Seedless Oranges.

Discovery in Tahiti.

From Our Own Correspondent.

Papeete, Jan. 26.

Dr. Gerrit P. Wilder, Who Has

been engaged upon botanical re search in Tahiti for several months, is leaving by the tourist cruiser “Stella Polaris’’ on February 9, for Fiji, whence he takes the mail steamer for Honolulu.

Among other interesting discoveries, Dr. Wilder was fortunate in locating, in the Punaruu valley of Tahiti, a re markable orange tree, which not only produces a luscious seedless fruit, but is thornless. A quantity of wood from this valuable tree, suitable for grafting, has already been despatched to Hawaii.

Introduced by early English mission aries, the orange quickly became es tablished in the genial climate of Tahiti and ran wild over the island.

At the present time, fruit of unsur passed quality may be gathered in almost any valley; but, for some un explained reason, the citrus belt which once covered the flat land has been grievously depleted, leaving only an oc casional tree, and that bearing fruit much inferior to that of the valleys.

Before the citrus industry was well established in California, and as late as 1907, large quantities of oranges were shipped there from this group. The fruit was picked by the natives, rolled in pandanus leaves, about 3 to a leaf, tied in individual bundles and packed in crates made of Purau sticks, for shipment in steamers or sailing vessels.

In this trade, the schooner “Papeete” (now the “Zelee”) made a voyage from San Francisco to Papeete, under sail, in 17 days, which has never yet been beaten.