CITRUS AURANTIUM. Linn. The orange.
C. nobilis, :Lour.
Naranj, . . ARAB., PERS. Simao, Jeruk mani ,s Lieng mau, • . . BTIRM. MALAY.
Sum, 7en Dadra; Narranji, MaLEAL.
Kan, KWh, . . CHIN. Swadu naringa, . SAME. Orangen, . . . DUT. Nagranga, Jambira„ Oranges, . . . . FR. Narangas, . . . .
Pomeranzen, . . GER. Kitcbili, Kolinjy, TAU. Narangi, . . . HIND. Kamala, Narija, . . TEL.
Konla, Kamla neeboo, „ Kichidi, Kittali, . . „ Melaranee, . . • IT. Narangamu, . . . „ The orange is not mentioned by the ancient authors either of Europe or Arabia, and is sup posed to have been introduced into Europe after the middle ages. Dr. Royle states that the orange and lemon are natives of India, the orange being found on the Neilgherries, on the borders of the sal forests of Sylhet, and perhaps also in China. Mr. (Sir) W. Elliot states that a very small variety of tbe orange (Ida-chettu, TEL.; Chota kichili, HIND.; Kiri kittali, CAN.; which is the C. vaiiatro of Heyne) grows both cultivated and wild in all the billy country of the Cirmrs, and he asks if it be the original of the cultivated Citrus aurantium. The orange tree is extensively cultivated. The finest sorts are the cintra, cowlah, and a small sweet orange which grows on a tree more like a creeper. The principal method of culture is by budding, the stocks generally being either seedlings or cuttings from the sweet lime. The best cintra, with a thin close rind, is produced upon the seedling stock ; and it is said that the fruit gTown upon the sweet lime stock is generally close and soft ; this is very perceptible with some of the oranges. The best
time for budding is in the cold season.
In Central India a vaiiety is under cultivation producing two crops a year. The blossoms of February and March yield their ripo fruit in Noveinber and December ; and from the flowers of July mature fruits are obtained in March and April. To prevent exhaustion, only alternate fruiting is allowed. Tho leaves are rather bitter, and contain essential oil. A still more fragrant oil, called oil of neroli by the perfumers, is afforded by the flowers. The berries, while unripe, are gathered, dried, and turned in the lathe to the size of peas, and are used in issues on account of their fragrant odour. The rind or peel of the orange is bitter and aromatic, and affords a very useful stomachic tincture and syrup. The juice of the ripe fruit contains sugar, malic and citric acids, citrate of lime, mucilage, albumen, and gum. Like the lemon juice, it makes an excellent cooling drink, and is an invaluable specific in the treatment of scorbutic diseases. The seeds of the• orange yield oil by expression, but not available,in any quantity.
Citrus aurantium, var. Scabra, Hwa-kuih-hung of the Chinese, a variety of sweet orange largely cultivathd in China.—Sntiih; O'Sh.; Eng. Cyc.; Voigt ; Elliot ; Ainslie ; Royle ; Riddell.