912 FRUIT CULTURE IN FOREIGN COUNTRIES. 



n town, where the valetudinarian and the chilly people from all the 

 countries of the world meet' during tbe winter season. During the 

 season of 18S2-'83, 2,500 families from a distance came to warm them- 

 selves under our sun. There were 87 American families, making about 

 350 individuals. The reports of subsequent years will doubtless sho\\ 

 an increase. 



Mentone an<) its environs was the ancient station " Lumone" of the 

 Roman road of Julia Augusta. In this small territory are cultivated 

 the lemon, the vine, and some fruit trees. 



THE LEMON. 



The lemon tree is propagated by sowing the seed. Generally it is pref- 

 erable to sow the seed of the bitter orange, and graft the lemon on the 

 plant when it shall have acquired a certain strength. It requires about 

 ten years 7 growth to obtain a productive tree. The lemon is cultivated 

 on the plain, and on the sides of ^the hills, or wherever it can be irri 

 gated. For this culture, as well as that of the olive and the vine, the 

 hills are terraced with stone walls. One are (4 square rods) of ground 

 contains ten lemon trees. 



According to the strength of the tree it yields during the year from 

 100 to 500 lemons, and even more. The tree requires much care. It. 

 must be manured. For this they use the common farm manure, the 

 scraping and refuse of horn, and old woolen rags. 



In summer the trees must be watered at least every two days; must 

 be dug about in winter, and the soil loosened every year. The lemon 

 tree nowers all the year, and the fruit is gathered every day. 



The harvest is divided into three grand epochs. The first and second 

 blossoms, produced by the nowers of spring, are harvested from Novem- 

 ber to February and March. Then follows the Grandtte (second grade) 

 harvested from March to September, at which time the Verdamie (third 

 grade) begins to ripen. 



In a good season the harvest amounts to 30,000,000 lemons. 



The culture of the lemon is diminishing for two reasons : First, because 

 much of the land is now being occupied by hotels and villas ; and second, 

 the workmen have become scarce and the price of labor high, so that 

 the culture has become an remunerative. % 



The lemons from Mentone, though not so fine as those of Messina, 

 were formerly much preferred for exportation during the months of 

 March and April because they could be sent fresh from the trees, while 

 those from Messina, having been harvested in the previous November 

 (their harvest is but once a year) were already five months in boxes. 



One can scarcely form an idea of the care necessary in picking and 

 handling the lemons and in packing them for exportation. Formerly 

 one-half the population of Mentone were thus employed. 



The merchants had their chosen laborers of much experience to gather 

 the fruit, make the boxes, and do the packing. 



