The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1905-07-27
Government Agricultural Wiz
ards Latest u q FROST
Proof Orange.
FLORIDA Is ITS HOME
A. o Result Of the Experiments Car
risd on There Department Has
Pleasure Of Presenting New
Group Of Citreus Fruits.


| breeding OF plants. For years past
| they have been making experiments
| with oranges and other citrous fruits.
! and as q result have evolved Few
things which are undeniabie marSeis.
One OF them. the ''tangelo' above men
| toned, IN n cross between the tanxer-
Inc orange and the pomelo. or grape
fruit. Another. the "citrange. 10
| frost proof orange. which has been
obtained by marrying the everyday
| Florida orange with n worthless out
hardy species OF orange Imported from
Japan.
started In upon this work IL encoun-
tered a difficult problem. IL was EVIL
| dent that certain fruits. as yet nom
existent, were badly wanted. What the
| department desired was some new
| fruits intermediate between the grape
fruit and the orange which would
possess desirable market qualities. n
| fruit having the agreeable acid flavor
| OF the grape fruit with the bitterness
| reduced. and the loose. easily separabie
rind OF the mandarin or tangerine or
ange; hardy orange which would en-
drre the occasional severe frosts which
visit the orange growing sections. and
\ which. N possible, would he sufficiently
| frost proof TO be raised further north
/ than the present citrous belt. and some
] fruits having the loose. easily remov-
able rind OF the mandarin or tangerine
/ orange combined with the quality.
flavor and size OF the ordinary sweet
Picking Out Plants.
Having thus decided exactly what
! was wanted, the investigators. who did
not hesitate TO usurp the creative func-
! ton OF nature. began their work by
picking out plants that would serve
suitably rs parents. SO far as the
first item was concerned. the theoret-
jcai part OF the problem was not DIFF
hcuit IL was a question OF crossing
the grape fruit (Which In rather too
bitter and not easily peeledD with the
sweetest and most peelabie orange In
sight. The tangerine orange hiled
these requirements best. and IL was
promptly chosen. being utilized ns n
father. with the grape fruit as mother.
by transferring pollen from the How
ers OF the former to the blossoms OF
the latter.
Zeal OF experimentation and bard work
were required before n satisfactory cross
was obtained. Eventually, however. the
object In view was achieved. and the re-
| suit appears in tho shape OF n fruit, which
n absolutely n new creation. The tan
Selo." which good old Dame Nature never
80 much as thought OF, IN In effect small
''kid-gioye" grape fruit. to quote Doctor
scparabie skin. dark orange In cooir.
slightly acid, highly favored. rather
sweet. attractive In appearance and with
sogments that come apart easily.
OF vastly more Importance than the
"tangelo," however, In the ''citrange." al
ready mentioned-a newly created fruit
which seems destined TO revolutionize the
orang Q growing industry In the southcrn
states. While most agreeable In flavor. Il
n hardly enough 20 induce the climate OF
all the gulf coast region. There are. In
TACT, two citranges, representing distinct
species which are totally different from
any citrous fruits hitherto known. One OF
them II the result OF n cross In which the
frost-proof japanese orange was used IN
father. while In the other case II was made
to serve az mother.
The Japanese orange In question IL
worthless little fruit, though pretty 20 look
ut, only an inch and n half I'm diameter
and full OF seeds. But its frost proof quail
tiles. tho experts well know. would be
worth untold millions OF dollars II IL could
be bestowed upon asatisfactory hybrid. To
accomplish this proved an immensely diff
icult task. for. while a great many SEEM
ingiy successful crosses were made. near
~ all OF them turned out false ones close
~ resembling either one parent or the
other. but not both. Nevertheless. the
work was patiently pursued. the idea be-
Ing that II nothing more could be accom-
plished a species OF orange might be So
cured which would blossom later In the
spring. and thus escape the nip OF early
frost Beyond this II was hoped that a
hybrid might be evolved whinh would be
at once frostproof and good to eat
Experiments ut Florida.
The experiments made at the govern
mcnts subtropical garden ut Miami. Fla.
were Mt length wholly successful. and. as
reward. the experts OF the department
OF agriculture now enjoy the pleasure OF
presenting TO an apprcclative world a new
group OF citrous fruits, 10 which the name
''citranges" has been given. Though a.
yet the group comprises only two fruits.
eventually there will be many.
Tho ''citrangcs' are about midway be-
tween the two parents. combining the de-
sirabie qualities OF both. They are not
sweet oranges or lemons. but, OF their
own kind. peculiar. Already they have
proved their ability TO Withstand severe
frosts. enduring n temperature as low "a
6 degrees above zero In the case OF trees
planted at the South Carolina experiment
station. The department OF agriculture
believes that they may be grown without
protection throughout South Carolina
Georgia, Alabama. Mississippi. LOUISIANA,
Arkansas and parts OF Tennessee and
Texas.
Probably also they can be produced with
commercial success In parts OF Washing
ton and oregon. Obviously 30 enormous
an extension OF the available orange grow
Ing area cannot fail TO affect most impor'
family the future prospects OF the indus
try I'm this country.
one OF the two citranges. called the rusk
Is a beautiful little fruit OF somewhat actc
flavor, exceedingly juicy. nearly seedless-
averaging only one seed 10 two fruits
heavy for It's size. and with a strong and
| pleasant aroma. IL IL deep orang'
color and does not exceed two inches II
diameter. while rather too sour TO b
eaten out OF the hand. II II very palatabl'
with sugar IL may be eaten as a break
fast fruit. or may be utilized for makinE
cItrangcade, similar TO lemonade. Also .
Is excellent for pies and marmalade. ant
may be employed for general culinary pgr
poses.
The Willis citranss.
The second citranEe. named the Wiiltts
| 10 good Cor the same purpose az the rusi<
J n n an excellent substitute for the iemor
to serve with fish and oysters. D,d owing
20 its seediessness Is especially valuable