Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1913-04-18
alisteltaaeous Aeadina
LEMONS IN ITALY.
Island Of Sicily Leads World in Pro
duotion Of yellow Fruit.

Island Of Sicily Leads World in Pro-
duetion Of Yellow Fruit.
Italy hands us more lemons, speak
ing literally and not slangily, than does
all the rest Of the world outside our
own domain. The eastern half Of the
United States Is almost wholly sup
piled from Italy, mainly through the
ports Of New York and New Orleans
says the New York Sun.
The middle west, north Of the Ohio
rec elves one-half Of its supply from
Italy. On the other hand, the territory
west OF the Missouri river, with west
ern Texas, uses almost exclusively
California lemons.
More than half billion pounds OF
lemons are exported by Italy, and we
take about a third Of them. Almost SO
per cent of these shipments arrive at
the port Of New York. half Of them
coming in the two months Of May and
June. The southern provinces and
Sicily produces most Of the fruit It Is
estimated that there are 100000 lem-
on trees in Italy, and that at least g.
900 900 Of these are In Sicily. :
At Sorrento and other points along
the Bay of Naples, familiar to tourists.
there are about 100000 trees. Capri
too produces lemons, but 1t is more ia
nous for its oranges. At Sorrento, or
Ravello, one looks out Of his hotel win
dow upon the gardens" Of lemon and
orange trees hanging full Of fruit. A
single tree sometimes produces 1000
lemons, and in Sicily the product OF
one tree is often 1000. T
At the places named and all along
the Amalf coast the trees are planted
in narrow plots along the seaward side
of the mountain. These plots are ter
races. supported by stone walls built
laboriously during the last 1000 years
+ The soil which these walls hold
against the mountain side is mostly a
rich volcanic earth. The mountain Is
limestone and rises in bold precipices
out Of the sea, but 1t has been covered
at some remote period with pumice
dust and lava, which decompose into
an excellent soil.
The lemon and orange trees are COW
cred with straw mats fastened to trel-
lises to protect them from frost during
the winter months. These mats often
cover q whole mountain side, the ter
races rising one above another from
the sea to the summit. The mats are
removed when the danger Of frost Is
past. ....
The position of the proprietors Of the
gardens along much Of the coast from
Naples southwark to Salerno Is now
unsound in view Of the large migration
of laborers from this coast to America
and the consequent rise Of wages. The
landlord no longer finds active compe-
tition from tenants for their gardens"
Ravello, q town on the mountain back
of Amalfi, had in the 18th century &c.
600 inhabitants. At present 1t has but
1915, and the number Ia declining.
The recent war with Turkey intense
ly interested the laboring element OF
Italy for the reason that the soil OF
Tripoli is thought to be very rich and
will be distributed in farms to Italians,
now that the war is ended. An Italian
officer assured the writer that 1t would
produce three crops Of wheat a year
and two of grapes. 1t needs only irri-
CATION, and the water is found few
feet under the surface.
If these hopes are realized the migra-
ton of Italians to America will greatly
diminish, the tide being diverted with
increased volume to Tripoli. Labor
will become scarcer and wages higher
not only along the Amalf coast but In
Sicily also, where cheap labor Is the Sc
cret of the present immense production
of lemons and of the low price at which
they can be sold.
What affects the labor supply of Sic
lily is Of great Importance to Ameri-
can producers Of lemons, as Sicily Is
the centre Of the lemon industry Of the
world. The number Of lemon trees ir
Sicily is over twelve times the number
in California The Sicilian groves oc-
cupy a strip along the eastern and
northern coast of the island, the striI
widening inland where fertile valleys
occur. Sometimes the groves ascend
the mountains to the height Of thous'
and feet.
The finest grades are shipped to the
United States, packing 800 to $50 q
box. The size 200 to a box goes chiefly
to England. But Germany also takes
large lemon. The coarse fruit is
likely to consist mainly of woody fibre
But the size shipped depends somewhat
on the custom laws Of the importing
country. Where the duty is based or
weight the small sizes are preferred
Where it is based on number the large
sizes are sent.
The Italian lemon garden varies ir
area, being commonly extremely small
in comparison with California's groves
About Palermo, however, there are gar
dens having as many as 1000 acres
Fertilizers are used, but there Is little
or no system. Nor is there agreement
as to the proper interval between trees
Irrigation is employed. In the Sorren-
tine region where the water supply Is
short, tree averages not over 40C
lemons, but we'll handled Siciliar
groves may produce 1900 or more pei
tree. The more northern gardens pro-
duce less than those Of Sorrento.
The lemon buds are grated on q
small bitter orange tree on account OF
its better resistance to the gum dis.
ease, which devasted the groves Of Sic.
lily thirty years ago. Pruning is less
systematic than in California. The ain
Of the pruner is to secure an oper
spreading form Of tree. Tillage is by
hand labor, and not very intelligent
Frost is provided against, especially
when the trees are in bloom, in Apri
or May, by building trellises over the
trees and covering these with straw
mats. The partial shade thus produc.