ORANGE. In the article Crrsus, in NAT. His?. Div., the different species of this genus have been described, as well as the more remark able varieties of the orange. Being a native of warm southern latitudes, the orange is a remarkable instance of a fruit which gives employment and forms even an article of commerce from the southern to the more northern European nations. Thus, it is exported from Italy and Malta, as well as from the south of Spain and from Portngal, but in very large quantities from the Azores. Its cultivation is profitable not only on account of the esteem in which the fruit is held, but also from the extreme prolificness of the tree, so that the fruit is sold even in Eng land at a price not much above and sometimes even for less than our own apples and pears.
Oranges are imported, as well as lemons, packed in boxes, and wrapped up separately in paper. The entries for home consumption, in 1859, amounted to 984,901 bushels.
The citron is considered to have been first cultivated in Italy by Palladius, in the 2nd century, but the orange not until the 14th cen tury; it is probable, from the name, that it was introduced by the Arabs into Spain. Oranges bear the open air also at Nice, Genoa, and Naples, but at Florence and Milan, and often at Rome, they require the temporary protection of a shed. They are usually planted in boxes, and removed from the ecn-ervatory into the open air in summer, in France as well as in England ; but since the introduction of the great variety of flowers from all countries, orangeries and fine specimens of orange and citron trees have been less in fashion, though none are more desirable on account of the combination of elegant verdure, the grateful odour of the flowers, and the rich appearance of the fruit. They have been cultivated in England since 1492 : and Mr. Loudon states that at the Wilderness, Kent, there are three trees in boxes, not surpassed by any trees so grown in Europe; and that at Saltcombe, in Devonshire, there are in a few gardens orange-trees which have withstood the winter in the open air for upwards of a hundred years. They are propagated
either by seeds, by cuttings, by layers, by grafting, or inoculation ; and the orange thrives beat when grafted on the lemon. The plants grown from seeds require so long to come to perfection, that they are seldom so propagated in England. The most regular and garden-like culture is in the orange orchards at Nervi, Monaco, and other places in the neighbourhood of Genoa. At the former are the orange nurseries which may be said to supply all Europe with trees, though the culti vation is of a very indifferent character, but the fine climate, strong clayey Boil, and abundant manuring, supply the place of more skilful treatment. Budding and grafting are performed in England at the usual season for such operations, but they may be performed at any time when the sap is in motion. In budding Mr. Macintosh recom mends that the cross cut should be made at the bottom of the slit in the bark instead of the top. Mr. Henderson, of Woodhall, one of the most successful growers of the Citrus tribe, has given a full description of the practices he adopts (' Caled. Hort. Mem.; iii.; and Loudon's ` EncycL of Gardening ') ; be considers cuttings as the quickest mode of getting plants. At Genoa and Florence the trees are grown in a strong yellow clay which is richly manured. The French, in preparing a compost, compensate for quantity by richness of manure. Henderson takes one part of light brown mould from a piece of ground that has not been cropped or manured for many years, one part of peat earth such as is used for growing heath, two parts of river-sand, or pit-sand, if it be free from mineral substances, and one part of rotted hot-bed dung, with one part of rotted loaves of trees, and mixes them all well together, so as to form a compact soil of uniform quality. The blood of animals is found to be valuable as a manure, and is improved by being mixed with mineral superphosphate of lime. Charcoal, not too finely broken, adds much to the health of the tree when mixed with the soil.