THE CITRON OF COMMERCE. 897 



LEGHORN. 



REPORT B\ CONSUL SA.RTORI. 

 CULTIVATION. 



The citrons which are subsequently converted into the candied citron 

 of commerce are grown chiefly in Greece, Calabria, and the islands of 

 Sicily and Corsica. Most of those 'which come to this port, Leghorn, 

 are from Corsica, where it is claimed the finest qualities are produced. 

 The citron tree is of the same family as the orange and lemon, and is 

 propagated by cuttings, which begin to bear fruit the third year after 

 being planted. It bears one crop of fruit yearly, which matures and is 

 gathered during September and October. The trees are pruned every 

 year, the branches being made to grow as much as possible in the shape 

 of a hollow circle. They are also manured yearly, generally with stable 

 dung. In summer it is essential that they should be kept well watered j 

 otherwise, if there should be a drought, the trees suffer, and the fruit 

 will drop off or will not attain its full size. The citron tree is more sus- 

 ceptible to damage from frost and cold winds than the orange or lemon, 

 hence sheltered situations with a favorable exposure are sought for plant- 

 ing them, and hedges of brushwood disposed so as to protect them from 

 the winds. The fruit resembles a huge lemon, and is often so large and 

 heavy that it must be supported on the tree. 



They are shipped to the factories for candying, sometimes in sacks, 

 but usually in large hogsheads filled with brine. On being taken out 

 of these hogsheads or sacks they are placed in tubs containing fresh 

 brine and left for about a month. The brine is then renewed, and the 

 fruit may remain in it until required for use, even for a period of four 

 or five months. 



CANDYING CITKON. 



When the citrons are to be candied they are taken out of these tubs 

 and boiled in fresh water until sufficiently soft, which is ascertained 

 by testing them with a fork. This usually takes about one and one- 

 quarter hours, and they are then cut into- pieces, the seeds carefully 

 removed, and they are immersed in cold water and left for twenty-four 

 hours, and become a green color. After this they are placed in large 

 earthen jars with hot sirup, which should entirely cover them, and re- 

 main about three weeks. During this time the proportion of sugar in 

 the sirnp is gradually increased. They are then put into boilers, with 

 crystallized sugar dissolved in a little water, and cooked ; then allowed 

 to cool for twenty-four hours, and boiled again until they can absorb 

 no more sugar, and then taken out of the boilers and placed on a wire 

 netting to dry. They are now ready for packing and are placed in 

 small wooden boxes containing about 25 pounds each, and these in 

 their turn are packed in cases (half cases they are termed in the trade) 

 which contain ten of them. The proportion of sugar used in the proc- 



