Lemon Graft

A bright green, oblong fruit which grows on small evergreen trees, citron uncooked is about as unpalatable as raw fowl; its pulp is bitter, its rind thick and tough. After being soaked in brine and cooked in syrup, however, it has a sugary quality much like other candied fruit. Some 5,000,000 lb. of citron are used annually in U. S. fruitcakes, candies and pastries, yet the fruit has never been produced in quantities in the U. S.; most of it comes from Sicily, Italy, the West Indies.

In 1924, Dr. Herbert J. Webber, a University of California citrus expert, traveled through the Mediterranean countries, brought back a few citron buds. Some of these he gave to Edwin Giles Hart, an enterprising fruitgrower who was then trying to raise other citrus fruits in La Habra, Calif. Onetime miner and realtor, Edwin Hart has always hunted for new things to produce. He started experimenting with avocados in 1905. Eventually tackling citron, he discovered that it could survive California's climate when grafted to the rough lemon. Three years ago he produced some 10,000 lb. of citron, in 1936 and 1937 50,000 lb. Last week he figured his 4,000 trees would bear 250,000 lb. this season.

As uncooked citron is highly perishable, Grower Hart will not wait for fall when processors begin buying for the holiday season. Instead, he will process most of the 1938 crop himself, and this, he expects, will boost his profits. Fresh citron sells for 5-c- to 8-c- a lb.; after processing it brings 20-c- to 25-c-; retailers charge 39-c- to 45-c-. Mr. Hart will sell direct to West Coast grocers, will distribute nationally through Calavo Growers of California, cooperative wholesalers with 35 outlets throughout the U. S. Meanwhile, he is interesting food research groups. At present they are trying to prove that, besides fruitcakes, citron is good in salads and fruit cups, as cocktail decorations, as after-dinner "mints."

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