Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury [Connecticut]) 1900-1903, 1902-11-11
SEEDLESS ORANGE ROMANCE
Parent Tree Now at the Agricultural
Department.

Department.
Standing in the center OF one OF the
large Conservatives on the grounds OF
the department. of agriculture is Tree
that has made millions of dollars for
the United States. This is the frst
seedless orange tree and the parent OF
all the seedless orange trees IN the
world. Its origin and history are ex-
ceedingly interesting. TO the aver
age lover of oranges and even to many
well versed horticulturists the fact
that the seedless orange is an accident
and recent discovery is unknown. It
is probable that no fruit or flower in
the world is surrounded with so much
mystery and romance as this delicious
product.
Some thirty years ago, before the
department of agriculture had been
raised to the dignity of portfolio in
the cabinet, an American lady travel
ing in South America wrote to the
commissioner of agriculture concern
ing some remarkably fine and sweet
oranges she had come across in the
congenial climate of Brazil Such
communications are extremely ordin-
airy and have been so since the very
foundation Of the department. So,
as matter of official routine, the let
ter was forwarded to William Saun-
ders, at that time superintendent Of
the grounds. As is, and always has
been, the rule in the service, a very
formal and polite letter of acknowl-
edgment and thanks was sent in reply,
with request that slips from the
trees be sent to the department.
Had the lady been neglectful or
lacked enthusiasm after receiving the
formal little note from one of Uncle
Sans corresponding secretaries, and
affeWed the matter to drop there, one
OF the most profitable industries of the
south and southwest would be to-day
| unknown. But being great lover of
fruit, and especially admiring the Bra
zfila norange, she procured some slips
| from the trees and forwarded them to
Washington.
The oranges of the native trees were
| remarkable only for their delicious
| sweetness. They were not otherwise
| especially rare, nor were they seed
less. The young orange trees received
the greatest care and were made to
prosper in the national gardens. How
ever, the trees were not very produc-
! tive, although in other ways healthy.
] A spirit of experiment was then grow
1 ing among arboriculturists, and the
| new orange trees from Brazil offered
rich opportunities in this field. The
orange industry was just at that time
taxing q firm hold in the south. So
/ experts and gardeners worked with
the strange plants, until after much
grating and hybridizing tree bear
ing seedless oranges was brought
/ forth. This development was sur
PRISE even source of wonder to
those who had 1abored on it's produc-
ton.
/ This discovery created a sensation
throughout the entire horticultural
world and exorbitant prices Were paid
\ by high livers for this dainty morsel
i The first tree was most carefully nIlr-
tured. 1t fiourished. Powered and
1 fruited abundantly. Cuttings from il
were sent to Florida and California
where they Immediately adapted them
4 selves to the rich soil This opened
up rich mine of wealth in the semi
tropical regions of the United States
Seedless oranges became known as the
navel orange. They were shipped te
all parts of the country and to Europe
The yields have usually been generous
and the results have run well into the
i millions, SO that the parent tree at the
] department OF agriculture is the great
est financial tree on earfn.
This wonderful tree still prospers
and continues to bear fruit. II
4 growth it has accommodated itself tt
the height of the glass roof under
meath which 1t stands. The wide
spreading branches extend far out
but do not reach high. The foliage
has the rich green of our far southern
orange trees, and the flowers are pure
white, Waxen, fragrant and luxuriant
Green oranges are now hanging on al
the boughs.
When such extraordinary result:
were obtained by persistent expert
menting, the question naturally arose
What was the history of the origina
slip? Tt was then recalled that tn,
first plants had been given to the de
partment by an unknown American
lady. It was then decided to nam.
the tree in honor Of her. However
the little missive fraught with new
source of wealth to her native lane
had been lost and her name forgotten
and no trace of her further travels o.
home place has yet been found. Whel
first received, the letter was not con
sidered of sufficient Importance to b,
preserved. Thus the name Of tn,
woman who has given more wealth
and employment to her country thar
Carnegie has libraries win ever b
, unknown.
1t may be she has come home afte
her travels and settled in some bus.
], American town, where she can enjo,
j her favorite fruit in It's most perfec
state. all unconscious of the fact tina
it was her gift to the world. Or may
hap she is resting the eternal res
near the fragrant orange groves o
some land far from her native shore.
The authorities, failing to find he
to whom the honor belonged, gave t
the remarkable tree the name of tn
town from which its discoverer ha,
sent forth her find. So the wor
bahia" is placarded on the trunk o
the tree at the agricultural depart
ment However, the name by which
this fruit is most generally known
: the navel or seedIess orange. WasI
ington Post.
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