Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-01-17

is located one OF natures schoolmasterS.
Just as the chrysalis. in its homely cover
ing, is slowly maturing. giving no promise
Of its future brilfiancy and beauty, so this
Insignificant wooden and glass structure,
like a huge chrysalis. has been slowly
throwing out its tentacles, digging out Of
nature her secrets, and, In return, guiding
her into paths Of undreamed brilliancy.
Something New.
This wooden and frame chrysalis appar-
entity lying silent and dormant, like its in
sect prototype, is teenng with growth and
activity within. directed by the master
minds Of the modest scientists. who work
unseen and unheeded by the curious throngs
of sightseers as they pass by.
By patient toll these busy brains have
produced a new fruit. destined to occupy
large place in commerce. Not content with
what nature had produced, these scientists
determined to produce, If possible, by arti-
fetal means. new fruit.
This has been accomplished by DR.. Her
bert j. Weber. the psychologist, in charge
of the plant-breeding laboratory Of the
Agricultural Department, and his asso-
ciate, Mr.. Walter T. Swingle.
By a process of crossing the species,
known as hybridization. two dissimilar
fruits have produced a third. which, while
combining some Of the properties Of each.
presents In addition some features peculiar
to ITSELF
By the old and well-known process Of 80
| they lack certain desirable properties which
cannot be obtained by this means. How to
obtain new species. which would reproduce
themselves and give commercial fruit Of
practical value, and not mere scientific
freak, was one OF the problems these scien-
lists set out to solve.
The First Problem.
They were led to consider such an UNDER
taking by experience gained in previous ex-
periments. for other purposes What might
be termed the first problem was the produc-
ton Of hardy orange, designed to with
stand great degree Of cold, or one that
could be grown in a latitude much farther
north than at present. The famous freeze
OF few years ago. in which practically the
entire Florida area was affected to such an
extent that whole plantations wire either
destroyed or so badly injured as to paralyze
the industry for years to come, was the in
centive for the experiments.
The California orange did not meet the
demands Of the east either as to quantity
or quality. Secretary of Agriculture VIII
terest, set his scientific force to work in
vestigating the local conditions in the hope
Of arriving at some satisfactory conclu-
sions which would prove OF practical value
to the orange growers, and secondly, to
the consumer. To discover thing quite by
accident Is not infrequent, but to calmly
set to work, in the face Of nature, to pro-
duce what she has heretofore failed to do
tons. but unlimited resource of brains,
skill, patience and perseverance. Undaunt-
ed by failures, these men set to work to
produce an orange which should contain
the qualities to which reference has been
made.
Uniting Two Varieties.
For long time a shrubbery and hedge
plant, native Of China and Japan, has
| been grown for ornamental purposes in the
| southern states. known as the trifoliate
orange, the scientific name of which Is Cit
| rus trifohata. This plant or shrub has
three parted leaves. and bears an orange Of
about one to one and quarter inches in
diameter. The fruit containing about thir-
| ty seeds, and practically no pulp, and there
fore not being edible, Is, OF course, value
| less except for ornamental purposes. 1t Is
bitter, gummy and tough; the leaves are
deciduous leaving the shrub bare during
| the winter months, and lessening its value
! for ornamental purposes. The trifoliate
north as Philadelphia. It has been stated
that It has been grown even on Long
| Island. but the statement has not been
verified.
| By the process of cross-fertilization,
which will be described later, this unpromis-
Ing fruit was crossed with tender variety
OF the ordinary sweet orange, the Citrus
aurantium. In thfs problem OF uniting the
hardy variety with the sweet orange, re-
| suits were obtained in one-fourth Of / per
cent, and of this number only one-half will
terminate. Out OF alarge number of hybrids
| thus formed, so far, only two varieties have
fruited. It is claimed that these new
oranges will grow as far north as South
Carolina. or about 200 miles north of the
\ present orange belt Indeed. both OF the
experimentally, for the last three years at
Clemson, College, South Carolina. This
| point Is located at an altitude Of 1000 feet
In the foothills Of the Piedmont district
Crossertilization.
| The process ofS fertilization is per-
formed in the foIf6Fing manner. While the
flower bud is SIN "a the green state the top
is cut off IN snct{a manner as not to injure
the stems and piAtil. Then the stamens are
| removed tenderly and the pollen from the
| other variety is gently rubbed on the pistil
| and the whole cbvered with bag to pro-
tect 1t from insects and bees. When the
| bud natures the seeds formed. If fertile,
Will grow the new plant The one bearing
SEED In the first generation Is. called the
and interviewing by selection. the desired
qualities Of an entirely new fruit are thus
| artifcially produredos OF these two varie-
| ties. the first generation often bears two
seeds, but usually tn most none at all.
The first variety resembles a small orange
and has thin. smooth skin. but not Of the
kid-glove character, When cut, the texture
OF the pulp is fine and juicy, with the CEN
tral axis the smallest known. The taste Is
sour, but not 80 sour that 1t cannot be
eaten out of hand. It Is perfect fruit. of
the small variety Of sour orange. It makes
delicious "ade," affording delightful
substitute for lemonade. being not SO sour
and more refreshing than the latter. The
hardy or trifoliate variety has q pleasing
aroma different from all other varieties OF
orange, which in slight degree is carried
to the crosses.
The second variety Of these two bears
larger fruit, with rougher skin, some
what like q lemon. The texture of the
pulp is similar to the first variety, being
perfect. juicy and tender. It IL practically
seedless, only one seed being found In every
three or four oranges. In the former va
riety the proportion Is about enc seed to q
fruit. Its fiatvor ~ difYerent from the for
%er variety s mots acid and sour produc
ade or limade It's central axis Is also
small. but not as small as the preceding.
Besides the hardy character OF the fruit
making It possible to grow the trees ~