Citrus history History of Riverside, California

a navel orange, known washington, riverside, or bahia navel.

in 1873 eliza tibbets convinced william saunders, superintendent of fledgling bureau of agriculture, make test grower new seedless oranges bahia, brazil. planting , nurturing orange trees saunders sent her, tibbets revolutionized citrus industry. introduction of these oranges, later called washington navel orange, proved successful experiment of saunders tenure, , 1 of outstanding events in economic , social development of california. next 60 years , more, great industry built 2 small trees planted in riverside eliza tibbets.

the citrus industry in california had begun before tibbets introduction of washington navel orange. however, there no outstanding , midseason variety of sweet orange adapted climate. extant citrus seedling trees grown seeds obtained locally or spanish missions. growers experimented, there lack of standardization in quality.

eliza tibbets planted 2 trees in garden in 1873. accepted took care of 2 remaining trees using dishwater keep them alive because tibbets lot not connected canal water. agriculture officials attribute success of 2 trees did flourish eliza tibbets care. first fruits borne these trees produced in season of 1875–76. when washington navel orange publicly displayed @ fair in 1879, valuable commercial characteristics of fruit, including quality, shape, size, color, texture, , seedlessness, recognized. tibbets orange ideally suited riverside s semiarid weather, , thick skin enabled packed , shipped. contrast between new fruit , of seedling trees striking new grove plantings of washington navel oranges. tibbets sold budwood trees local nurserymen, led extensive plantings of nursery trees cloned hers

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