758 FRUIT CULTURE IN FOREIGN COUNTRIES. 



rendering of his excellent Italian letter addressed to me on this subject. 

 Mr. Stella has represented the United States at Syracuse for thirty-nine 

 years past. He is certainly a veteran. 



ALBERT WOODCOCK, 



Consul. 

 UNITED STATES CONSULATE, 



Catania, May 21, 1884. 



MESSINA. 

 REPORT BY CONSUL JONES. 



Varieties. The best variety for drying are the fico albo, white fig 

 (round), and the fico petrociano, purple fig (oblong). The best variety 

 for eating when ripe are the brogiotto, the adottato, the graziano, the 

 catalano, the palermitano, the verunio (winter fig), and the lardaio. 



Tree planting. The above-named varieties are grown throughout this 

 province. They are not planted by themselves but are scattered 

 through the vineyards, groves, orchards, and pasture-lands. 



Distance from sea. The fig thrives 10 miles from the sea-shore. The 

 brogiotto and the petrociano do better near the sea than any other 

 varieties. The graziano is ill adapted to low levels and sea-breezes. 



Elevation. The fig does well at an elevation of 2,000 feet above the 

 sea-level. 



Exposure to sun. All exposures suit the fig. A northern exposure 

 is the least desirable. 



Position. Hill-sides suit the fig best. At but a slight elevation above 

 the sea the fruit is insipid and soon spoils. The finest trees are to be 

 met with at an elevation of from 900 to 1,200 feet above the sea. Up- 

 land fruit has the highest flavor and the best keeping qualities. 



Soil, etc. The fig delights in a friable, dry, and somewhat cold soil, 

 composed in special of the detritus of calcareous rocks. It shuns wet 

 and marshy soils. The best soils for figs for drying are hill-sides of dis- 

 integrated calcareous rocks of the Tertiary and Quaternary periods. 

 Soils in which sulphur abound are excellent for the fig. 



Climatic influences. Spring frosts and autumnal fogs are disastrous 

 to the fig ; the former kill the young buds and the latter cause the 

 leaves to fall off, which prevents the fruit from ripening. 

 ( Temperature. The fig requires a temperature of from 28 to 95 

 Fahr., average temperature, 66 Fahr. 



Rain-fall. The fig requires from 22 to 28 inches of rain annually. It 

 suffers greatly during protracted droughts. Spring and summer rains 

 are always of benefit to the fig. September rains are most injurious ; 

 they are heavy and so charged with nitrogenous salts that they cause 

 the nearly ripe fruit to split. 



Irrigation. Irrigation is not required by the fig. When grown iu 



