tine. the letter was forwarded 10 The, su-
pertntendent Of the grounds As Is. and al
ways has been, the rule In the service, a
very formal and polite letter OF ~acknowledg-
ment and thanks was sent in reply. with a
20 the department
Had the lady been neglectful or lacked
enthusiasm after receiving the formal H.
tie note from one Of Uncle Sans CORE
spending secretaries, and allowed the mat
Ter 10 drop tlere, one OF The most prOnla-
bic industries Of the South and Southwest
would be to-day unknown But being a
great lover OF fruit and especially admiring
She Brazilian orange. she procured some
slips from the trees and forwarded them 70
Washington.
The oranges OF the native trees were re-
markable only Tor their delicious sweet
ness. They were not otherwise especially
rare, nor were they seedlesS. The young
orange trees received the greatest care. ana
were made TO prosper in the national gar
Gems. However. the trees were not very
productive, although In other ways healthy.
A spirit OF experiment was then growing
among arbortculturists. and the new
orange trees from Brazil offered Itch on
portunities IN this field. The orange indus
Try was Just at that time taking a firm
hold IN the South. So experts and garden
eSs worked with the strange plants until,
after much grating and hybr1cizing. a tree
bearing seedless oranges was brought
forth. This development was a surprise,
even 8 source OF wonder 10 those who had
hbored on its production.
f~hroughout the entire horticultural world
and exorbitant prices were paid by high
uvers for this dainty morSel. The hrst tree
WaR most carefully nurtured. II npurished.
Powered and fruited ~abu1dantly. Cuttings
from IL were sent TO Florida and California,
whgre they immediately adapted themselves
10 the rch soil. This opened up a rich mine
United States. Seediess ranges became
known as the navel orange They were
Skinned 10 all parts OF the country and 10
Europe. The Yields have usually been gen
erouS. and the results have run well into
ire mflions, 20 that the parent tree at. the
Department OF AgncuitSre Il the greatest
Financial tree" on earth