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differs to an alarming extent. The Limoncella proper 

 seems to prefer a very hot climate. The Rosmarina di 

 Napoli hardly extends to Sicily, while the Limoncella is 

 entirely at home in Sicily, and is there one of their very 

 best apples. The name when you speak of the tree is Melo 

 Limoncello, but when you speak of the fruit it is Mela 

 Limoncella, plural, Melo Limoncello. The name of course 

 is derived from the resemblance to a lemon, in size, shape 

 and color. The Limoncella is truncate at the apex. These 

 apples are now abundant in the market and sell at three 

 for four soldi, retail. An even .better apple is the Ge- 

 rina, twice the size, pale waxy yellow, with reddish brown 

 cheek. Crisp, juicy, sweet and subacid. Really one of 

 the best apples I have tasted. It is remarkable on ac- 

 count of its sweetness, like sugar indeed, at the same 

 time subacid. This also is now in the market, and if I 

 can come across some in Naples I will bring you a sample, 

 though the quality at this time is not as good as it was 

 in February, 'when it was simply splendid. It upset my 

 former opinion as regards the quality of the larger kinds 

 of apples grown in the south. I am sorry that the Harrar 

 fig cuttings did not arrive in prime shape. But they 

 looked sickly when I got them and I could not get any more 

 then. The fig is quite remarkable, sweeter than any fig I 

 have ever tasted, and it should be fine for seedlings. It 

 is not above medium in size. It certainly is not a vari- 

 ety of Ficus carica but more likely F. pseudocarica . It 

 looks very curious. I saw it first some ten years ago in 

 Sicily. But my friend the proprietor has since died. He 

 was Count Grimaldi, near Syracusa. I wonder if his numer- 

 ous hybrid grapes, some most remarkable, were ever intro- 

 duced into the United States?" 



